582 THE GEORGE CATLlN INDIAN GALLERY. 



The old chief was painting the stem of his pipe of peace (or calumet) sky-blue, em- 

 blematical of the feelings they carried in their breasts; and decorating it also with 

 blue and red ribbons, as a suitable gift to royalty. The little girl, Mb-nab-c-qua, was 

 crying, as she embroidered with red and white porcupine-quills, fearing that her new 

 moccasius would not look so brilliant as she had sometimes made them. Her mother 

 was arranging black mourning plumes in the cradle in which her infant had died, 

 and which, "by the custom of the country, she was obliged yet to carry on her back. 

 The war chief was repainting his shield and arranging his scalps on a little hoop to 

 give proper effect to the scalp-dance. The medicine-man was preparing his wa-be-no 

 drum. Gish-ee-gosh-ee-gee was stringing beads with his wife ; and Sah-mah was bright- 

 ening his tomahawk and his scalping-knife for a glittering effect in the war-dance. 

 Cadotte, during this time, was parading before the mirror, examining, arranging, aud 

 rearranging the ostrich-plumes in his cap, and the fit of a laced frock he had just had 

 made ; and (I had almost forgotten myself) I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of a 

 new coat I had ordered at my tailor's for the occasion. 



On the morning appointed all were satisfactorily prepared, and, being seated in an 

 omnibus posted with four horses, we were on our way, and soon after that arrived at 

 the gates of Windsor Castle. Descending from the carriage, the poor old chief, whose 

 eyes were getting a little dim with age, was completely nonplussed at beholding the 

 magnificent figure (in scarlet and gold lace and powdered wig) of (his apparent ma- 

 jesty) Sykes, the well-known porter of the palace, who had him by the elbow, and was 

 conducting him aud his heavy paraphernalia towards the door. The good old chief 

 turned around and gave him his hand, not knowing as yet what to say, as they had 

 none of them contemplated anything so brilliant aud dazzling, short of majesty itself. 

 He was at this moment, however, saved from committing himself or bestowing his 

 .pipe of peace by the sudden approach of several others of the household in liveries 

 equally splendid, who conducted us into the hall, at which moment we met our 

 friend the honorable Mr. Murray, whom we followed to the waiting-room adjoining 

 to the Waterloo Gallery, in which our reception was to take place. Here wo were 

 seated, and awaited the anxious moment when it was to be announced that Her 

 Majesty was ready to see us. 



The Indians were here parading before the large and splendid mirrors and adjust- 

 ing their feathers and ornaments, and suggesting many surmises about the long 

 table which was dressed out in the room where we were, and which they supposed 

 was the place wLere the Queen and all her officers about her took their dinners. This, 

 as the sequel will show, was a very great error, as it was preparing for another and 

 entirely different purpose. 



After waiting half an hour or so, an officer in full dress came into the room and in- 

 formed us that the Queen was in the adjoining room and ready to receive us, and 

 showed us the way. There was a moment of jingling and rattling of trinkets as the 

 Indians were throwing on their robes aud gathering up their weapons; and when 

 they responded to my question "if they were all ready?" by their " how ! how! how!" I 

 led the way, and they followed into the Waterloo Gallery. They were now all at full 

 length before Her Majesty and the prince, who most graciously received them. 

 (Plate 5.) The Queen arose from a sofa in the middle of the room, having Her 

 Majesty the Queen Dowager and H. R. A. the Duchess of Kent by her side; and, ad- 

 vancing towards the Indians, was joined by H. R. H. Prince Albert and the Hon. 

 Mr. Murray. Her Majesty desired that the interpreter and myself should advance 

 nearer to her, and at her request I introduced each individually by their appropriate 

 names, explaining their costumes, weapons, &c. Her Majesty beckoned the little 

 girl up to her, and held her some time by both hands, evidently much pleased with 

 her appearance, and also the woman with the cradle on her back, in whom she seemed 

 to take much interest. She asked many questions, as well as the prince, relative to 

 their costumes, modes, &c, and they then took their seats on the sofa to witness the 

 dances which the Indians had come prepared to give. 

 The Indians were at this time seated in a circle on the floor, when the medicine-man 



