Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-12-10

took himself and his finery elsewhere.
On one occasion Catlin made the
mistake of painting q profile view Of
a chief. His people we're indignant when
they saw it. Our chief" said they,
never looks sidewise at one like that.
He looks you, or anyone, fun IN the
face They believed Catlin had changed
the nature of their chief. Ordinarily
he was unafraid to look man squarely
in the face, but Catlin represented him
as one who had something to conceal.
1t was the look of liar and a coward.
In some such manner they reasoned.
The Indians thought the pictures
were living beings. They must be- ="
said they for everywhere we go the
eyes follow us. Now how could they do
that if they were not alive!" Our own
children have had the same thought.
These are few of the difficulties
encountered by Catlin in his endeavor
to preserve for future generations rep
reservations of early Indian types; yet
so faithfully has he done this that we
go to him in order to learn how the
different tribes he visited looked and
lived-for he painted their villages as
well as individuals BY examination OF
his plates, we can see all this as he
saw it with the eye OF an artist which
did not fail to note the smallest detail.
He had painted the chiefs and some
of inferior rank, when he undertook
the pOrtraiture of women and children.
This was going a step too far. No war
rior could permit this At first they
laughed at his efforts in this direction.
He could not seriously pervert his art
to this extent, they argued. But when
they saw that he was in earnest, and
really thought pictures OF women and
children we're worth while, their mas
culine pride rebelled. They issued this
ultimatum: IF you continue to paint
women and children, then you must
destroy our pictures. We will not be
associated with such low-down crea- |
lures. Is it seemly for warriors to be
placed on a level with womankind?
Not on your lifel Make your choice I
we have spokenl"
How Catlin managed to preserve the
pictures of the women and children he
already had and painted others follow /
ing this male protest, remains
mystery.
1t is never safe to go counter to the
teachings or warnings Of the medicine /
men of any age or race, whatever may
be their title. This Catlin was soon I
to learn. He was accused of having
caused the death of a prominent chief
named Little Bear, by means OF his
magic brush, that took away half of 1
q man and left only half on the canvas, /
for so they interpreted a profile.
Catlin had killed their chief, either
by dividing him in half, or in some
equally obnoxious way, and merited
death. The medicine men told them
so, and said 1t was the result OF the
failure of the Indians to heed the
repeated cautions Of these wise men
They had tried to make their followers
understand that the painting OF this
white man was bad medicine and now
the Indians could see for themselves
what had happened due to their lack
of faith.
Not understanding the tribal Ian
guage, Catlin had no idea that he was
held responsible for the chiefs death,
and would have remained ignorant OF
the charges against him until 1t was
too late. Fortunately, the white men
at the post where he was staying knew
that his life was in danger, and that
his only hope of safety lay in flight.
He was urged to go, and he followed
this advice.
The whole trouble originated from
Catlin's having painted Little Bear, an
Uncpapa chief, in profile. He is only
half a man-Little Bear is only half
man." jeered an enemy. The white
man did not think his other half good
enough to paint"
Leaving VIC ICpSC H4ACAN NNS
Bears portrait, his enemy called to
him in a voice loud enough for all to
hear: IF you are a whole man, Little
Bear, come out and show yourself"
Little Bear rushed out Of the tepee,
and was met by shot from his enemy,
that tore away the side of his face.
Little Bear had tried to fire, but was
unable to do so, as his wife, fearing
had removed the charge from
his gun.
ROY-Roy's new skating rink Is
ready for freezing weather. tractors
and scrapers leVeled the ground, /
scraped off weeds and built enbank-
ments. The pond, beside the Lewis
town-Roy highway, win cover q square
nearly $50 feet on the side.
The rink was made possible through |
the government recreation program.