In lean; swift-moving prose; Across the Northern Frontier chronicles the compelling adventures of the Spaniards who ventured north from colonial New Mexico into the unknown; and their contacts and conflicts with Native Americans. The narrative takes the reader along on those dangerous frontier expeditions for diplomacy; trade; and war.North of colonial New Mexico; the northernmost province of New Spain; loomed the region's highest mountains; seemingly limitless plains; moving black hills of buffalo; and a bewildering maze of mesas and canyons held by disparate and often hostile native peoples. Few journeys across the frontier were routine; for they included unpredictable encounters; with natives and exposure to the hazards of the wild. Water; and its scarcity; influenced every decision. Expedition leaders routinely kept journals of their often momentous travels; and those that survive provide rich detail on the new lands and strange peoples.Spanish explorers exerted a profound influence on the subsequent history of the present-day states of New Mexico and Colorado -- a legacy not fully documented until now -- as well as Texas; Kansas; Arizona; and Utah. Colorado's people; their cultural practices; place names; and even occasional artifacts all attest to this early Spanish influence.
#9788747 in Books 2016-11-23Original language:English 9.00 x .42 x 6.00l; #File Name: 1540578496184 pages
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