TRAVELS,
Catlin's Notes of Eight Fears' Travel and Residence in Europe. with his North Ame- rican Indian Collection. With Anecdotes and Incidents of the Travels and Adven- tures of three different Parties of American Indians whom he introduced to the Courts of England, France, and Belgium. In two volumes. With numerous Il-
lustrations. Catlin, Waterloo Place.
BIOGRAPSEE,
Personal Recollections of the late Daniel O'Connell. 11-P. By William T. O'N. Daunt, Esq., of Klicascan, County Cork. In two 'volumes• . • . Chapman and Hall. MAanas Ascurreortina, Account of the Skerry-vore Lighthouse; with Notes on the Illumination of Light. houses. By Alan Stevenson, LL.B., F.R.S.E., 1d.I.C.E„ Engineer to the Northern Lighthouse Board. By order Of the Cominiasionens of Northern Lighthouses. Adam and Charles Black, Edinburgh.
CATLIN'S NOTES IN EUROPE.
IN his former volumes,* Mr. Catlin gave an account of his own rambles among the yet remaining tribes of Red Indiansintermingling accounts of the history, character, and condition of the Indian tribes with the auto- biographical narrative of his adventures, and the incidents that occurred in farming his collection of curiosities and portraits of chiefs and " braves." His Notes in Europe continue the subject, with no other difference than arises from circumstances. Instead of the cliffieulties of forming his collection, we have now the troubles of conveying and the excitement of exhibiting it. The "noble savage" is transported from the wilderness to the populous cities of England and Franoe, without much gain to the romance of his character, but without much loss, in com- parison with civilized men. The chiefs are no longer the sole objects ; Queen Victoria, King Louis Philippe, the Royal Families, and the fashion- able world, divide the crown : but in the speechful encounter with edu- cated Europe the Red Indian maintains his pre8minence as an orator. Measured against the great masterpieces of art, the spontaneous thanks of these Red men may not go for much, on account of the smallness of the occasion ; but the matter was appropriate, the spirit fresh, and though the form is odd, the whole looks natural against the goodnatured con- ventionalisms of fashion "saying something proper." It may be in the recollection of persons who give their attention to public amusements, that Mr. Caffin opened his Indian Gallery in 1840; and that after exciting the attention of London, the proprietor started on a provincial tour. When he was at Manchester, meditating a return to America, a party of the Ojibbeways arrived in this country on a specula. don • and their importer, a Mr. Rankin, made an arrangement with Mr. Catlin for the Indians to exhibit in his gallery, under his superintendance and lectureship. When Mr. Rankin thought he had picked up enough to be able to assume the manager himself, he separated from Mr. Catlin; who again thought of returning to America but a party of Ioway In- dians, a more primitive tribe from the confines of the Rocky Mountains, arrived in the nick of time. Another arrangement was made with their importer. Mr. Catlin exhibited them in London, travelled with them through England and Scotland, next carried them to Dublin and finaIly to Paris. The narrative of these volumes embraces Mr. Dublin, story from his quitting New York with his collection and a couple of grisly bears, through all his Anglican and Gallic experiences, until he settled quietly down at his atelier in Paris to paint commissions for Louis Phi. lippe. The substance of the narrative consists of the characteristics of his bears and his right-hand man Daniel ; his observations on fashionable life and royal personages.; the conduct and ideas of his public audiences ; and above all, the impressions which Europe and Europeans made on the minds of the Indians' with their behaviour and discourse in the different situations into which they were thrown. Like his Letters on the North American Indians, Mr. Coffins present work is somewhat literal in character and diffuse in style. It has also a tendency to the minute in description, which, though not fatiguing, because of the simplicity and unflagging animal spirits of the author, is yet unattractive. When we look at the opportunities Mr. Catlin possessed, and the novelty of many of the circumstances in which he was placed, a better book might have been expected. Besides that the minute and the literal predominate too much, the observer often seems not to pene- trate to the core of what was passing before his eyes; and he shows a shade too much of the court chronicler in his minglings with the great. At the same time, his minuteness is so obvioualy natural and in good faith, that when the subject bears a full exhibition or a literal report his fulness conveys a matter-of-fact reality. On the other hand, when it is trivial the author becomes flat. The worst example of this both in point of literature and taste is a series of stories about some foolish woman who had a penchant for one of each set of Indians; and Mr. Catlin tells of the attendances and conversations of "the jolly fat dame" usque ad nauseam. This idle stuff is indeed a great blot in the book, and should have been omitted altogether. In spite of such blemishes, however, the volumes are real, readable, and amusing. The troubles with the bears during the voyage, on their arrival at Liverpool, and in their railway journey, are often very laughable. The determined enterprising character of Mr. Catlin, and his energy in the planning and conduct of his exhibition, are auto- biographical. Mr. Augustus Murray, the traveller and novelist, was an old Prairie acquaintance of Mr. Catlin ; and he comes out as active and determined in forwarding the interests of his former companion of the far West, among the fashionable world and with Royalty, as he was in tra- versing the West itself: the masquerade at Almack's as Indian chiefs is quite a scene. The sketches of society are indifferent ; but, luckily, they are few. The interviews with Royalty derive their attraction from their subject. The traits of John Bull at the exhibitions often seem much exaggerated. The great interest of the book is the Indians. The isolated few, who have hitherto come to Europe at different times, were persons who had travelled hither with men of knowledge and position, or half-castes who smack of the adventurer, or stray savages of whorn little has been published. The Indians of Mr. Catlin were a community, npectator 1541; pp. NS, 1050. ou.,..er CO — —le, and no further sophisti- taco ..uan by acquaintance with the Whites. Both Ojibbeways and Ioways were frequently beset by religious per- sons who wished to convert them. At first they tried the excuse of the Roman Proconsul, "At a more convenient season I will hear thee." When this failed, they listened with their wonted gravity and politeness ; replying in speeches which, whatever may be thought of the theology, were by no means deficient in something more than the tu quoque. "My friends, we feel thankful for the information and advice which you come to give us; for we know that you are good men and sincere, and that we are like children, and stand in need of advice. "We have listened to your words, and have no fault to find with them. We have heard the same words in our own country, where there have been many White people to Bonk them, and our ears have never been shut against them. "We have tried to understand White man's religion, but we cannot—it is medi- cine to us, and we think we have no need of it. Our religion is simple, and the Great Spirit who gave it to us has taught us all how to understand it. We be- lieve that the Great Spirit made our religion for us, and White man's religion for White men. Their sins we believe are much greater than ours and perhaps the Giv!at Spirit has thought it best therefore to give them a different religion."
This was the view of the Ojibbeways. At Glasgow the patience of the Ioways was exhausted, and even Indian politeness gave way.
"They were introduced to the Indians and their object explained by Jeffiey. The War-chief then said to them, as he was sitting on the floor in a corner of the room, that he didn't see any necessity of their talking at all; for all they would have to say they had heard from much more intelligent-looking men than they were in London and in other places, and they had given their answers at full length, which Chippehola [Mr. Catlin] had written all down. "' Now, my friends,' said he, I will tell you, that when we first came over to this country, we thought that where you had so many preachers, so many to read and explain the good book, we should find the White people all good and sober people; but as we travel about we find this MIS all a mistake. When we first came over we thought that White man's religion would make all people good, and we then would have been glad to talk with you; but now we cannot say that we like to do it any more. "My My friends, I am willing to talk with you if it can do any good to the hun- dreds and thousands of poor and hungry people that we see in your streets every day when we ride out. We see hundreds of little children with their naked feet in the snow; and we pity them, for we know they are hungry, and we give them money every time we pass by them. In four days we have given twenty dollars to hungry children—we give our money only to children. We are told that the fathers of these children are in the houses where they sell fire-water, and are drunk, and in their words they every moment abuse and insult the Great Spirit. You talk about sending bluck-coate among the Indians: now we have no such poor children among us; we have no such drunkards, or people who abuse the Great Spirit. Indians dare not do so. They pray to the Great Spirit, and he is kind to them. Now we think it would be better for your teachers all to stay at home and go to work right here in your own streets, where all your good work is wanted. This is my advice. I would rather not say any more.' (To this all responded 'How, how, howl
The rags, the hungry looks, and the begging in the streets, as they daily rode through them, made a great impression upon the Indians, and seemed to neutralize in their minds the advantages of civilization; whose best points it is possible that they might undervalue or disregard, from the simplicity of their habits. The four things that made the most strik- ing and doubtless the most enduring impression on their minds were the . cathedral churches, (especially York Cathedral,) railway travelling, a cot- ton-mill, and a London ,brewery. The cotton-mill was perhaps the most
surprising. . . ".1 hadTeceived an invitation to bring themlo Stockport; to-examine the cot- ' ton-mill of Mr. Onell, which is probably one of the finest in the kingdom;4 and availed myself of his kindness, by making a visit to it with them. With his eustocoarv politeness, be showed us through% and explained it in all its parts; so that the Indians, as well as myself, were able to appreciate its magnitude, and
its ingenious construction." .
"Upon this giant machine the Indians looked in perfect amazement; though it Is a studied part of their earliest education not to exhibit surprise or emotion at anything, however mysterious or incomprehensible it may be. There was enough, however, in the symmetry of this wonderful construction, when in full operation, to overcome the rules of any education that would subdue the natural impulses of astonishment and admiration. They made no remarks, nor did they ask any questions, but listened closely to all the explanations; and, in their conversations for weeks afterwards, admitted their bewildering astonishment at so wonderful a work of human invention."
At Paris they went, among other places, to the dog-market. "There was every sort of whelp and car that could be found in Christendom, from the veriest minimum of dog to the stateliest mastiff and Newfoundland; and at Jim and the doctor's approach hundreds of them barked and howled, many broke their strings, some laid upon their backs and yelled, (no doubt, if one could have understood their language,) that they never saw before in their lives so ill- looking and frightful a couple, and so ahu-ming a set as those who were following behind them. Jim wanted to buy; and the business-meaning of his face being dis- covered, there were all sorts of offers made him, and every kind of pup protruded into his face: but the barking of dogs was such that no one could be heard, and then many a poor dog was knocked flat with a broom, or whatever was handiest, and others were choked to stop their noise. No. one wanted to stand the din of this canine Bedlam longer than was necessary for Jim to make his choice; which the poor fellow was endeavouring to do with the greatest despatch possible. His mode was rather different from the ordinary mode of testing the qualities he was looking for' which was by feeling of the ribs; and having 'bargained for one that he thought would fit him, the lookers-on were somewhat amused at his choice. Ile made them understand by his signs that they were going to eat it; when the poor woman screamed out, Diable ! mange pas, mange pas! venez, venez, ma pauvre bete!"
Franconi had talked of engaging the Indians on condition that they "were good riders" ; and when they visited him a trial was made, but with an unsatisfactory result. -
"The horse was led into the area and placed upon the track for their chariot- races, which is nearly a quarter of a mile in circumference; and the question being put, Who will ride?' it was soon agreed that Jim should try it first. • ,Wal me try em,' said Jim; me no ride good, but me try em little.' He was already prepared, with his shield and quiver upon his back and his long and shining lance in his hand. The horse was held ; though, with all its training, it was some time, with its two or three grooms about it, before they could get the frightened creature to stand steady enough for Jim to mount. In the first effort which they thought he was making to get on, they were surprised to find that he was ungirthing the saddle, which he flung upon the ground, and throwing his buf- falo robe across the animal's back and himself astride, the horse dasheduffat his annual was used to the track; and the coarse tien,g emu*, he leaned forward and brandished his lance, and every time he came round and passed tin sounded a charge in the shrill notes of the war-whoop. The riding was pleasing, and surprised M. Franconi exceedingly; and when he thought it was about time to stop he gave his signal for Jim to pull up; but seeing no slack to the animal's pace, and Jim still brandishing his weapons lathe air and sounding the war-whoop as he passed, he became all at once alarmed for the health of his horse. The Indians at this time -were all in a roar of laughter; • and the old gentleman was placing himself and his, men upon the track as Jim came round, with uplifted arms, to try to stop the animal's speed, just finding at that time that Jim had rode in the true prairie style, without using the bridle and which, by his neglect of it, had got out of his reach when he would have used it to pull up with. Jim still dashed by them, brandishing his lance as they came in his way: when they retreated and ran to head him in another place, he there passed them also, and passed them and menaced them again and again as he came around. The alarm of the poor old gentleman for the life of his horse be- came very conspicuous; and, with additional- efforts with his men and a little palling up by run, who had at length found the rein, the poor affrighted end half-dead animal was stopped, and Jim, leaping off, walked to the middle of the area, where we were in a group, laughing to the greatest excess at the fun. The poor horse was near done over, and led away by the grooms. M. Franconi caste and merely bade us good-by, and was exceedingly obliged to us."
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