CHAPTER XXV.
The Author arrives in Paris—Victoria Hotel—Mr. Melody and his Indians arrive—Doctor missing, and found on the top of the hotel—Alarm of servants—First drive in Paris—Visit to Mr. King, the American ambassador—French chickabobboo—M. Vattemare—Indians visit the Hôtel de Ville—Prêfet de police—Magnificent salons—The “big looking-glasses”—The Prêfet’s lady—Refreshments and chickabobboo—Speech of the War-chief—Reply of the Prêfet—Salle Valentino taken for the exhibition—Daniel arrives with the Collection from London—Indians visit the King in the palace of the Tuileries—Royal personages—Conversation—War-chief presents the calumet—His speech to the King—Eagle-dance—War-dance—Little Wolf presents his tomahawk and whip to the King—His speech—Refreshments and “Queen’s chickabobboo”—Drinking the King’s and Queen’s health, and health of the Count de Paris—“Vive le Roi”—Jim’s opinion of the King—An Indian’s idea of descents—Presents in money from the King—Mode of dividing it—A drive—Ladies leading dogs with strings—The number counted in one drive—The Indians’ surprise—An entry for Jim’s book—Jim laments the loss of the Times newspaper and Punch—He takes Galignani’s Messenger—Indians dine at W. Costar’s—The Doctor’s compliment to a lady’s fine voice—Indians visit the Royal Academy of Sciences—Curious reception—M. Arago—Indians’ suspicions and alarms—Jim’s remarkable speech—Opening of the exhibition in Salle Valentino—Great excitement—Speech of the War-chief—Shaking hands—Public opinion of the Author’s Collection.
Having long before resolved to take my collection to Paris before returning it to my own country, and the Indians being ambitious to see the King of the French, it was mutually agreed that my whole collection should be opened in Paris, and that their dances and other amusements should for a short time be given in it, as they had been given in London.
Under this arrangement, with my wife and my four dear little children, I repaired to Paris as soon as possible, leaving Daniel to ship over and accompany my collection, whilst Mr. Melody conducted his party of Indians.
In crossing the Channel, and receding from its shores, as I was seated on the deck of a steamer, I looked back, and, having for the first time nothing else to do, and a little time to reflect upon England, and what I had seen of it in five years, I took out of my pocket my little note-book, where I had entered, not what England is, and what she does (and which all the world knows), but the points in which her modes are different from those in my own country. I would have a few leisure hours to run over these curious entries, and time to reflect upon them, as we sailed along, and I began to read thus:—
“London, 1844. The essential Differences between England and the United States.
“The United States much the largest; but England is a great deal older.
“New-Yorkers cross the streets diagonally; the Londoners cross them at right angles.
“In England the odd pennies are wrapped in a paper, and handed back with ‘I thank you, Sir.’
“Streets in London have tops and bottoms; in America they have upper and lower ends.