HOLYDAY SIGHTS.
THE most singular and striking, as it is the newest of the sights in London, is the exhibition of a party of Ojibbeway Indians, in Mr: CATLIN'S Indian Gallery at the Egi ptian Hall. They are the same that performed their national dances before the Queen and Court at Windsor last week ; and we need not therefore particularize them individually. Their performance, which takes place twice every day, at noon and in the evening, is of a very interesting description. It consists of songs and dances of various kinds, including the war-dance, pipe-dance, green-corn-dance, and others ; and is prefaced by some remarks by Mr. CATLIN, explanatory of the habits and customs of the Indians generally, and of this group in particular. The movements consist chiefly of a heavy tramp, in which the whole body partakes, timed to the monotonous beat of a drum or tom-tom, and accompanied by a low chant, occasionally interrupted by yells: sometimes both feet move together in short jumps, at others the feet move alternately ; and the action is more or less vehement according to the nature of the dance, or the degree of excitement. The figures of the dances are all executed in a very small space ; the extent of a billiard-table sufficing for the
display of five or six performers. The appearance of the men, in their feathered head-dresses and cloaks of skin, is imposing ; but when they throw off their outer garments, and appear with the upper part of their bodies covered only with paint, their muscular forms, savage aspect, violent gestures, and shrill cries, have a formidable effect. The men seem very goodnatured fellows, however, laughing and joking in the intervals of their performance, and when they sit down to refresh themselves with pipes after their fatiguing exertions ; and both they and the women are fond of shaking hands with the company. The women. Sit quite passive all the while; but the child, a pretty-looking girl, ten years old, occasionally joins in the dance. The complexion of their skin is a dusky brown ; the men are very sleek and smooth, with glossy black hair ; and the women's hair is very soft and silky: The ' War-chief " is a fine stalwart figure, upwards of six feet high,
and as straight as a dart : he is at once the most stately and appa- rently goodhumoured of the party. The singular performance of these wild Indians, taking place in the midst of a numerous collection of pictures of the scenes and persons of other tribes of North American Indians and of their dresses and weapons, aided by Mr. CATLIN'S ex- planation, conveys a lively idea of a race of people who are fast dis- appearing before the advances of European civilization.
Next in interest, and presenting a remarkable contrast to this exhibi-.
tion, is the Chinese Collection at Hyde Park Corner. The transition from the barbarism of an American wigwam to the sumptuous refine meat of Asiatic dwellings is very impressive. The Chinese are exhi- bited in effigy only, but their physiognomy is truly represented in the life-size figures ; and the countenances of the effigies have scarcely a more fixed look than those of the American Indians in repose. The splendour of the coup-d'ceil in the saloon of the Chinese Collection is dazzling, especially at night, when the painted lanterns are illuminated with gas but this is the least part of the exhibition, though at fire the most attractive. The quantity of information afforded by the mull tifarious contents of this museum of China is re ally extraordinary : no object, however trivial, has been overlooked by its collector, that could contribute to enlighten us as to these strange people, with whom we are now becoming better acquainted.
The Napoleon Museum, at the Egyptian Hall, deserves notice as
being the most extensive collection of statues and portraits of Napoleon, his family and officers ; and also curious for containing some relics of the Emperor. Madame TUSSAUD'S Wax-work Saloon, in Baker Street, also exhibits some articles of Napoleon's equipage ; the robes of George the Fourth, and other pageantry of royalty ; as well as the effigies of host of public characters—some ridiculously like, and others as ludi- crously unlike.
Mr. BURFORD'S Panorama of the Queen's Landing at Treport, we
mentioned last weak: besides this new scene, the large circle is devoted to a view of Edinburgh from the Calton Hill—very truthfully and powerfully painted. The smallest circle is devoted to a peep at Baden- Baden.
Tne Diorama has two pictorial illusions of great beauty,—Notre
Dame, Paris, with the effects of sunset and moonrise; and the Shrine of the Nativity, seen both by daylight and with all its lamps lit. The P.inorama of London, at the Colosseum, we believe is no longer visible : but for those who are impatient to skate and slide—wondering, like the lad who addresses" Mr. Park-keeper" in last week's Punch, whether. her Majesty "means to have her canals frozen over" this winter—the Glaciarium offers a safe substitute for ice of Nature's freezing.
The Model of Venice, at the Egyptian Hall, and those of St. Petee$ at Rouse, aud the Baptistery, Cathedral, and Leaning Tower of Piss, in Pall Mall, are not the least curious and ingenious exhibitions. The scientific attractions of the Polytechnic Institution and the Ade-
laide Gallery are too well known to need enumeration: at the latter, Mr. Mowcx Mason's Aarial Machine is seen sailing round the gallery ; and at the former, the Steam-Electrical Machine and the Opaque Mi- croscope are the newest wonders.
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