Commerce of the Prairies: Or, The Journal of a Santa Fé Trader, During Eight Expeditions Across the Great Western Prairies, and a Residence of Nearly Nine Years in Northern Mexico, Volume 2J. W. Moore, 1844 |
Expressions et termes fréquents
aborigines adventurers American animals appear Arkansas river arrows band border called camp Canadian Capt caravan chase Chavez Cherokees Chickasaws chief Chihuahua Choctaws Cimarron Cimarron river civilized Comanche considerable Creeks Cross Timbers custom dance distance dollars doubt Durango El Paso encamped enemy expedition feet fifty fire Fort Gibson Fort Towson frequently frontier gray wolf herd horses hundred miles hunt hunters journey killed Llano Estacado ment Mexi Mexican Mexico Missouri mules murder mustang nations nearly Norte northern notwithstanding once Osages party Paso passed perhaps plains portion Potawatomies prairie dog prairie Indians present pulque Red River regions remarks route saline salt Santa Fé trade savages scarcely season seems seen Shawnees shot sometimes soon species spring squaws streams tain Texans Texas tion travellers United usually valley village wagons western prairies westward wild tribes Zacatecas
Fréquemment cités
Page 64 - He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune ; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men, which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public.
Page 114 - Although situated about a hundred miles east of the main chain of the Mexican Cordilleras, Chihuahua is surrounded on every side by detached ridges of mountains, but none of them of any great magnitude. The elevation of the city above the ocean is between four and five thousand feet; its latitude is 28° 36'; and its entire population numbers about ten thousand souls. The most splendid edifice in Chihuahua is the principal church, which is said to equal in architectural grandeur anything of the sort...
Page 115 - They are composed of very fancifully-carved columns ; and in appropriate niches of the frontispiece, which is also an elaborate piece of sculpture, are to be seen a number of statues, as large as life, the whole forming a complete representation of Christ and the twelve Apostles. This church was built about a century ago, by contributions levied upon the mines (particularly those of Santa Eulalia, fifteen...
Page 41 - ... supply their place ; the spirit of class does not descend to him, or rather, he is far above it ; his altered state suggests comparatively few enjoyments or comforts in which his old associates cannot participate ; and thus the Connors...
Page 52 - ... hiding-place, and moved on silently and slowly until they found themselves beyond the purlieus of the Indian camps. Often did they look back in the direction where from three to five hundred savages were supposed to watch their movements, but, much to their astonishment, no one appeared to be in pursuit. The Indians, believing no doubt that the property of the traders would come into their hands, and having no amateur predilection for taking scalps at the risk of losing their own, appeared willing...
Page 76 - On the 14th we made our entrance into the town of El Paso del Norte, which is the northernmost settlement in the department of Chihuahua. Here our cargo had to be examined by a stern, surly officer, who, it was feared, would lay an embargo on our goods upon the slightest appearance of irregularity in our papers; but notwithstanding our gloomy forebodings, we passed the ordeal without any difficulty. The valley of El Paso is supposed to contain a population of about four thousand inhabitants, scattered...
Page 281 - Even the ashes from the calumet seem to be held sacred ; for, usually after smoking, the pipe is emptied in some corner of the lodge specially allotted for the purpose. But as they have generally learned that smoking is not practised by the whites on these occasions, it is now not commonly held important for us to smoke with them ; but presents are expected instead. Anciently, however, they were more strict; for, in another place, the same author (in 1673) relates...
Page 44 - ... unhappy by returning to her father under these circumstances than by remaining where she was. My attention was next attracted by a sprightly lad, ten or twelve years old, whose nationality could scarcely be detected under his Indian guise. But, though quite ' Indianized,' he was exceedingly polite. I inquired of him in Spanish, " Are you not a Mexican?" " Yes, sir, — I once was." " What is your name ?" " Bernardino Saenz, sir, at your service.
Page 125 - Spanish; but the princely senor growing weary of hearing so many unpalatable truths told of himself in the vernacular of his own humble and astounded menials, he stepped out from among the crowd, and addressed me in English, — a language in which he had acquired some proficiency in the course of his travels. The change of language by no means altered his views, nor abated his pertinacity. At last, finding there was nothing to be gained by this war of words, I ordered the boy to mount his horse...
Page 73 - ... is to be seen in every direction. To procure •water for our thirsty animals, it is often necessary to make a halt here, and drive them to the Ojo del Muerto (Dead Man's Spring), five or six miles to the westward, in the very heart of the mountain ridge that lay between us and the river. This region is one of the favorite resorts of the Apaches, where many a poor arriero has met with an untimely end. The route which leads to the spring winds for two or three miles down a narrow canon or gorge,...