My Life Among the Indians (Illustrated) E-Book

George Catlin

• Herausgeber: Klondike Classics
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

George Catlin was a fascinating figure of the nineteenth century, an artist-explorer who ventured deep into the wilds of the newly discovered Americas to paint the rapidly vanishing indigenous populations, their leaders, warriors, medicine men and scenes from their modes of life. The gifts Catlin received over the years from these remote peoples formed the basis for a vast, important collection which Catlin loaned to the world’s biggest museums, together with his portraits. Because of the stunning, life-like likenesses he created, the awed tribes dubbed Catlin  Te-hee-pe-nee Washed which means The Great White Medicine.

This new 2017 edition of  My Life Among the Indians is illustrated with many examples of Catlin’s artwork from this period.

Leseprobe

My Life Among the Indians

George Catlin

Published by Klondike Classics, 2017.

Copyright

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My Life Among the Indians by George Catlin. First published in the 1870s. Revised edition published 2017 by Klondike Classics.

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Original illustrations by George Catlin (1796- 1872).

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First e-book edition 2017.

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ISBN: 978-1-387-38810-3.

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Image on following page: George Catlin by William Fisk, 1849.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

My Life Among the Indians

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Further Reading: James Willard Schultz Collection

Chapter I

THE NATIVE RACES OF man, occupying every part of North and South America at the time of the first discovery of the American continent by Columbus, and still existing over great portions of those regions, have generally been denominated ‘Indians’ from that day to the present, from the somewhat curious fact that the American continent, when first discovered, was supposed to be a part of the coast of India, which the Spanish and Portuguese navigators were expecting to find, in steering their vessels to the west, across the Atlantic.

To an appellation so long, though erroneously applied, no exception will be taken in this work, in which these races will be spoken of as Indians, or savages, neither of which terms will be intended necessarily to imply the character generally conveyed by the term ‘savage’ but literally what the word signifies, wild (or wild man), and no more.

These numerous races (at that time consisting of many millions of human beings, divided into some hundreds of tribes, and speaking mostly different languages; whose past history is sunk in oblivion from want of books and records; three-fourths of whom, at least, have already perished by firearms, by dissipation, and pestilences introduced amongst them by civilized people; and the remainder of them from similar causes, with no better prospect than certain extinction in a short time) present to the scientific and the sympathizing world, one of the most deeply interesting subjects for contemplation that can possibly come under their consideration. They are without the knowledge and arts of civilized man; they are feeble; they are in the ignorance of nature, but they all acknowledge the Great Spirit. In their relationship with civilized people they are like orphans. Governments who deal with them assume a guardianship over them, always calling them their ‘red children’ and they, from their child-like nature, call all government officials in their country, ‘Fathers,’ and the President of the United States, their ‘Great Father.’

The civilized races in the present enlightened age are too much in the habit of regarding all people more ignorant than themselves as anomalies (or ‘oddities’ as they have been called), because they do not live, and act, and look like themselves. They are therefore mostly in the habit of treating the character of the American Indians—which, from the distance they are from them, is more or less wrapped in obscurity—as a profound mystery; but there, owing to their ignorance of them, they judge decidedly wrong; for, like everything else nearest to nature, they are the most simple and easy of all the human family to be appreciated and dealt with, if the right mode be adopted.

I have said that these people are like children; and from what I have seen, I am quite sure that if you were amongst them you would learn their true character and with that view, from what I have learned in fourteen years of my life spent in familiarity with them, I will try in this little work to bring the condition and customs of these children of the forest in a true light before you.

Distributed over every part, and in every nook and corner of North, and South, and Central America, we find these people living in their rude huts, or wigwams, at present numbering something like four millions, though, in all probability, their numbers were nearer twelve or fourteen millions at the time of the discovery of America by Columbus; and yet the world is left (and probably will remain) in profound ignorance of their origin, for want of historical proof to show from whence they came.

It seems to be the popular belief that the two Americas have been peopled from the Eastern continent by the way of Behring's Strait—of this there is a possibility, but no proof; and I think there is much and very strong presumptive proof against its probability. The subject has been one of great interest to me for many years past, and of so exciting a nature, that I have recently made a tedious and expensive tour to Eastern Siberia, to the Koriaks and the Kamtschatkas, the Aleutians—equidistant between the two continents—and the natives on the American coast opposite to them, and from all that I could learn, there has been a mutual intercourse across the strait, sufficiently proved by the resemblances in language and in physiological traits; but no proof of the peopling of a continent either way.

In the progressive character with which the Creator has endowed mankind, as distinguished above the brute creations, the American savages have, in several instances, made the intended uses of their reason, in advancing by themselves to a high state of civilization, but from this they have been thrown back by more than savage invaders—as seen in the histories of Mexico and Peru—and by the hand of Providence, in some way not yet explained, in the more ancient destruction of the ruined cities of Palenque and Uxmal, in Central America.

All history on the subject goes to prove (and without an exception to the contrary) that, when first visited by civilized people, the American Indians have been found friendly and hospitable; and my own testimony, when I have visited nearly two millions of them, and most of the time unprotected, without having received any personal injury or insult, or loss of my property by theft, should go a great way to corroborate the fact, that, if properly treated, the American Indians are amongst the most honest, and honorable, and hospitable people in the world.

In their primitive and natural state they have always been found living quite independently and happily, though poor; with an abundance of animals and fish in their country for food, which seems to bound nearly all their earthly wishes. As they know nothing of commerce, and are totally ignorant of the meaning and value of money, they live and act without those dangerous inducements to crime; and stimulated to honesty by rules of honor belonging to their society, they practice honesty without any ‘dread of the law’ for there is no punishment amongst them for theft or fraud, except the disgrace that attaches to their character in case they are convicted of such crimes.

If these people, under such circumstances, would guard my life and my property, as they have done, and help me in safety through their country, of which I shall give you many proofs in this little book, you, my readers, will at once decide with me, that their hearts are good—are like your own; and that their true character and modes are worth your understanding.

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THE CONTEMPTUOUS EPITHETS of ‘the poor, naked, and drunken Indians’ are often habitually applied to these people by those who know but little or nothing about them. And these epithets are sometimes correctly applied; but only so to those classes of Indian society who, to the shame and disgrace of civilized people, have been reduced to these conditions by the iniquitous teachings of white men, who, with the aid of rum and whisky, have introduced dissipation and vices amongst them, which lead directly to poverty, and nakedness, and diseases which end in their destruction.

In their primitive state, these people are all temperate, all teetotalers, and sufficiently clad for the latitudes they live in; and their poverty, properly speaking, with their other misfortunes, only begins when the treacherous hand of white man's commerce and the jug are extended to them.

To estimate the Indian character properly, it should be constantly borne in mind that these people invariably have, as their first civilized neighbors, the most wicked and unprincipled part of civilized society to deal with; and these white people, using rum, and whisky, and firearms, in a country where they are amenable to no law; and amongst a people who have no newspapers to explain their wrongs to the world.

It should also be known that there are two classes of Indian society; the one nearest to civilization, where they have become degraded and impoverished, and their character changed by civilized teaching, and their worst passions inflamed, and jealousies excited by the abuses practiced amongst them. This district being the first and most easily reached by the tourist, who fears to go farther, he too often contents himself by what he can there see, the semi-civilized and degraded condition of the savage; and too often endorses what he sees, as the true definition of the appearance and modes of the American Indians; thus doing injustice to the character of the people, and less than justice to those who read for information.

My labors have generally commenced where that state of civilization leaves off; and, as I have always believed, I have been in the greatest safety when in the primitive state of Indian society. It has been there, and there chiefly, where my ambition has led me, and there where I have labored, as the only legitimate place to portray the true character of Indian life.

The American Indians, as a race, a great and national family, have a national character and appearance very different from the other native races of the earth. They differ in language, in expression, and in color; and in their native simplicity they have many high, and honorable, and humane traits of character, which will be illustrated in the following pages.

There are no people on earth more loving and kind to their friends and the poor; and yet, like all savage races, they are correctly denominated cruel: and what people are not so? There is an excuse for the cruelty of savages. Cruelty is a necessity in savage life: and who else has so good an excuse for it?

Indian society has to be maintained, and personal rights to be protected, without the aid of laws; and for those ends each individual is looked upon as the avenger of all wrongs; and if he does not punish with cruelty and with certainty there is no security to person or property. In the exercise of this right, he not only uses a privilege, but does what the tribe compels him to do, or be subjected to a disgrace which he cannot outlive; so that cruelty is at the same time a right and a duty: the law of their land.

The Indian's ‘cruelty and treachery in warfare,’ we hear much of, but cruelty and treachery in Indian and civilized warfare are much alike.

The Creator has also endowed the North American Indians, everywhere, with a high moral and religious principle, with reason, with humanity, with courage, with ingenuity, and the other intellectual qualities bestowed on the rest of mankind.

They all worship the Great Spirit, and have a belief in a spiritual existence after death. Idolatry is nowhere practiced by them, nor cannibalism, though you may read of many instances of both to the contrary.

After these brief suggestions on their general character and condition, which it has taken you but a few minutes to read, you are now prepared to follow me through scenes and events in which I shall endeavor to show you how these interesting people live, how they look, and how they act. I believe you are now fully prepared in estimating their character and actions, which I am to explain to you, to make those allowances which Nature prompts all kind hearts to extend to the actions of all those who are oppressed, and are ignorant and feeble, but who are doing the best they can under their peculiar circumstances.

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IMAGE (FOLLOWING PAGE): Painting of Stu-mick-o-súcks (Buffalo Bull's Back Fat), a Blood chief, considered to be Catlin's finest work.

Chapter II

THE FIRST INDIAN I ever saw was in this wise. I have before told you that I was born in the beautiful and famed Valley of Wyoming, which is on the Susquehanna River, in the State of Pennsylvania. Not a long time after the close of the Revolutionary War in that country, a settlement was formed in that fertile valley by white people, while the Indian tribes, who were pushed out, were contesting the right of the white people to settle in it. After having practiced great cruelty on the Indian tribes, and been warned from year to year by the Indians to leave it, it was ascertained one day that large parties of Indians were gathered on the mountains, armed and prepared to attack the white inhabitants.

The white men in the valley immediately armed, to the number of five or six hundred, and leaving their wives and children and old men in a rude fort on the bank of the river, advanced towards the head of the valley in search of their enemies.

The Indians, watching the movements of the white men from the mountain tops, descended into the valley, and at a favourable spot, where the soldiers were to pass, lay secreted in ambush on both sides of the road, and in an instant rush, at the sound of the war-whoop, sprang upon the whites with tomahawks and scalping-knives in hand, and destroyed them all, with the exception of a very few, who saved their lives by swimming the river.

Amongst the latter was my grandfather on my mother's side, from whom I have often had the most thrilling descriptions. This onslaught is called in history, the Wyoming Massacre. Some have called it treachery. It was strategy, not treachery; and strategy is a merit in the science of all warfare.

After this victory, the Indians marched down the valley and took possession of the fort containing the women and children, to whom not one of the husbands returned at that time. Amongst the prisoners thus taken in the fort was my grandmother, and also my mother, who was then a child only seven years old.