THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 219 



the hero of the war, but had been extravagently praised in -the newspapers for bril- 

 liant and noble qualities, which probably existed only, in the imaginations of the 

 writers. He was visited by many persons, and amongst others by several artists, 

 who took likenesses of him, one of the finest of which is that taken for the War De- 

 partment. (See page 200.) 



Asseola had two wives, both of whom were young and pretty, and one of them 

 was particularly attractive in her personal appearance. They lived together in per- 

 fect harmony, having one table in common — to use our own phraseology — or, to speak 

 more in accordance with the fact, sitting around the same kettle, but occupying 

 separate lodges. They accomp anied him in his confinement, and during his illness 

 watched and nursed him with great solicitude and tenderness. — Condensed from 

 McKenney & Hall, vol. 2, pages 199-215. 



MANNER OF OSCEOLA'S DEATH. 



lu a note on p^ge 221, vol. 2, Catlin's Eight Years, Mr. Catlin gives an 

 interesting account of Osceola's death : 



From accounts which left Fort Moultrie a few days after I returned home, it seems 

 tliat this ill-fated warrior died a prisoner the next morning after I left him, and the 

 following very interesting account of his last moments was furnished me by Dr. 

 Weedou, the surgeon, who was by him, with the officers of the garrison, at Osceola's 

 request : 



" About half an hour before he died he seemed to be sensible that he was dying; 

 and although lie could not speak, he signified by signs that he wished me to send for 

 the chiefs and for the officers of the post, whom I called in. He made signs to his 

 wives (of whom he had two, and also two fine little children by his side) to go and 

 bring his full dress which he wore in time of war, which, having been brought in, he 

 rose up in his bed, which was on the floor, and put on his shirt, his leggins, and 

 moccasins, girded on his war-belt, his bullet-pouch, and powder-horn, and laid his 

 knife by the side of him on the floor. He then called for his red paint, and his look- 

 ing-glass, which was held before him, when he deliberately painted one-half of his 

 face, his neck and his throat, his wrists, the backs of his hands, and the handle of 

 his knife red with vermillion, a custom practiced when the irrevocable oath of war 

 and destruction is taken. His knife he then placed in its sheath under his belt, and 

 he carefully arranged his turban on his head and his three ostrich plumes that he was 

 in the habit of wearing in it. Being thus prepared in full dress, he laid down a few 

 minutes to recover strength sufficient, when he rose up as before, and with most be- 

 nignant and pleasing smiles, extended his hand to me and to all of the officers and 

 chiefs that were around him and shook hands with us all in dead silence, and also 

 with his wives and his little children. He made a signal for them to lower him down 

 upon his bed, which was done, and he then slowly drew from his war-belt his scalp- 

 ing-knife, which he firmly grasped in his right hand, laying it across the other on 

 his breast, and in a moment smiled away his last breath without a struggle or a groan." 



MR. CATLIN'S NOTES ON THE SEMINOLE AND ETJCHEE INDIANS. 



Fort Moultrie, South Carolina, 



December, 1837, and January, 1838. 

 Since the date of my last letter I have been a wanderer, as usual, and am now at 

 least two thousand miles from the place where it was dated. At this place are held 

 two hundred and fifty of the Seminolees and Euchees, prisoners of war, who are to 

 be kept here awhile longer, and transferred to the country assigned them, seven hun- 

 dred miles west of the Mississippi, and fourteen hundred from this. The famous 

 Os-ce-o-la is amongst the prisoners ; and also Miclc-e-no-pah, the head chief of the 

 tribe, and Cloud, King Phillip, and several others of the distinguished men of the 



