1843-44 
A RED INDIAN 
223 
chief in full dress — paint, necklaces, and tomahawk, 
and a red mantle over all ; a fine plume of dried 
red and black elk’s hair on the top of his head. 
I felt rather staggered, but endeavoured to show 
no signs of it, and so asked the gentleman to sit 
down in the arm-chair, which he did in a calm, 
well-bred manner. He was accompanied by a 
young gentleman, a native of Guernsey, but who 
had lived some time among the Indians. We 
were very soon quite at ease with each other. R. 
said he would take them into the museum, and led 
the way with a lamp. He showed them some of 
the most striking objects there by the dim light 
of the lamp. The Indian seemed willing to be 
interested and was attentive, but not the least 
astonished. When he had seen O’Brien he made 
a remark which, being interpreted, was, “ This is 
iarge.” He also saw the dwarf and the elephant, 
but was unmoved. I fetched Willy into the 
museum to see him, and they shook hands most 
ceremoniously. On returning from the museum 
the chief seated himself, and we amused him 
tvith pictures and such books as Mme. Merian’s 
Insects,’ and, what chiefly gave him pleasure, 
^Villy’s coloured plates of Natural History. He 
recognised the different plates of animals, and 
tt^hen we offered him the choice he was much 
pleased with a leopard and chose that, saying he 
tvould be glad to take it home with him. R. 
Ordered up wine, and the chief showed neither 
