?16 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



among his brother artists, many of whom I know. ITis dross was always plain and 

 inexpensive, but tidy, especially when out of his studio. 



He talked to me often about his collection or collections of Indian paintings and 

 sketches, and expressed a hope, as I now recollect, that all his works might be brought 

 together and placed in the hands of the Government of the United States. He feared 

 that somebody might get them and remove them to some other country. I understood 

 from him that he had had some trouble about his paintings, or a part of them, but he 

 never gave me the particulars. He evidently felt more anxiety for the future of his 

 life-long work than to" execute orders, some of which came from England and a few, 

 I think, from Germany. 



Mrs. E. B. Washburne, the wife of the American minister to France, was in Brussels 

 during the siege of Paris. She expressed a desire to visit Mr. Catlin's studio, and I 

 accompanied her and introduced lier to him. Mr. Catlin remembered well her father, 

 Col. Henry Gratiot, when the Indian agent, from 1826 to 1834, at Gratiot's Grove, fif- 

 teen miles from Galena. Mrs. Washburne ordered copies of a few of his Indian sketches 

 representing scenes in the Northwest. 



As is well known, Mr. Catlin was a great admirer of the North American Indian 

 character, and always took pride in calling himself the " friend of the Indian." He 

 often berated the Government agents for their bad faith in dealing with them. He 

 gave me at different times long and interesting accounts of his experience with the 

 various tribes of Indians he had visited or had lived with. The Mandan tribe on the 

 Upper Missouri he regarded with special favor, as being superior to all other tribes 

 he had ever known. 



He seemed to care very little for the acquaintance or society of any one, and 

 avoided coming in contact with strangers, even when they were his own countrymen. 

 This peculiarity I attributed in a great measure to his deafness. His life in Brussels 

 was almost that of a recluse. My house, I think, was the only one in that place ho 

 visited as a friend. He never alluded to his family or family affairs, and gave no 

 reason for the singular life he chose to live in Brussels. I often visited his studio and 

 was always impressed with the frugal and quiet life he was leading. He gave me 

 at different times several of his smaller sketches and a number of large photographs 

 of celebrated Indian chiefs, which I still retain and prize highly. I took great inter- 

 est in this singular but admirable man, and became much attached to him. I think 

 the feeling was reciprocated. I will add that when I was a boy at Galena I knew 

 such men as Stanley, the artist, Colonel Gratiot, the Indian agent, whom he had 

 known, and about whom he never wearied of talking. 



I left Brussels for the United States in the spring of 1872, and when I last saw him 

 we parted with the sincere hope that we might meet again in America. 



HIS ILLNESS AND DEATH. 



Mr. Catlin was taken ill, through exposure to the weather, in Wash- 

 ington in October, 1872. He was shortly afterward removed to Jersey 

 City, N. J., where his daughters resided, and also his brother-in-law, 

 Hon. Dudley S. Gregory. 



During his long and painful illness (Bright's disease) which followed 

 he was patient and contented. His agony was intense, but he bore it 

 like an Indian. 



He would sit for hours, his profile turned to the faithful daughter 

 who was with him, bearing his pain like a stoic. When he came from 

 Washington to Jersey City in October, 1872, and first realized his help- 

 lessness, he sprang from his chair and walked the floor until his strength 



