10 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



Indians frequently have several names, Mr. Catlin says of this : 



Nothing is more embarrassing for the traveler through the Indian countries, both 

 of North and South America, than the difficulty of obtaining the real names of Indians, 

 owing chiefly to the singular fact that no Indian in either country will tell his name, 

 but leaves it for occasions or for other Indians to reveal. 



The Indians have generally their family names in the idiom of their tribe, and 

 having no Christian names, they often attach to them significations which are wrongly 

 supposed to be their interpretations. A great proportion of Indian names (like Jones, 

 Bailey, Roberts, &c, in English) admit of no translation. In these cases the inter- 

 preters give their family names, joining to them the qualifications for which the in- 

 dividuals are celebrated — as, Oon-disch-ta (the salmon-spearer), Oon-disch-ta, (the 

 tiger-killer ?), as we would say, Jones (the shoemaker), Jones (the butcher), &c. ; 

 and yet another difficulty still more embarrassing, that most Indians of celebrity have 

 a dozen or more names, which they use according to caprice or circumstances. 



I recollect that when I was painting the portrait of a Comanche chief I inquired 

 his name, which another chief, sitting by, gave me as Ish-a-ro-yeh (he who carries a 

 wolf). I expressed my surprise at his getting such a name, and inquired if he had 

 ever carried a wolf? to which he replied: "Yes, I always carry a wolf," lifting up 

 his medicine-bag, made of the skin of a white wolf and lying by the side of him as he 

 was sitting on the ground. 



How curious (Indian) names, and how pleasing. Amongst the Mandans, the 

 reputed belles, when I was there, were Mi-neek-e-sunk-te-ca (the mink) and Sha-ko-ka 

 (mint), daughters of two of the subordinate chiefs ; amongst the Riccarrees, Pslian-shaiv 

 (the sweet-scented grass) ; amongst the Minatarrees, a few miles above the Mandans, 

 Seet-sce-be-a (the mid-day sun); * * * amongst the Assinniboines, Chin-cha-pee (the 

 fire-bug that creeps) ; amongst the Shawanos, Kay-te-qua (the female eagle) ; of the 

 Ioways, Ru-ton-ye-wee-mee (the strutting pigeon) ; and among the Puncahs, Hee-la- 

 dee (the pure fountain), and Mong-shong-shaw (the bending willow) ; among the Paw- 

 nee Picts Shee-de-a (wild sage), and amongst the Kiowas Wum-pan-to-me (the whit* 

 weasel). — Catlin, " Life Amongst the Indians." 



Mr. Catlin in the same work calls attention to the variety and singu- 

 larity of the names of Indian men, as shown in his catalogue : Such as 

 "The very sweet man," No. 169 5 and "The grass, bush and blossom," 

 No. 281. 



