586 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLEUY. 



they would come in due time according to the custom. So were they whiling away 

 the evening of this memorable day, and I left them. 



THEIR FIRST EVENING IN THE CATLIN GALLERY. 



The grand point having beeu made, their visit to the Queen, the Indians seemed 

 in good spirits to meet the greetings of the public, amongst whom the daily para- 

 graphs in the papers, and their occasional drives through the streets, had excited 

 the most intense curiosity. The place for their operations was prepared for them in 

 the Egyptian Hall ; and in the midst of my Indian collection, as in Manchester, a plat- 

 form was erected on which their dances and other amusements were to be given. 



Having been without any exciting occupation for more than a month, in daily an- 

 ticipation of their visit to the Queen, the Indians had become, as well as the public, 

 impatient for the opening of their exhibition, which seemed requisite for their amuse- 

 ment as well as necessary for their accustomed bodily exercise. 



Their first evening's amusements being announced, the large room of the Egyptian 

 Hall was filled at an early hour, and the Indians received with a roar of applause as 

 they entered and advanced upon the platform. I came on by their side, and, after 

 they had seated themselves upon the platform, entered upon my duty, that of ex- 

 plaining to the audience who these people were, whence they came, and what were 

 their objects in visiting this country. I also introduced each one personally by his 

 name to the audience, and briefly described their costumes, weapons, &c, and they 

 were then left to commence as they chose, with their dances and other amusements. 

 Indian looks and Indian costumes, &c, were supposed to have been pretty well 

 understood before this, by most of the audience, who had studied them at their lei- 

 sure in my rooms on former occasions ; but Indian dances and Indian yells, and the 

 war-whoop, had been from necessity postponed and unappreciated until the present 

 moment, when the sudden yell and scream of the whole party (as they sprang upon 

 their feet) announced the war-dance as having commenced. The drum was beating, 

 rattles were shaking, war-clubs and tomahawks and spears were brandishing over 

 their heads, and all their voices were shouting (in time with the beat of the drum and 

 the stamps of their feet) the frightful war-song ! 



With the exception of some two or three women (whose nerves were not quite firm 

 enough for these excitements, and who screamed quite as loud as the Indians did, as 

 they were making a rush for the door) the audience stood amazed and delighted with 

 the wildness and newness of the scene that was passing before them ; and, at the 

 close of the dance, united in a round of applause, which seemed to please the Indians 

 as much as seeing the Queen. 



Like all actors, they were vain of their appearance, and proud of applause, and 

 (rather luckily for them, and unlike the painful excitements that fall to the lot of 

 most actors' lives) they were sure of the applause which sympathy brings, and ex- 

 empt from that censure which often falls heavily upon those whose acting the audi- 

 ence is able to criticise. 



According to their custom, after the war-dance was finished, the Indians seated 

 themselves upon the platform and lit their long pipe, which they were almost con- 

 stantly smoking. This pipe was filled with their own native tobacco (k'nick-k'neck) 

 and passed around from one side to the other for a few whiffs, according to the usage 

 of all the American tribes. I took this opportunity of explaining to the audience the 

 meaning of the war-dance, the war-whoop, &c, and whilst I was up was so over- 

 whelmed with questions (all of which I felt disposed to answer) that I found it ex- 

 ceedingly dilhcult to sit down again. These questions were put for the purpose of 

 gaining information which it was my wish to give ; and having patiently answered 

 a number of them, I stated to the audience that I believed the explanations I should 

 throw out in the course of the eveuing in my own way would answer nearly every ques- 

 tion that they would be disposed to put, and I begged they would allow me as much 

 time and opportunity to give them as possible. This was responded to by acclamation 





