THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 343 



one arose as he felt disposed, and walked off without uttering a word. In this way 

 the feast ended, and all retired silently and gradually until the ground was left 

 vacant to the charge of the waiters or officers who seemed to have charge of it dur- 

 ing the whole occasion. 



The fteast was unquestionably given to us as the most undoubted evidence they 

 could give us of their friendship, and we who knew the spirit and feeliug in which 

 it was given could not but treat it respectfully, and receive it as a very high and 

 marked compliment. 



Since I witnessed it on this occasion I have been honored with numerous enter- 

 tainments of the kind amongst the tribes which I have visited towards the sources 

 of the Missouri, and all conducted in the same solemn and impressive manner ; from 

 which I feel authorized to pronounce the dog feast a truly religious ceremony, wherein 

 the poor Indian sees fit to sacrifice his faithful companion to bear testimony to the 

 sacredness of his vows of friendship, and invite his friend to partake of its flesh, to 

 remind him forcibly of the reality of the sacrifice and the solemnity of his professions. 



The dog, amongst all Indian tribes, is more esteemed and more valued than amongst 

 any part of the civilized world ; the Indian, who has more time to devote to his com- 

 pany, and whose untutored mind more nearly assimilates to that of his faithful serv- 

 ant, keeps him closer company, and draws him nearer to his heart ; they hunt 

 together, and are equal sharers in the chase ; their bed is one ; and on the rocks and 

 on their coats of arms they carve his image as the symbol of fidelity. Yet with all of 

 these he will end his affection with this faithful follower, and with tears in his eyes 

 offer him as a sacrifice to seal the pledge he has made to man ; because a feast of 

 venison, or of buffalo meat, is what is due to every one who enters an Indian's wig- 

 wam, and of course conveys but a passive or neutral evidence that generally goes 

 for nothing. 



I have sat at many of these feasts, and never could but appreciate the moral and 

 solemnity of them. I have seen the master take from the bowl the head of his victim, 

 and descant on its former affection and fidelity with tears in his eyes. And I have 

 seen guests at the same time by the side of me jesting and sneering at the x>oor In- 

 dian's folly and stupidity ; and I have said in my heart that they never deserved a 

 name so good or so honorable as that of the poor animal whose bones they were pick- 

 ing. 



At the feast which I have been describing above each of us tasted a little of the 

 meat and passed the dishes on to the Indians, who soon demolished everything they 

 contained. We all agreed that the meat was well cooked, and seemed to be well- 

 flavored and palatable food, and no doubt could have been eaten with a good relish 

 if wo had been hungry and ignorant of the nature of the food we were eating. 



The flesh of these dogs, though apparently relished by the Indians, is undoubtedly 

 inferior to the venison and buffalo's meat, of which feasts are constantly made where 

 friends are invited, as they are in civilized society, to a pleasant and convivial party ; 

 from w T hich fact alone it would seem clear that they have some extraordinary mo- 

 tive, at all events, for feasting on the flesh of that useful and faithful animal, even 

 when, as in the instance I have been describing, their village is well supplied with 

 fresh and dried meat of the buffalo. The dog feast is given, I believe, by all tribes in 

 North America, and by them all this faithful animal, as well as the horse, is sac- 

 rificed in several different ways to appease offended spirits or deities, whom it is con- 

 sidered necessary that they should conciliate in this way, and when done is invari- 

 ably done by giving the best in the herd or the kennel. — Pages 227-231, vol. 1, 

 Catlin'8 Eight Years. 



495. An Indian Council, Sioux, chiefs in profound deliberation. Painted in 1832. 



(No plate.) 



496. Camanche "war party, mounted on wild horses, armed with shield.'?, bows, 



and lances. Painted in 1834, on First Dragoon campaign. 

 (No plate.) 



