"The governor himself, a fine, portly man, was mounted on a mule of immense size, and gayly as well as richly caparisoned. ...he rode directly up to the spot where we were standing, and, without dismounting, addressed us with no little politeness, shook each of us by the hand with much apparent cordiality, called us amigos, or friends, and after saying that he had heard of our capture, asked us who we were. Lewis immediately answered—and here the spirit of the craven caitiff first manifested itself—that we were merchants from the United States. Van Ness interrupted him at once by saying that, with the exception of myself, we were all Texans; but, without heeding him, Armijo grasped Lewis by the collar of his dragoon jacket, dragged him up alongside of his mule, and pointing to the buttons, upon which were a single star and the word "Texas," he sternly said, "What does this mean? I can read—Texas!" at the same time pointing to the latter word and pronouncing it emphatically. Lewis quailed under his iron grasp, but without heeding him the governor continued, "You need not think to deceive me: no merchant from the United States ever travels with a Texan military jacket.""
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
p.295-296
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Narrative_of_the_Texan_Santa_F%C3%A9_Expedition
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Narrative of the Texan Santa Fé Expedition
99 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Narrative of the Texan Santa Fé Expedition →
Related Quotes
"In whatever light a government or an individual may choose to "sit for a portrait," it is certainly the duty of every…"
"The scene in the buffalo range—the "scamper" after those huge animals—is a truthful picture from the quick and fertil…"
"Another word or two and the author will throw himself upon the kindness of his reader. His attempt has been to intere…"
"In the early part of April, 1841, I determined upon making a tour of some kind upon the great Western Prairies, induc…"
"While canvassing the chances and merits of a trip of this kind, I met with Major George T. Howard, then in New-Orlean…"
"Major Howard informed me that it was commercial in its intentions, the policy of the then President of Texas, General…"
"He [Lamar] was led to conceive this project by a well-founded belief that nine tenths of the inhabitants were discont…"
"Texas claimed as her western boundary, the Rio Grande; the inhabitants within that boundary claimed protection of Tex…"
"Texas claims... the Rio Grande as her western boundary; yet, so isolated were Santa Fé, and such of the settled porti…"
"In speaking of the manners, customs, institutions, and character of the Mexicans, the author has simply related what …"