THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 483 



amusements in any such modes as we choose. Mr. Chadwick is a young man from 

 Saint Louis, with whom I have been long acquainted, and for whom I have the 

 highest esteem. He has so far stood by me as a faithful friend, and I rely implicitly 

 on his society during this campaign for much good company and amusement. Though 

 I have an order from the Secretary of War to the commanding officer to protect and 

 supply me, I shall ask but for their protection, as I have, witb my friend Joe, laid in our 

 own supplies for the campaign, not putting the Government to any expense on my 

 account in pursuit of my own private objects. 



I am writing this under General Leavenworth's tent, where lie has generously in- 

 vited me to take up my quarters during our encampment here, and ho promises to 

 send it by his express, which starts to-morrow with a mail from here to Fort Tow- 

 son, on the frontier, some hundreds of miles below this. At the time I am writing 

 the general lies pallid and emaciated before me on his couch, with a dragoon fanning 

 him, whilst he breathes forty or fifty breaths a minute and writhes under a burning 

 fever, although he is yet unwilling even to admit that he is sick.* — Pages 47 and 50 

 vol. 2, Catlin's Eight Years. 



During this season and following the Itinerary thus far shown in 1834 

 Mr. Catlin painted the Camanchee and Pawnees, Kos. 46-61, herein. 



THE HOMEWARD MARCH. 



He writes from Camp Canadian, Texas, on the homeward march, in 

 the late summer of 1834: 



Six days of severe traveling have brought us from the Camanchee village to the 

 north, bauk of the Canadian, where we are snugly encamped on a beautiful plain and 

 in the midst of countless numbers of buffaloes, and halting a few days to recruit our 

 horses and men and dry meat to last us the remainder of our journey. 



The plains around this for many miles seemed actually speckled in distance and 

 in every direction with herds of grazing buffaloes, and for several days the officers 

 and men have been indulged in a general license to gratify their, sporting propensi- 

 ties, and a scene of bustle and cruel slaughter it has been, to be sure ! From morning 

 till night the camp has been daily almost deserted ; the men have dispersed in little 

 squads in all directions, and are dealing death to these poor creatures to a most cruel 

 and wanton extent, merely for the pleasure of destroying, generally without stop- 

 ping to cut out the meat. During yesterday and this day several hundreds have un- 

 doubtedly been killed, and not so much as the flesh of half a dozen used. Such immense 

 swarms of them are spread over this tract of country, and so divided and terrified 

 have they become, finding their enemies in all directions where they run, that the 

 poor beasts seem so completely bewildered, running here and there, and as often as 

 otherwise come singly, a dvancing to the horsemen, as if to join them for their company, 

 and are easily shot down. In the turmoil and confusion, when their assailants have 

 been pushing them forward, they have galloped through our encampment, jumping 

 over our fires, upsetting pots and kettles, driving horses from their fastenings, and 

 throwing the whole encampment into the greatest instant consternation and alarm. 

 The hunting fever will be satiated in a few days amongst the young men who are 

 well enough to take part in the chase, and the bilious fever, it is to be hoped, will 

 be abated in a short time amongst those who are invalid, and meat enough will be 

 dried to last us to Fort Gibson, when we shall be on the march again and wending 

 our way towards that garrison. 



Many are now sick and unable to ride, and are carried on litters between two 

 horses. Nearly every tent belonging to the officers has been converted to hospi- 

 tals for the sick, and sighs and groaning are heard in all directions. From the 

 Camanchee village to this place the country has been entirely prairie, and most 



* Died July, 183 L Seo Ko. 345. 



