The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 86, July 1982 - April, 1983 Page: 54
616 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
It is made of logs, with daylight peeping in at the many crevices. The
chairs are covered with skins, while the rest of the furniture is primi-
tive in the extreme. Hens and chickens are running in and out the
doors, and the pigs in the yard would I think be quite as friendly were
it not for the old darkie who sits at the door and keeps away all such
intruders.
The owner of this "Ranch" is an Englishman by birth, and noted
for his hospitality, to all he has, we are entirely welcome, melons, eggs,
and new milk. He lives here with his wife and babies as contentedly
as if he was not miles away from any neighbor.10 He has chosen a lovely
spot for his home just above the banks of the stream, with a beautiful
hill on the other side. The Col. thinks it best always to cross a stream
before making camp, as in this country the rivers rise so suddenly, that
one is often detained several days, (if this precaution is not taken) be-
fore it is safe to cross. The banks of this river are of lime stone, and as
they rise high above the water in its now low state, remind one of the
Palisades of the Hudson.
The ride today has not been nearly so fatiguing as that of yesterday.
The roads are much better and in many places very beautiful, as they
wind through the wildwoods or up the hill sides, from the top of which
we always get a fine view.
Maud rode about an hour and a half, and enjoyed it highly, and now
if you could look at her as she is superintending the dinner in her
brown dress, and green cape bonnet, you would think her the vereist
[sic] country girl-
She is perfectly well and enjoys every moment of camp life. Her
trouble for fear we should sleep in the Englishman's house tonight,
was really laughable to see-
Thursday Morning, Augt 1 3th
Another beautiful morning, and everything about is life and bustle.
Some of the men are striking the tents, while others are harnessing.
Our thoughtful cook is filling the lunch basket with goodies for the
day, and certainly if we fare every day as we did yesterday we shall not
loThe rancher may have been William Mogford, an Englishman who came to Texas
in 1840. He had a mail contract for the San Antonio-Fort McKavett-Fort Mason-Fort
Concho route and owned a large ranch on the Pedernales in Gillespie County. His
ranch home was described as a sixteen-by-fourteen log house made of "good straight
logs hewed flat with a broadaxe and chinked with rock and mortar. The roof was made
of rive boards split with a froe from a post oak tree...." Norval H. Pierce (comp.), The
Free State of Menard: A History of the County (Menard, Tex., 1946), 194-195 (quota-
tion), 196.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 86, July 1982 - April, 1983, periodical, 1982/1983; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101209/m1/74/?q=barker: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.