686 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



and, holding a council on the subject, called Mr. Melody in, and informed him that 

 they had resolved to sleep but six nights more in Paris, and that they should expect 

 him to be ready to start with them after that time. This was a short notice for us, 

 but was according to Indian modes, and there was no way but to conform to it. Mr. 

 Melody had pledged his word to the Government to take care of these people, and to 

 return to their country with them whenever the chiefs should desire it ; and I was 

 bound, from my deep interest for them, to assent to whatever regulations Mr. Melody 

 and the chiefs should adopt as the best. 



This notice came at a time when it was unexpected by me, and I think not antici- 

 pated by Mr. Melody, and was therefore unfortunate for us, and probably somewhat, 

 though less so, to them. The very heavy outlays had all been made for their exhibi- 

 tions, and their audiences were daily increasing. If their exhibitions could have 

 been continued a month or two longer, the avails would have been considerable, and 

 of great service to Mr. Melody, who had the heavy responsibility on his shoulders of 

 taking these people back to their country at his own expense. 



The closing of their amusements, and positive time of their departure, was now an- 

 nounced, and immense crowds came in within the remaining few days to get the last 

 possible glance at the faces and the curious modes of "les Peaux Rouges." The poor 

 fellows enjoyed their interviews with the public to the last, and also their roast beef 

 and beefsteaks and chickabobboo . 



PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE. 



In one of their conversations after the funeral of the poor woman, the doctor and 

 Jim had much to say of the honors paid to her remains by the French people, which 

 the whole party would recollect as long as they lived. They were pleased with and 

 astonished at the beauty and magnificence of the Madeleine church, and wished to 

 get some account of it to carry home to show their people, and thus, besides several 

 engravings of it, Jim's book carried the following entry by my own hand : "La Made- 

 leine, the most splendid temple of worship in Paris, or perhaps in the world ; sur- 

 rounded with fifty-two Corinthian columns, sixty feet high ; south pediment, a baa- 

 relief, representing the clay of judgment, with the figure of Magdalene at the feet of 

 Christ." 



This party embarked at Havre in July, 1845, and arrived safely in 

 New York in September. Mr. Winslow, an American gentleman re- 

 siding at Havre, dined them at bis house and gave them liberal pres- 

 ents. 



ARRIVAL OF A BAND OF ELEVEN OJIBBEWAY INDIANS IN PARIS IN 1845. 



Just after the departure of the fourteen (now twelve) Iowas for 

 America, Mr. Oatlin notes the arrival of eleven Ojibbeway, or Chip- 

 pewa, Indians at Paris. (This was just after the death of Mrs. Catlin.) 

 He thus describes their arrival and the results of their visit : 



In the midst of my grief, with my little family around me, with my collection 

 still open, and my lease for the Salle Valentino not yet expired, there suddenly ar- 

 rived from London a party of eleven Ojibbeway Indians, from the region of Lake Huron, 

 in Upper Canada, who had been brought to England by a Canadian, but had since 

 been under the management of a young man from the city of London. They had 

 heard of the great success of the Ioways in Paris, and also of their sudden departure, 

 and were easily prevailed upon to make a visit there. On their arrival I entered 

 into the same arrangement with them that I had with the two former parties, agree- 

 ing with the young man who had charge of them to receive them into my collection, 

 sharing the expenses and receipts, as I had done before ; he being obligated to pay the 



