| С тех пор как в Техасе появились англосаксонские переселенцы,-- можно даже сказать, со времени колонизации Техаса потомками конквистадоров, что случилось на столетие раньше,-- самым важным для ее жителей были отношения с индейцами. |
| Whether these, the lawful lords of the soil, chanced to be in a state of open war-or whether, by some treaty with the settlers they were consenting to a temporary peace-made but slight difference, so far as they were talked about. In either case they were a topic of daily discourse. | Были ли индейцы, законные хозяева страны, в состоянии войны с переселенцами или же с ними удавалось заключить перемирие--все равно они оставались постоянной темой разговоров. |
| In the former it related to the dangers to be hourly apprehended from them; in the latter, to the probable duration of such treaty as might for the moment be binding them to hold their tomahawks entombed. | В первом случае толковали о нависшей опасности, во втором -- обсуждался вопрос, надолго ли краснокожие вожди решили закопать свои томагавки34. |
| In Mexican times these questions formed the staple of conversation, at desayuno, almuerzo, comida, y cena; in American times, up to this present hour, they have been the themes of discussion at the breakfast, dinner, and supper tables. | Эта тема обсуждалась везде и всюду -- за завтраком, обедом или ужином. |
| In the planter's piazza, as in the hunter's camp, bear, deer, cougar, and peccary, are not named with half the frequency, or half the fear-inspiring emphasis, allotted to the word "Indian." | В асиенде ли плантатора или же в лачуге охотников слова "медведь", "пума", "пекари"35 произносились реже и с меньшим страхом, чем слово "индеец". |
| It is this that scares the Texan child instead of the stereotyped nursery ghost, keeping it awake upon its moss-stuffed mattress-disturbing almost as much the repose of its parent. | Индейцами в Техасе пугали детей, но и родители боялись их не меньше. |
| Despite the surrounding of strong walls-more resembling those of a fortress than a gentleman's dwelling-the inmates of Casa del Corvo were not excepted from this feeling of apprehension, universal along the frontier. | Даже высокие каменные стены Каса-дель-Корво, делавшие асиенду похожей на крепость, не избавили ее обитателей от страхов, волновавших население всей пограничной полосы. |
| As yet they knew little of the Indians, and that little only from report; but, day by day, they were becoming better acquainted with the character of this natural "terror" that interfered with the slumbers of their fellow settlers. That it was no mere "bogie" they had begun to believe; but if any of them remained incredulous, a note received from the major commanding the Fort-about two weeks after the horse-hunting expedition-was calculated to cure them of their incredulity. |