The North American Indian Warriors, from Lake Erie, of the Tribe of Seneca, who were in London in 1818. Beaver, I like her, Two Guns, Steep Back, Black Squirrel, Long Horns and Little Bear

‘The Indian Show of Storrs & Co. (Extract from the mss. of the Rev. Albert Bigelow.) … In 1818 – early – Juba Storrs & Co entered into a speculation, joining with some others, among them Hale & Brigham of Canandaigua. This project was nothing less than an ante-Barnum project: They became proprietors of a show. A company of fine-looking Indians were accoutred and sent to Europe for exhibition, with hope of “turning a penny” for the benefit of the operators. Among them have been named to me Tommy Jimmy, Steep Rock, Little Bear, Red Squirrel and Two Guns. They were put in charge of Carlton Fox – already known as a skillful hand in managing the wild men … The Indians were a splendid set of fellows, and they knew it, and were wonderfully set up by their knowledge and the notice they attracted and attention they received. This was very great. They were novelties, shown off in their native costumes, with brilliant feathers, and bright hued garments, and wild ways - and John Bull was wonderfully taken by it. …’ (Rev. A. Bigelow ‘The Indian Show of Storrs & Co’, Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, 4 (1896), p.415.)

The warriors were posed in front of a painted panorama of the Niagara Falls. For a watercolour by Dighton of one of the warriors, before the panorama of the Falls, see Christie’s South Kensington, 25 May 1989, lot 43 (‘Portrait of Senung-Gise, North American Indian Chief’). A sketch by Dighton of ‘The Chief / Long Horns’ is in the Brinsley Ford collection, for which see The Walpole Society, 1998, Ford Collection, II, p.205.