652 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



into their country to teach and Christianize them ; and they were afraid they might not 

 have been understood, for they were answered that the Indians did not wish to see them. 

 At that moment Jeffrey was coming up the stairs, and, as it could not have been him 

 whom they saw, I presumed it might have been Daniel who refused them admittance, 

 as he might have been unable to understand the Indians. Jeffrey told them that 

 they had got almost tired of talking with so many in London, but still they could go 

 up, and the Indians, he thought, would be glad to see them. Mr. Melody happened 

 at the moment to be passing also, and he invited them up. They were introduced 

 to the Indians and their object explained by Jeffrey. The war-chief then said to them, 

 as he was sitting on the floor in a corner of the room, that he didn't see any necessity 

 of their talking at all, for all they would have to say they had heard from much more 

 intelligent-looking men than they were, in London, and in other places, and they had 

 given their answers at full length, which Chippehola had written all down. 



"Now, my friends," said he, "I will tell you that when we first came over to this 

 country we thought that where you had so many preachers, so many to read and ex- 

 plain the good book, we should find the white people all good and sober people ; but 

 as we travel about we find this was all a mistake. When we first came over we 

 thought that white man's religion would make all people good, and we then would 

 have been glad to talk with you, but we cannot say that we like to do it any more." 

 {"How, how, how /" responded all, as Jim, who was then lying on a large table, and 

 resting on one elbow, was gradually turning over onto his back, and drawing up his 

 knees in the attitude of speaking.) 



The War-chief continued : — 



"My friends, I am willing to talk with you if it can do any good to the hundreds 

 and thousands of poor and hungry people that we see in your streets every day when 

 we ride out. We see hundreds of little children with their naked feet in the snow 

 and we pity them, for we know they are hungry, and we give them money every 

 time we pass by them. In four days we have given $20 to hungry children ; we 

 give our money only to children. We are told that the fathers of these children 

 are in the houses where they sell fire-water, and are drunk, and in their words 

 they every moment abuse and insult the Great Spirit. You talk about sending 

 black-coats amoug the Indians; now we have no such poor children among us; we 

 have no such drunkards, or people who abuse the Great Spirit. Indians dare not 

 do so. They pray to the Great Spirit, and he is kind to them. Now we think it 

 would be better for your teachers all to stay at home, and go to work right here in 

 your own streets, where all your good work is wanted. This is my advice. I would 

 rather not say any more." (To this all responded " How, how, how !") 



Jim had evidently got ready to speak, and showed signs of beginning ; but White- 

 Cloud spoke to him, and wished him not to say anything. It was decided by these 

 gentlemen at once to be best not to urge the conversation with them ; and Mr. Mel- 

 ody explained to them the number of times they had heard and said all that could be 

 said on the subject while in London, and that they were out of patience, and of course 

 a little out of humor for it. These gentlemen, however, took great interest in them, 

 and handed to each of the chiefs a handsome Bible, impressing upon them the im- 

 portance of the words of the Great Spirit which were certainly all contained in them, 

 and which they hoped the Indians might have translated to them. And as I was de- 

 scending the stairs with them, one of them said to me that he never in his life heard 

 truer remarks, or a lesson that more distinctly and forcibly pointed out the primary 

 duties of his profession. 



MR. CATLIN WITH THE INDIANS AT DUBLIN. 



In Dublin, where we arrived on the 4th of March, 1846, after an easy voyage, 

 comfortable quarters were in readiness for the party, and their breakfast soon upon 

 the table. 



