Seven Years' Residence in the Great Deserts of North America,Longmans, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1860 - Deserts |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
American ancient animals appear banks basaltic basin beautiful borders California called cañon cedars Cibola civilisation climate Colorado Colorado Chiquito colour Columbia contain Coteau Coteau des Prairies covered Culiacan descend deserts discovery earth east embouchure emigrants exist expedition fall Father Marcos feet in height fertile forests Fort Snelling greater number Gulf of Mexico hieroglyphics hills ideography immense Indians inhabitants inscriptions island Jemez land maize Mexican Mexico miles Mississippi Missouri Mormons nations nature Ocean origin Pacific Ocean plains population prairies Pueblo Pyramid race regions resemblance Rio Verde river rocks Rocky Mountains route ruins Salt Lake Santa Fé savages seen Sierra Nevada situated skin soil solitudes Spaniards species stone summit territory tion town traverse trees tribes tributaries tumuli Upper valley village Votan voyageurs walls waters whilst width wild yards Zuñi
Popular passages
Page 69 - And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth ; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Page 33 - Quiches' traditions, the primitive portion of the Xahoas, or ancestors of the Toltecs, were in a distant East, beyond immense seas and lands. Amongst the families and tribes that bore with least patience this long repose and immobility, those of Canub, and of Tlocab may be cited, for they were the first who determined to leave their country. The Nahoas sailed in seven barks or ships, which Sahagun calls Chicomoztoc, or the seven grottos. It is a fact worthy of note, that in all ages the number seven...
Page 310 - If they find you here they will slay your warriors and make your wives and children slaves. This is what will happen to you, if, as you say, you follow the example of the ducks and geese, instead of listening to the counsels of men who reflect. Chieftains and warriors, think now, if it is not more- prudent for you to go away quietly rather than to be crushed by your enemies, superior to. you in number, in the presence of your massacred sires, of your wives and children torn to pieces and thrown to...
Page 375 - The floors are formed of very rough beams 7^ inches in diameter, over which are transversely laid cross-beams of less size ; above these is a layer of bark and brushwood, covered over with mortar. These beams show no mark of having been wrought by axe or saw ; they rather appear to have been cut or broken off with some rude instrument more blunt than sharp.
Page 33 - It is a fact worthy of note, that in all ages the number seven was a sacred number among the American people, from one pole to the other. It was at Panuco, near Tampico, that those strangers disembarked; they established themselves at Paxil, with the Votanites' consent, and their state took the name of Huehue-Tlopallan. It is not stated from whence they came, but merely that they came out of the regions where the sun rises. The supreme command was in the hand of a chieftain, whom history calls Quetzalcolnmtl,...
Page 178 - The young girls were completely deprived of raiment, even during the most severe frosts ; it was only when they married that they were allowed to cover themselves. The young people could only enter the married state with the permission of the old men who governed the town. The young man had then to spin and weave a mantle ; when completed, the girl who was destined to become his bride .was brought to him ; he wrapped the mantle round her shoulders and she thus became his wife. From Tiguex, the Spaniards...
Page 335 - He had to learn there where the source of the Mississippi was. He went to Cass Lake, and could proceed no further. He had been told that I knew the source, but could not see me, I being out at an outpost. This want of information made him commit the error ; some person, not knowing better, told him there was no river above Cass Lake. Cass Lake receives the waters of Cross Lake, and Cross Lake those of Itasca Lake, and five small streams that empty into Itasca Lake, then called Elk Lake. Those streams...
Page 304 - Then the mother, taking her son with her, re-descended into the prairie. Algon, who was always near the magic circle, was so overcome when he saw his wife and son returning towards him, that he thought he should have died with joy ; his heart beat with impatience, and shortly after he pressed to his breast the cherished objects of his tenderness and love. According to the wish of the star, he hunted with extraordinary activity, so as to collect within the shortest delay as many presents as possible....
Page 308 - ... our transatlantic dominions, nor forsee what the future might do for them. Occupied with miserable palace intrigues, they basely abandoned our finest colonies, and merely sought feebly to prolong their agony. Napoleon himself committed a great fault when he ceded Louisiana for fifteen millions. He thought that a bird in the hand was better than two in the bush; but what a bush he sold for such a sum! Louisiana, that of herself contains colossal wealth, did she not give birth to many powerful...
Page 375 - ci it, p. 277. [Pintado, both in altitude and extent, is comparatively small, much smaller indeed than that of the neighboring ruins of "Wejegi. It boasts but of three stories. Each story, ten feet in height, forms a terrace and a step to the story above, •which is attained by means of wooden ladders resting against the wall. The total length of the structure is 130 yards. There are 53 apartments on the ground floor, all opening the one into the other. The miniature doorways constitute a problem...