THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. G77 



A phrenologist's visit. 



Amongst those applicants there was a phrenologist, who had been thrusting him- 

 self into their acquaintance as much as possible in their exhibition rooms, and re- 

 peatedly soliciting permission to go to their private rooms to make some scientific 

 examinations 'and estimates of their heads, to which the Indians had objected, not 

 understanding the meaning or object of his designs. Ke had become very importu- 

 nate, however, and, having brought them a number of presents at different times, it 

 was agreed, at Mr. Melody's suggestion, one day, as the quickest way of getting rid 

 of him, that he should be allowed to come up. We conversed with the Indians, and 

 assured them that there was not the slightest chance of harm, or witchcraft, or any- 

 thing of the kind about it, and they agreed to let him come in. They had a hearty 

 laugh when he came in at Jim's wit, who said to him, though in Indian language 

 that he didn't understand, "If you will shut the door now, you will be the ugliest- 

 looking man in the whple room." This was not, of course, translated to the phre- 

 nologist, who proceeded with his examinations, and commenced on Jim's headfirst. 

 Jim felt a little afraid, and considerably embarrassed also, being the first one called 

 upon to undergo an operation which ho knew so little about or what was to be the 

 result of. Stout and warlike and courageous as he was, he trembled at the thought 

 of a thing that he could not yet in the least appreciate, and all were looking on and 

 laughing at him for his embarrassment. The phrenologist proceeded, feeling for the 

 bumps around his head, and, stopping once in a while to make his mental deductions, 

 would then run his fingers along again. Jim's courage began to rally a little, seeing 

 that there was to be nothing more than that sort of manipulation, and he relieved 

 himself vastly by turning a little of his wit upon the operator, for a thing that looked 

 to him so exceedingly ridiculous and absurd, by telling him, "I don't think you'll find 

 any in my head; we Indians shave a great part of our hair off, and we keep so much oil 

 in the rest of it, that they won't live there; you will find much more in white men's 

 heads, who don't oil their hair." This set the whole party and all of us in a roar, and 

 Jim's head shook so as to embarrass the operator for a little time. When he got 

 through, and entered his estimates in his book, Jim asked him " if he found anything 

 in his head?" to which he replied in the affirmative. Placing his fingers on self- 

 esteem, he said there was great fullness there. " Well," said Jim, " I'm much obliged 

 to you ; I'll set my wife to look there by and by. And now," said Jim, " take the old 

 Doctor here ; his head is full of em." By this time Jim's jokes had got us all into a 

 roar of laughter, and the Doctor was in the chair, and Jim looking on to see what he 

 could discover. White Cloud thought Jim had cracked his jokes long enough, and 

 as they had all laughed at them, he considered it most respectful now to let the man 

 go through with it. So he finished with the Doctor and then with White Cloud and 

 the War-chief, and when he came to the women they positively declined. 



THE PHRENOLOGIST'S HEAD- EXAMINED. 



Jim, having been rebuked for laughing too much, had stopped suddenly, and, in- 

 stantly resolving to try his jokes upon the poor man in another mood, assumed, as he 

 easily could, the most treacherous and assassin look that the human face can put on, 

 and asked the phrenologist if he was done, to which he replied "yes." "Now," said 

 Jim, "we have all waited upon you and given you a fair chance, and I now want you 

 to sit down a minute and let me examine your head," at the same time drawing his 

 long scalping knife out from his belt and wiping its blade as he laid it in a chair by 

 the side of him. The phrenologist having instantly consented and just taking pos- 

 session of the chair as he was drawing his knife out, could not well do otherwise than 

 sit still for Jim's operations, though he was evidently in a greater trepidation than he 

 had put Jim into by the first experiment that was made. Jim took the requisite time 

 in his manipulations to crack a few jokes more among his fellow Indians upon the 

 quackery of his patient, and then to let him up, telling him, for the amusement of 



