664 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



thanks to you for the chief and his warriors and braves who are present ; but, before 

 all, it is necessary that we should thank the Great Spirit who has inspired your heart 

 and your Land thus to honor us this day. 



" Great Father, we shall hear these presents to our country and instruct our chil- 

 dren to pronounce the name of him who gave them. 



"Great Father, when the Indians have anything to say to a great chief, they arc 

 in the habit of making some present before they begin. My chief has ordered me to 

 place in your hands this pipe and these' strings of wampum as a testimony of the 

 pleasure we have felt in being admitted this day into the presence of your Majesty. 



"My Great Father and my Great Mother, you see us this day as we are seen in our 

 country with our red skins and our coarse clothes. This day for you is like all other 

 days ; for us it is a great day — so great a day that our eyes are blinded with the luster 

 of it. 



" Great Father, the chief, myself, and our warriors have for a long time had the 

 desire to come and see the French people, and our Great Father the President of the 

 United States has given us permission to cross the great lake. Wo desired to see the 

 Great Chief of this country, and we now thank the Great Spirit for having allowed 

 us to shake the hand of the Great Chief in his own wigwam. 



" Great Father, we are happy to tell you that when we arrived in England we had 

 much joy in meeting our old friend Mr. Catlin, who has lived amongst us and whom 

 we are happy to have here, as he can tell you who we are. 



"Great Father and Great Mother, we will pray to the Great Spirit to preserve your 

 precious lives ; we will pray also that we may return safe to our own village, that we 

 may tell to our children and to our young men what we have seen this day. 



"My Parents, I have no more to say." 



When the War-chief had finished his speech the King told Jeffrey to say that he 

 felt very great pleasure in having seen them, and he hoped that the Great Spirit 

 would guide them safe home to their country, to their wives and little children. 



The King and royal family then took leave ; and as they were departing, some one 

 of them being attracted to the Indian drum which Jeffrey had brought in his hand 

 and had left upon the floor in another part of the room, and inquiring what it was, 

 was told that it was their drum which they had brought with them, supposing it pos- 

 sible they might be called upon to give a dance. This information overtook the King, 

 and he said, "By all means; call the Queeu;" and in a few moments the august 

 assembly were all back to witness the dance, for which purpose all parties moved to 

 the Salle du Bal. Their Majesties and the ladies were seated, and the Indians all seat- 

 ing themselves in the middle of the floor, commenced moderately singing and beat- 

 ing the drum, preparatory to the Eagle Dance, in which they were in a few moments 

 engaged. 



During this novel and exciting scene, her Majesty desired me to stand by the side 

 of her to explain the meaning of all its features, which seemed to astonish and amuse 

 her very much. 



EAGLE DANCE. 



The Doctor led off first in the character (as he called it) of a soaring eagle, sound 

 ing his eagle whistle, which he carried in his left hand, with his fan of the eagle's 

 tail, while he was brandishing his lance in the other. 



At the first jiause he instantly stopped, and, in the attitude of an orator, made his 

 boast of an instance where he killed an enemy in single combat, and took his scalp. 

 The Little Wolf, and Wash-ka-mon-ya, and others, then sprang upon their feet, and 

 sounding their chattering whistles,* and brandishing their polished weapons, gave 

 an indescribable wildness and spirit to the scene. When the dance was finished, the 

 Indians had the pleasure of receiving their Majesties' applause, by the violent clapping 



* An ingenious whistle made to imitate the chattering of the soaring eagle, and used in the eagla 

 dauce. 



