726 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



painted, and cany it home with me amongst the white people, and th;it when they 

 died they would never sleep quiet in their graves." 



In this way the women and some old quack-medicine men together had succeeded in 

 raising an opposition against me ; and the reasons they assigned were so plausihle and 

 so exactly suited for their superstitious feelings that they completely succeeded in 

 exciting fears and a general panic in the minds of a number of chiefs who had agreed 

 to sit for their portraits, and my operations were, of course, for several days com- 

 pletely at a stand. A grave council was held on the subject from day to day, and 

 there seemed great difficulty in deciding what was to be done with me and the dan- 

 gerous art which I was practicing, and which had far exceeded their original expec- 

 tations. I finally got admittance to their sacred conclave, and assured them that I 

 was but a man like themselves ; that my art had no medicine or mystery about it, 

 but could be learned by any of them if they would practice it as long as I had ; that 

 my intentions towards them were of the most friendly kind, and that- in the country 

 where I lived brave men never allowed their squaws to frighten them with their 

 foolish whims and stories. They all immediately arose, shook me by the hand, and 

 dressed themselves for their pictures. After this there was no further difficulty 

 about sitting ; all were ready to be painted ; the squaws were silent, and my paint- 

 ing-room a continual resort for the chiefs and braves and medicine-men, where they 

 waited with impatience for the completion of each one's picture, that they could de- 

 cide as to the likeness as it came from under the brush ; that they could laugh and 

 yell and sing a new song and smoke a fresh pipe to the health and success of him 

 who had just been safely delivered from the hands and the mystic operation of the 

 white medicine. 



In each of these operations, as they successively took place, I observed that a pipe 

 or two were well filled, and as soon as I commenced painting, the chiefs and braves 

 who sat around the sides of the lodge commenced smoking for the success of thepicture 

 (and probably as much or more so for the safe deliverance of the sitter from harm 

 while under the operation), and so they continued to pass the pipe around until the 

 portrait was completed. 



In this way I proceeded with my portraits, stopping occasionally very suddenly as 

 if something was wrong, and taking a tremendous puff or two at the pipe and stream- 

 ing the smoke through my nostrils, exhibiting in my looks and actions an evident 

 relief, enabling me to proceed with more facility and success by flattering and com- 

 plimenting each one on his good looks after I had got it done, and taking them ac- 

 cording to rank or standing, making it a matter of honor with them, which pleased 

 them exceedingly, and gave me and my art the stamp of respectability at once. 



I was then taken by the arm by the chiefs and led to their lodges, where feasts were 

 prepared forme in elegant style, i. e., in the best manner which this country affords; 

 and being led by the arm, and welcomed to them by gentlemen of high and exalted 

 feelings, rendered them in my estimation truly elegant. 



I was waited upon in due form and ceremony by the medicine-men, who received me 

 upon the old adage, " Similis simili gandet." I was invited to a feast, and they pre- 

 sented me a doctor's rattle, and a magical wand, or doctor's staff, strung with claws 

 of the grizzly bear, with hoofs of the antelope, with ermine, with wild sage, and 

 bat's wings— and perfumed withal with the choice and savory odor of the pole-cat ; 

 a dog was sacrificed and hung by the legs over my wigwam, and I was therefore and 

 thereby initiated into the arcana of medicine or mystery, and considered a Fellow of 

 the Extraordinary Society of Conjurati. 



Since this signal success and good fortune in my operations, things have gone on 

 very pleasantly, and I have had a great deal of amusement. Some altercation has 

 taken place, however, amongst the chiefs and braves, with regard to standing or rank, 

 of which they are exceedingly jealous ; and they must sit (if at all) in regular order, 

 according to that rank ; the trouble is all settled at last, however, and I have had no 

 want of subjects, though a great many have again become alarmed, and are unwil- 



