1843-44 A RED INDIAN 223 



chief in full dress — paint, necklaces, and tomahawk, 

 and a red mantle over all ; a fine plume of dried 

 red and black elk's hair on the top of his head. 

 I felt rather staggered, but endeavoured to show 

 no signs of it, and so asked the gentleman to sit 

 down in the arm-chair, which he did in a calm, 

 well-bred manner. He was accompanied by a 

 young gentleman, a native of Guernsey, but who 

 had lived some time among the Indians. We 

 were very soon quite at ease with each other. R. 

 said he would take them into the museum, and led 

 the way with a lamp. He showed them some of 

 the most striking objects there by the dim light 

 of the lamp. The Indian seemed willing to be 

 interested and was attentive, but not the least 

 astonished. When he had seen O'Brien he made 

 a remark which, being interpreted, was, " This is 

 large." He also saw the dwarf and the elephant, 

 but was unmoved. I fetched Willy into the 

 museum to see him, and they shook hands most 

 ceremoniously. On returning from the museum 

 the chief seated himself, and we amused him 

 with pictures and such books as Mme. Merian's 

 " Insects," and, what chiefly gave him pleasure, 

 Willy's coloured plates of Natural History. He 

 recognised the different plates of animals, and 

 when we offered him the choice he was much 

 pleased with a leopard and chose that, saying he 

 would be glad to take it home with him. R. 

 ordered up wine, and the chief showed neither 



