He was assuring the crowd around him that “these people were not taken with a lasso, nor were they taken in a pit (as some had conjectured), but that they had come in of their own accord,” &c. He was also showing the real lasso, and explaining that it was only a cord with a noose at the end of it, which the Indians throw over the wild horses’ necks to catch them, and not “a net or a hammock,” to both of which he pointed, and which it seems many had mistook for lassoes.
He had also commented upon several real scalps which he had taken down and was holding in his hand, saying, “Gentlemen, what nonsense to talk about Indians eating the scalps! You see the scalp is nothing but a small piece of the skin from the top of the head, with the hair on it, and dried as hard as a bit of sole-leather: there couldn’t be any pleasure in eating a thing of that sort.”
About this time the “jolly fat dame,” having edged up in his vicinity, touched Daniel on the shoulder, and at her nod and wink he followed her to the other side of the room, when she said, “Well, you know me, don’t you, Daniel?” “Yes, madam, I recollect you very well; you used to come here, some months ago, very often, to see the collection and the tableaux.“ “Well, now,” said she, “look here: those shoats there will worry you to death; I’d let them alone; they’ll go in a minute. Ah, what a delightful scene this has been to-night! The real Indians after all! what I never expected to see. I never was so happy and so much delighted before—oh, dear me! they are such fine fellows! I shall be here every night. I can’t keep away. How happy they seem! they are clever—ah, that they are! I venture to say they are very clever men. That Interpreter!—what’s his name? for I have forgotten.” “His name is Cadotte, madam.“ “Ah, yes; stop a moment till I write it down, lest I should forget. I don’t like to forget things—I can’t say that I like to forget. How do you say? Cado—with two t’s, or one?” “I believe it is spelt with two t’s, madam.“ “Yes, I dare say—Cadotte!—now I have it! Well, it is wonderful! What a fine-looking fellow that Cadotte is—ha!—what a tremendous powerful man! Oh, law me! he made nothing of taking me up there. I suppose you saw him?” “No, madam, I was ’tending door; but I heard of it.” “Why, bless me! I was no more than a pocket-handkerchief to him as he lifted me on to the platform; and you see I’m not a thing for the wind to blow away—oh dear!—and what a tremendous hand he has! I never saw the like. When he took hold of my arm it seemed as if he could have crushed it in a moment. I am sure he is six feet and a half high.” “No, not quite that, madam, but pretty near it.” “Well, really he is a giant, almost; and yet I am sure he is young—not over 20 I am quite sure!” “No, madam, he is but just turned 18 I believe.” “Oh, charming! and how wonderful! But you are jesting, Daniel?” “No, madam, I may be mistaken, but I believe I am right.” “He can’t be married yet?” “Oh, no, you may be sure of that—I don’t suppose he ever thought of a woman yet.” “Bless me!—ah, well!—did you see the present I made him, Daniel?” “No, madam, I have not.” “Look there! I gave him the fellow to that. He’ll recollect me, won’t he? I took it off, and tried to buckle it on his wrist myself; but, law me, what a tremendous arm he has got! it wouldn’t go much more than half way around! I thought I had a pretty lusty arm, Daniel?—feel it—clasp it round—take hold higher up—up there—I never wear sleeves!—that’s lusty, is’nt it?” “Yes, by jolly!” said Daniel, as he was making a careful estimate of it; “that’s a stout arm, madam.” “Well, mine is a baby’s arm to that ‘boy’s,’ as you call him. Ah, well, Daniel, I am taking up your time, and I must go. I shall be here every night, I assure you; and you will always let me in early? You see I am not half dressed to-night. I want to get as near that corner of the platform as possible when I come.” “I understand.” “Good night!” “Good night! madam.”
At this moment, or a moment after, Daniel closed the door upon the last remaining visitors, and I stepped out from behind a green curtain at one end of the platform, forming a little retreat into which I was in the habit of withdrawing myself to avoid the crowd at the close of the exhibition. Owing to this little accident, therefore, the reader is in possession of the above ejaculatory conversation between the “jolly fat lady” and Daniel; for as, in taking him to the “other side of the room,” she had most fortunately placed her back within a few inches of the screen that was before me, bringing poor Daniel’s eye to mine directly over her shoulder, I was enabled to record, verbatim et literatim (which it might have puzzled poor Daniel to have done from recollection, after the excitement of her jolly fat arm), precisely all that was said and done on the occasion, as above related.
“Why,” said I, “Daniel, that lady seems to be quite ‘taken’ with Cadotte.” “Taken! she’s more than that—she’s dead in love with him. I’ll be shot if ever I saw the like in my life—the woman is perfectly mad after him—and she’s the same lady that used to come to the tableaux so often when you gave them in the Egyptian Hall, and was repeatedly asking (as you’ll recollect I told you) whether you were actually married; and when I told her you were, she wouldn’t believe it. She’s the same identical woman. I knew her in a moment, for I have talked hours with her in the exhibition rooms; and didn’t you hear her call me Daniel when she spoke to me to-night? She appears to be quite a lady. She used to come in quite a respectable carriage; and I’ll venture to say it has been standing at the door all the evening, and I’ll be shot but it will be there every night for a fortnight to come.”
“Well, it is quite a curious case; but let us treat her respectfully, and with politeness, on all occasions.” “Oh, yes, certainly; she is very civil and polite, and you may be sure, Mr. Catlin, that she will receive no other treatment from me.”
Under an agreement with Mr. Rankin and the Indians to meet them at their lodgings after the exhibition, I repaired to their rooms, and found them just finishing their beefsteaks and their jug of chickabobboo. They were all in a merry humour, talking over the curious scenes they had witnessed in the crowd. They said they thought the Englishwomen loved to be squeezed in a crowd, for there were a great many there, and they seemed to be very happy and goodnatured. They were sure that they saw several persons quite drunk in the room, and also believed that many of the ladies there must have been drinking chickabobboo. They had several hearty laughs about the poor woman who was passed over the people’s heads; and also about the “jolly fat dame,” who was lifted on to the platform by Cadotte; and they teazed him a long time with their jokes about her, and the beautiful present he had received from her, and which they had seen her a long time trying to fasten on to his arm.
Their jokes, which they were thus innocently enjoying, and their chickabobbo, seemed to make them cheerful and happy; and I returned home, myself pleased, and went to bed.
My desk was now becoming loaded with communications relative to the Ojibbeway Indians, with more inquiries about their domestic habits and warfare than I could possibly find time to answer, and more invitations to dinners and parties than they could attend to; and on the next day, amongst numerous applications for private interviews, were two notes from reverend gentlemen, wishing opportunities to converse with them. To them I answered that I should feel much satisfaction in affording them every opportunity and every facility in my power, and I recommended that they should come the next day at ten o’clock, when the Indians were, by appointment, to meet several clergymen to converse upon the subject of religion. One of those reverend gentlemen replied to my note, saying, that “he should prefer a different audience from that which I had named, and should feel as if I had acted entirely up to the professions of my first note if I would use my endeavours to obtain it;” to which I answered that “my only reason for recommending that occasion was, that, as they had already had several short interviews with clergymen, and had fixed upon that morning for a final interview, I thought it probable it would be the only opportunity he could have of hearing them state their religious belief.” I never received any further communication from this reverend gentleman, nor did he attend the meeting named; and if I gave him any offence, it was done while I was giving him what I thought to be the most friendly advice.
The next night of their exhibition at the Egyptian Hall passed off much like the preceding one; the Hall was crowded, and in the midst of the crowd, at the end of the platform (as she had desired it), appeared the “jolly fat dame” in full dress, and fully equipped and prepared for any emergency. She was in her “stays” and her poplin and lace, and loaded with trinkets; and although it was now the middle of winter, that she might not suffer quite so much as she had done the night before, she had brought a large fan, which the heat of the room and its excitements made it necessary to keep constantly in motion. Daniel had placed her where she could get some support by leaning on the platform, and once in a while whisper a word to Cadotte, whose beautifully embroidered mocassins were near to her nose when he leant forward to listen to her, with the eagle plumes and ostrich feathers of his cap falling gracefully down over her shoulders. She looked altogether more lovely and “killing” that night than on the first; and, while she kept more cool and considerate, was not lessening the progress which her fascinations were making upon the heart of poor Cadotte, nor curtailing the draughts of admiration which she was taking in at every breath she inhaled, and at every glance that she had of his manly and herculean figure as it moved before her.