608 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



to this country. I told them also that I was very glad to say that this party was under 

 the charge of Mr. Melody, a man who was high in the confidence of the American Gov- 

 ernment, and that I knew him to be a temperate and moral man. As he was interested 

 in the missionary efforts being made in this very tribe, I felt quite certain that he would 

 uo all in his power to promote their object, and they had better call on him. They did 

 so, and an appointment was made for them to visit the Indians in the afternoon, subse- 

 quent to their usual daily ' ' drive. ' ' 



Mr. Melody had had a conversation with the Indians on the subject, and although 

 they felt some reluctance at first, on account of the little time they would have to re- 

 flect upon it, they had agreed to see the reverend gentlemen in the afternoon, and I was 

 sent for to be present. I was there at the time, and when the reverend gentlemen 

 called I introduced them to the Indians in their rooms. The Indians were all seated 

 on the floor, upon their robes and blankets, and passing around the pipe. After the 

 usual time taken by strangers to examine their curious dresses, weapons, &c, one ot 

 the reverend gentlemen mentioned to the chiefs, in a very kind and friendly manner, 

 the objects of their visit, and with their permission gave them a brief account of the life 

 and death of our Saviour, and explained as well as he could to their simple minds the 

 mode of redemption. He urged upon them the necessity of their taking up this 

 belief, and though it might be difficult for them to understand at first, yet he was sure 

 it was the only way to salvation. This gentleman took full time to explain his views 

 to them, which was done in the most suitable language for their understanding, and 

 every sentence was carefully and correctly interpreted to them by Jeffrey, who seemed 

 to be himself much interested in hearing his remarks. 



REPLY OF WHITE CLOUD AND WAR CHIEF. 



After the reverend gentleman had finished Mr. Melody stated to the Indians that he 

 believed all that the gentleman said was true, and that he knew it to be worth their 

 closest and most patient consideration. He then asked "White Cloud if he had anything 

 to answer; to which he said: u he had but a few words to say, as he did not feel very 

 well, and Neu-mon-ya (the war chief) was going to speak for him." He thought, how- 

 ever, that it was a subject which they might as well omit until they got home. 



Neu-mon-ya during this time was hanging his head quite down, and puffing the smoke 

 as fast as he could draw it through his pipe, in long breaths, and discharging it through 

 his nostrils. He raised up after a moment more of pause, and passing the pipe into 

 White Cloud's hand, folded his arms, with his elbows on his knees, when he drew a 

 deep sigh, and followed it with the last discharge of smoke from his lungs, which was 

 now passing in two white streams through his distended nostrils, as he said: 



" My friends:* The Great Spirit has sent you to us with kind words, and he has 

 opened our ears to hear them, which we have done. We are glad to see you and to hear 

 you speak, for we know that you are our friends. What you have said relative to our 

 learning to read and to write, we are sure can do us no gooa — we are now too old ; but 

 for our children, we think it would be well for them to learn; and they are now going 

 to schools in our village, and learning to read and to write. As to the white man's 

 religion which you have explained, we have heard it told to us in the same way, many 

 times, in our own country, and there are white men and women there now trying to 

 teach it to our people. We do not think your religion good, unless it is so for white 

 people, and this we don't doubt. The Great Spirit has made our skins red and the 

 forests for us to live in. He has also given us our religion, which has taken our fathers 

 to ' the beautiful hunting grounds,' where we wish to meet them. We don't believe 

 that the Great Spirit made us to live with pale-faces in this world, and we think He has 

 intended we should live separate in the world to come. 



' ' My friends, we know that when white men come into our country we are unhappy — 



* Being a silent listener to these conversations, I took out my note-book and wrote down the re- 

 marks here given as they were translated by Jeffrey. 



