Congressional Serial Set (506)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 Excerpt: ... army, and had had the advantage of having crossed the prairies several times. I am but too glad to have one who has served in such a good school for acquiring perseverance and fortitude. December 17.--Before we had proceeded far, we met a party of Colonel Doniphan's men with flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, on their route to join the army. In a little while we entered Sabino, having crossed the mouth of the Rio Puerco, which was perfectly dry. On our way we shot several mallard ducks, anas boschas, and brant geese. In the evening we encamped near Coralles, at the hacienda of El Senor Jos6 Chavez, having obtained the permission of el Senor. In an acequia that lay near our camp we saw several muskrats, ondatra zibethicus, but they were beneath the ice, and we did not shoot for fear of the ball glancing. December 18.--Before starting we called on Senor Chavez to pay for the zacate that we had taken to feed our mules. He told me that he had lately lost a son, who had been carried off by the Navajoes, and that several of his peons had lost their wives and children. I was introduced to the ladies of the household; they had their faces covered with a thick coating of some whitewash that concealed every feature except the eyes. This preparation is not put on because they consider it ornamental, but, as I have been told, to protect the delicacy of the skin from being spoiled by exposure; for these ladies seem to think the reboso an insufficient guard to their beauty. The females of the lower class love to ornament their cheeks with paint or pokeberry juice; the latter, when dry, makes them look abominable. We made a long march, encamping at Lentes,"...