Texian Stomping Grounds Page: 64
162 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
TEXIAN STOMPING GROUNDS
customary to allow a few at a time to leave the reservations for
the purpose of hunting. These would band together at some
distance from the reservations and make forays to the south,
where there were no soldiers to stop them.
Such bands occasionally made their way into the territory
about Buena Vista Ranch. Don Florencio, in his boyhood, lived
in constant fear of the Indians and often caused his father to
laugh at him because he professed to have heard their whistling
or cries in the brush or to have seen the dust sent up by their
horses' hooves.
The reports were not always figments of the imagination.
Indians did come sometimes and had to be driven away. The
oldest houses had apertures in the walls, troneras, about four by
twenty inches within the house and about three inches square
on the outside, that gave opportunity for the besieged settler
to fire in several directions without being in danger from Indian
arrows. The whole countryside abounds in arrow heads. In a
morning's walk one may pick up a hundred points of all sizes,
ranging from delicate bird-points to heavy arrowheads three
inches or more in length.
The Indians came, though, chiefly to steal horses. They gen-
erally killed only in case of resistance. Don Florencio and his
brother had worked too hard in getting their horses to stand
idly by while the savages drove them away. So one day when a
band came upon them on the range-it was about 1877--Don
Carmen and Don Florencio fired upon the band. The Indians
had a number of horses with them; in return they fired a volley
of arrows and several pistols, and Don Carmen's horse fell. His
brother leaned down and lifted him to his own mount and then
turned to fire at the Indians again. But the firing had startled
the horses into flight, and the Indians took after them.
The fleeing horses ran toward the Buena Vista ranch house.
From afar off one of the boys saw them coming and recognized
Indians in pursuit. He climbed up on the horse-shed to see better.
On came the horses. Just south of the ranch they swerved away
toward the creek, at the edge of which old Marcos, the pastor,
was herding the goats.
The boy began shouting to the women in the house below:64
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current book.
Texian Stomping Grounds (Book)
Collection containing sketches of post-war life in East Texas, including descriptions of early recreations and games, stories about Southern food and cooking, religious anecdotes, Negro folk tales, a first-hand account of a Negro folk play about the life of Christ, and other miscellaneous folklore. The index begins on page 159.
Relationship to this item: (Has Format)
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Dobie, J. Frank (James Frank), 1888-1964. Texian Stomping Grounds, book, 1941; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67663/m1/72/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Press.