THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 247 



" You see (holding a red pipo to the side of his naked arm) that this pipe is a part 

 of our llesh. The red men are a part of the red stone. (How ! how !) 



" If the white men take away a piece of the red pipestone, it is a hole made in our 

 flesh, and the hlood will always run. We cannot stop the blood from running. (How ! 

 how!) 



" The Great Spirit has told us that the red stone is only to be used for pipes, and 

 through them we are to smoke to him. (How!) 



" Why do the white men want to get there ? You have no good object in view ; we 

 know you have none, and the sooner you go back the better. (How ! how!)" 



Muz-za (the Iron) spoke next : 



11 My friends, we do not wish to harm you ; you have heard the words of our chief 

 men, and you now see that you must go back. (How ! how !) 



11 Tehan-dee-pah-slia-kah-free (the red pipestone) was given to us by the Great Spirit, 

 and no one need ask the price of it, for it is medicine. (How ! how !) 



"My friends, I believe what you have told us; I think your intentions are good, but 

 our chiefs have always told us that no white man was allowed to go there — and you 

 cannot go. (How ! how !) " 



Another. "My friends, you see I am a young man ; you see on my war club two scalps 

 from my enemies' heads ; my hands have been dipped in blood, but I am a good man. 

 I am a friend to the whites, to the traders ; and they are your friends. I bring them 

 three thousand muskrat skins every year, which I catch in my own traps. (How! 

 how !) 



a great deal of surprise and some considerable mirth amongst his highly respectable and numerous audi- 

 ence. "Whilst speaking of the great and "war-like tribe of Sioux or Dahcotas, of forty or fifty thousand, 

 lie slated that many of this tribe, as well as of several others, although living entirely in the territory of 

 the United States, and several hundred miles south of Her Majesty's possessions, were found cherishing 

 a lasting friendship for the English, whom they denominate Saganosh. And in very many instances 

 they are to be seen wearing about their necks large silver medals with the portrait of George III in 

 bold relief upon them. These medals were given to them as badges of merit during the last war witli 

 the United States, when these warriors were employed in the British service. 



" The lecturer said that whenever the word Saganosh was used it seemedto rouse them at once ; that 

 on several occasions when Englishmen had been in his company as fellow-travelers they had marked 

 attentions paid to them by these Indians as Saganoshes. And on one occasion, in one of his last ram- 

 bles in that country, where he had painted several portraits in a small village of Dahcotas, the chief 

 of the band positively refused to sit; alleging as his objection that the pale faces, who were not to be 

 trusted, might do some injury to his portrait, and his health or his life might be affected by it. The 

 painter, as he was about to saddle his horse for his departure, told the Indian that he was a Saganosh, 

 and was going across the Big Salt Lake, and was very sorry that he could not carry the picture of so 

 distinguished a man. At this intelligence the Indian advanced, and after a hearty grip of the hand, 

 very carefully and deliberately withdrew from his bosom, and next to his naked breast, a large silver 

 medal, and turning his face to the painter, pronounced with great vehemence and emphasis the word 

 Sag-a-nosh ! The artist, supposing that he had thus gained his point with the Indian sagamore, was 

 making preparation to proceed with his work, when the Indian still firmly denied him the privilege — 

 holding up the face of His Majesty (which had got a superlative brightness by having been worn for years 

 against his naked breast), he made this singular and significant speech : ' When you cross the Big Salt 

 Lake tell my Great Father that you saw his face, and it was bright! ' To this the painter replied, 'I 

 can never see your Great Father, he is dead ! ' The poor Indian recoiled in silence, and returned nis 

 medal to his bosom, entered his wigwam, a few paces distant, where he seated himself amidst his fam- 

 ily around his fire, and deliberately lighting his pipe, passed it around in silence. 



" When it was smoked out he told them the news he had heard, and in a few moments returned to 

 the traveler again, who was preparing with his party to mount their horses, and inquired whether the 

 Saganoshes had no chief. The artist replied in the affirmative, saying that the present chief of thfe Saga- 

 noshes is a young and very beautiful woman. The sagamore expressed great surprise and some incredul- 

 ity at this unaccountable information ; and being fully assured by the companions of the artist that his as- 

 sertion was true, the Indian returned again quite hastily to his wigwam, called his own and neighboring 

 families into his presence, lit and smoked another pipe, and then communicated the intelligence to 

 them, to their great surprise and amusomeut ; after which he walked out to the party about to start off, 

 and advancing to the painter (or great medicine as they called him), with a sarcastic smile on his face, 

 in due form, and with much grace and effect, he carefully withdrew again from his bosom the polished 

 silver medal, and turning the face to the painter said, 'Tell my Great Mother that yon saw our Great 

 Father, and that we keep his face bright ! ' " 



