After the eagle-dance they strung their bows, and, slinging their quivers upon their backs, commenced shooting at the target for prizes. The hall in which their dances were given was so immensely large that they had a range of 150 feet to throw their arrows at their targets, which formed by no means the least amusing and exciting part of their exhibitions. Their ball-sticks were also taken in hand, and the ball, and their mode of catching and throwing it, beautifully illustrated. After this, and another dance, a general shake of the hands took place, and a promenade of the Indians through the vast space occupied by my collection. They retired from the rooms and the crowd in fine glee, having made their début in Paris, about which they had had great anxiety, somebody having told them that the French people would not be pleased with their dancing, as they danced so well themselves.
The Indians being gone, I became the lion, and was asked for in every part of the rooms. The visitors were now examining my numerous works, and all wanted to see me. My friend M. Vattemare was by my side, and kindly presented me to many gentlemen of the press, and others of his acquaintance, in the rooms. There were so many who said they were waiting “for the honour,” &c., that I was kept until a very late hour before I could leave the room.
There were a number of fellow-artists present, who took pleasure in complimenting me for the manner in which my paintings were executed; and many others for my perseverance and philanthropy in having laboured thus to preserve the memorials of these dying people. I was complimented on all sides, and bowed, and was bowed to, and invited by cards and addresses left for me. So I went home, as well as the Indians, elated with the pleasing conviction that mine was a “hit,” as well as theirs.
The leading journals of the next day were liberal in their comments upon the Indians and my collection, pronouncing my labours of great interest and value, and the exhibition altogether one of the most extraordinary interest ever opened in Paris, and advising all the world to see it.[39] Thus were we started in the way of business after the first night’s exhibition, and that after remaining there just one month before we could meet and pass all the necessary forms and get quite ready.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Indians at Madame Greene’s party—Their ideas of waltzing—The Doctor’s admiration of the young ladies—The King’s fête, first of May—Indians in the Palace—Royal Family in the balcony—Grand and sublime scene on the river—Indians in a crowd of nobility in the Duc d’Aumale’s apartments—Messenger to Indians’ apartments with gold and silver medals—Medals to the women and children—Consequent difficulties—Visit to the Hospital of Invalids—Place Concorde—Column of Luxor—The fountains—Visit to the Triumphal Arch—Jim’s description of an ugly woman—Victor Hugo—Madame Georges Sands—Indians visit the Louvre—M. de Cailleux—Baron de Humboldt—Illness of the wife of Little Wolf—A phrenologist visits the Indians—The phrenologist’s head examined—Two Catholic priests visit the Indians—Indians visit the Garden of Plants—Alarm of the birds and animals—The “poor prisoner buffalo”—Visit to the Salle aux Vins—Astonishment of the Indians—The war-whoop—Chickabobboo—Cafés explained—Indians visit Père la Chaise—A great funeral—A speech over the grave—Hired mourners—Visit the School of Medicine—and “Dupuytren’s Room”—Excitement of the Doctor—Visit to the Foundling Hospital—Astonishment and pity of the Indians—Entries in Jim’s note-book, and Doctor’s remarks—Visit the Guillotine—Indians’ ideas of hanging in England, and beheading in France—Curious debate—Visit to the Dog Market—Jim’s purchase and difficulty—The Dog Hospital—Alarm of the “petites malades”—Retreat—Bobasheela arrives from London—Great rejoicing—Jim’s comments on the Frenchwomen—The little foundlings and the little dogs.
Having thus commenced upon our operations in the Salle Valentino, it was thought best to change the lodgings of the Indians to some point more near to the place of their exhibitions, and rooms were at length procured for them in the same building with their hall, and communicating with it. To these apartments they were removed, and arrangements were made for two open carriages to drive them an hour each day for their recreation and amusement. By this arrangement we had the sights of Paris before us, and easily within our reach, to be visited at our leisure. Our exhibitions were given each night from eight to ten, and each afternoon from one to three o’clock; so that they had the mornings for sight-seeing, and their evenings, from ten to twelve, to visit the theatres or parties, whenever they were invited and felt disposed to attend.
The first evening-party they were invited to attend in Paris was that of the lady of Mr. Greene, the American banker. They were there ushered into a brilliant blaze of lamps, of beauty, and fashion, composed chiefly of Americans, to whom they felt the peculiar attachment of countrymen, though of a different complexion, and anywhere else than across the Atlantic would have been strangers to.
They were received with great kindness by this polite and excellent lady and her daughters, and made many pleasing acquaintances in her house. The old Doctor had luckily dressed out his head with his red crest, and left at home his huge head-dress of horns and eagles’ quills, which would have been exceedingly unhandy in a squeeze, and subjected him to curious remarks amongst the ladies. He had loaded on all his wampum and other ornaments, and smiled away the hours in perfect happiness, as he was fanning himself with the tail of a war-eagle, and bowing his head to the young and beautiful ladies who were helping him to lemonade and blanc-mange, and to the young men who were inviting him to the table to take an occasional glass of the “Queen’s chickabobboo.” Their heavy buffalo robes were distressing to them (said the Doctor) in the great heat of the rooms, “but then, as the ladies were afraid of getting paint on their dresses, they did not squeeze so hard against us as they did against the other people in the room, so we did not get so hot as we might have been.”