Texas – a state in the South West of the USA (678,358 square kilometres); till 1836 Texas belonged to Mexico; after the independence from Mexico had been declared, the territory was included in the USA and became a state in 1845
savannah – a plain with grass and no trees
prairie – a level treeless land covered with grass
the Leona – the river in Texas, USA
serape – a bright, coloured Mexican shawl or plaid
cicada – a flying insect which produces a shrill sound in hot, dry weather
nimbus – a light or golden circle round the saint’s head; a rain cloud
azure – (poet.) bright blue (usually about the sky)
centaurean – from centaur – in Greek mythology, a strange creature, half man and half horse
San Antonio de Bejar – the city in south-central Texas; it was founded by the Spanish expedition from Mexico in 1718
Osnaburgh – a linen cloth of a certain trademark
Pittsburgh – the city in Pennsylvania on the Monongahela River; the first settlement was founded in 1758
Kentucky – the state in the south of the United States (104,664 square kilometres); it was admitted as the 15th state in 1792
Jehu – the King of Israel (842–815 BC) who was a great chariot driver
Indianola – the city in central Iowa founded in 1849; there used to be a town of the same name in Texas
the Gulf of Matagorda – the Bay of Matagorda, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico in southern Texas
en route – on the way to/from (French)
cortège – a procession (French)
nankin – a kind of rich cloth
A Leghorn hat is a hat made of straw imported from Livorno, a town in Italy
A Panama hat is a light hat made of plaited palm leaves; the name comes from Panama, a Spanish-speaking republic in Central America
entourage – people accompanying a respected or high-ranking person
carriole – a light, covered carriage drawn by one horse
a Jersey wagon – a light two-wheeled carriage
a barouche – a four-wheeled carriage for four passengers and the driver, with two seats facing each other
the Mississippi – the largest river in North America; it flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. Together with its tributary, the Missouri River, the Mississippi is the longest river in the world
Louisiana – the US state (123,366 square kilometres) admitted to the union in 1812 as the 18th member; it borders Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas
a Creole – in the old French or Spanish states in the south of the USA, a person of pure European or mixed European origin; descendants of the French and Spanish settlers
penates – home, household; in Roman mythology, Penates were household gods who protected the house
Erebus – in Greek mythology, Erebus (Darkness) is the offspring of Chaos (the Greek for Abyss)
gramineae – grass
algarobias – a kind of wood species
mezquites – a name of a bush with thorns
Fort Inge – a settlement built in 1849 on the eastern bank of the Leona River, 135 kilometres south-west of San Antonio
lazo – lasso – a long rope used for catching horses and cattle
ranchero – rancher (Spanish)
calzoneros – trousers (Spanish)
calzoncillos – men’s underwear (Spanish)
botas – boots (Spanish)
Moorish – related to the Moors, a population of medieval Spain and Portugal of Moroccan, Algerian or Berber origin; the Moorish style is typical for architecture and decorative art of medieval Spain
the Conquistadores – participants of the Spanish conquest of America in the 16th century
cavallero – a nobleman; originally: a cavalry man, a military man on horseback
mustangs – North American wild horses; they descended from Spanish horses brought to America in the 16th century. Tamed mustangs are known for their speed and strength
a Jack – a common man, a plebeian
a tête-à-tête – a private meeting of two persons
piccaninny – (US) a small child; an African baby
Lucifer – in Greek and Roman mythology, the Lightbearer – the morning star, symbol of dawn; in Christianity, the name of Satan before his fall
Tartarus – in Greek mythology, the deepest part of the underworld
Pluto – in Greek mythology and religion, the son of Cronus, and brother of Zeus; he ruled the underworld, the dark land of the dead
Proserpine or Persephone – in Greek mythology and religion, the wife of Pluto, king of the underworld
hullabalooing – making a lot of noise about smth; expressing excitement
ambuscade = ambush – an unexpected attack from a hidden place
lorgnette = binoculars, field-glasses (French)
ghouls – in Arabic folklore, demonic spirits who inhabit cemeteries and deserted places
ogres – in fairy-tales, giants eating human beings
Titans – in Greek mythology, the children of Uranius (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth)
Bacchus – in Greek mythology and religion, the god of vegetation, better known as the god of wine and ecstasy; in Roman mythology this god is known as Dionysus
musketry – from musket – a firearm of the 16th–18th centuries; in the 19th century it was replaced by a rifle
crape – black silk or cotton material
sombrero – a broad-brimmed Spanish or Mexican hat made of straw or felt
Cimmerian – related to the Cimmerians, the ancient people of unknown origin who lived north of the Caucasus till the 8th century BC; later they were driven by the Scythians to Anatolia
Aeolus – in Greek mythology, the god of wind
the Rio Grande – the river in North America; it forms the border between Texas and Mexico. The river starts in the Rocky Mountains and flows to the Gulf of Mexico
mustanger – a man who catches, tames and sells mustangs
Satan – the prince of evil forces, the enemy of God; he is also identified with the devil
Mon Dieu! = My God! (French)
the Rio de Nueces – the Nueces River in Texas and Mexico
Fouquiera splendens – ocotillo, or wine cactus, a flowering shrub which grows in Texas, California and Mexico
Lipano – the Lipan people – the Indian nomad tribe of western Texas
Comanche – North American Indian tribe of the Great Plains; they were skilled horsemen and led a nomadic life
Rangers – in the USA, soldiers, trained to make rapid attacks on the enemy territory; in Texas, Rangers were formed into regiments and used in federal service as law-enforcement forces
moccasin – a shoe of soft leather worn by North American Indians, hunters and traders; also a common name of Agkistrodon vipers
tarantula – a poisonous spider
centipede – a long, many-segmented insect; each segment has one pair of legs
the Alamo – one of the tributaries of the Nueces River; also the old chapel of the Franciscan mission, founded in 1716–1718, the place of the historic resistance of fighters for the independence of Texas from Mexico
papeterie – a set of writing materials (French)
portmanteau – a suitcase consisting of two parts that fold together
demijohn – a large glass wine bottle
corduroy – a durable fabric, used for breeches, coats, jackets and trousers
calico – a cotton fabric with simple designs; it first appeared in the 11th century in Calicut, India
brogues – strong leather shoes with stitches
Milesian – related to Milesians, the ancestors of the Celtic population of Ireland
Galway – a county in western Ireland, the largest Gaelic-speaking region of the country; a seaport and the county town of County Galway
Connemara – a region in County Galway, a lowland with bogs, lakes and uplands
manada – herd of horses (Spanish)
ci-devant – 1. former; 2. before (French)
Howly Vargin – Holy Virgin, Mother of Jesus
Saint Patrick – bishop and patron saint of Ireland, national apostle who brought Christianity to the country in the 5th century
Yankees – citizens of the USA, or more precisely of the six New England states; the origin of the word is unknown; it came into use during the Civil War in 1861–1865
Galwegian – inhabitant of Galway
grog – an alcoholic drink mixed with water
Nothing in his tout ensemble means nothing in his cloths
métier – profession, occupation, business (French)
Orleens – New Orleans – the largest city and port on the Mississippi River, founded in 1718 by the French settlers; in 1763 New Orleans was given to the Spanish government, but in 1803 it was returned to France. In the same year Napoleon sold it to the United States
Saint Looey – St. Louis – the largest city in Missouri, located on the bank of the Mississippi River; it used to be the Gateway of the West at the time of the first settlers. The Missouri River joins the Mississippi to the north of St. Louis
Loozeyanner – Louisiana
cabriesto – a kind of rope
the garden of Eden – in the Bible, an earthly paradise where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived
fracas – noise; noisy quarrel
Alacran – Alacran tartarus, a kind of poisonous insects
revanche – compensation, satisfaction (French)
cantata penserosa – a short musical work for a choir and a soloist
hydrophoby – fear of water
cavallada – a mare (female horse) (Spanish)
mise-en-scène – a scene; view (French)
jacalés – a hut with walls covered with clay
faro, monté – the names of card games
hacienda – an estate and an estate house in Texas, Mexico and South America (Spanish)
the Guadalupe mountains – the mountains in western Texas and New Mexico
the Llano Estacado – a region in the USA on the border of Texas and New Mexico
Ethiopia – the country in eastern Africa (1,063,652 square km)
the Mexican war – the war between Mexico and the United States in 1846–1848; after the victory, the USA acquired over 1,300,000 square km of Mexican territory
Scott’s campaign – a military campaign in the course of Mexican war
monté-table – here: a table used for gambling (French)
Colt – Samuel Colt (1814–1868), American firearms manufacturer who perfected and patented a revolver
corps-d’armée – army corps (French)
Morisco – Moorish (Spanish)
Andalusia – a historic region in the south of Spain (87,590 square km); the capital is Seville; Andalusian culture was greatly influenced by many centuries of Moorish rule
Teutonic tongue – a Germanic language; Germanic languages belong to the Indo-European family
peons – workmen hired by the day, who worked in the fields
vaquero – a shepherd (Spanish)
Azteca – the historical land of the Aztec in the northwest of Mexico; in the 15th–16th centuries the Aztec ruled a large empire; their origin is uncertain; after the Spanish conquest the Aztec empire came to an end
Anahuac – the part of Aztec Mexico (4,000 square km) where Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, was located
Phidias – the Greek sculptor of the 5th century BC who created the impressive images of the Greek gods; he supervised the construction of Parthenon and initiated a building program in Athens
Praxiteles – the greatest of the Greek sculptors of the 4th century BC; gentle charm and grace of his works greatly influenced the development of Greek sculpture
éclaircissement – explanation (French)
muslin – a thin cotton fabric; it was first made in Mosul, Iraq
Geehosofat – Jehoshaphat, king of Judah in the 9th century BC, who tried to centralize the country with the help of religious and legal reforms
cocina – kitchen (Spanish)
chez soi-même – here: alone in her room (French)
Xeres – sherry, the wine of Spanish origin; the name comes from Jerez, the province in Andalusia
Madeira – Portuguese fortified wine from the island of Madeira
hidalgo – a hereditary member of the gentry in Spain (Spanish)
Coahuila – a state in northern Mexico
éclat – magnificence (French)
belle – a beauty
majoress – wife of a major
douceur – here: gift (French)
Hibernian – Irish
caballeriza – stable (Spanish)
aurora – a morning star, the symbol of dawn; the Roman goddess of dawn
valet de tout – a manservant who looks after his master’s clothes, weapon, etc.
paraphernalia – numerous objects used for a certain activity or event
impedimenta – provisions, stores
Lucullus – Lucius Licinius Lucullus (117–56 BC), a Roman general; he is remembered for his extravagant and luxurious life and great feasts
manada – a herd (Spanish)
vidette – an observer (Spanish)
Hola! – Hello! (Spanish)
machete – a large heavy knife used both as a tool and weapon (Spanish)
tapis vert – a green carpet (French)
caracara – a large bird of a falcon group (Spanish)
yegua pinta – here: a spotted mare (Spanish)
en paz – at peace (Spanish)
braverie – bravery (French)
sang froid – composure, coolness (French)
Hartford – the capital of Connecticut, located in the north-central part of the state, a major industrial and commercial centre, founded in 1635
corral – a trap for catching wild animals, or an enclosure for cattle and horses
embonpoint – plumpness, stoutness (French)
the Emerald Isle – Ireland (poet.)
stampede – a sudden rash of frightened animals or people
palthogue – here: an amusing speech
mésalliance – unequal marriage
presidio – a fortress (Spanish)
General Zachariah Taylor (1786–1850) – the American general who took part in the Mexican War of 1846–1848; later he became the US president
Lethean – related to Lethe – in Greek mythology, the river in Hades that gives forgetfulness of the past
asterisks – marks used to call attention
bivouac – a temporary camp, usually military
a Joseph – a chaste man; from Joseph, a biblical figure of the Old Testament
sotto voce – in a low voice (Italian)
with his arms akimbo – with hands on the hips and elbows outwards
six-shooter – a revolver with six bullets
ma bohil – my friend (Irish)
billet doux – a love letter (French)
bravoes – brave men (Spanish)
salvo – salvation (Spanish)
cuadrilla – a gang or band (Spanish)
salteadores – robbers (Spanish)
Helen – in Greek mythology, an extremely beautiful woman, the daughter of Zeus, and the cause of the Trojan War
siesta – rest or sleep in the afternoon, when it is very hot outside
rebozo, topado – a cape or a scarf (Spanish)
outré – exaggerated (French)
equestrienne – a horse woman (Spanish)
escalera – staircase (Spanish)
cared a straw – did not care at all (idiom)
Pandora’s box – in Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman made out of earth; she had a box with all kinds of evil and misery, and she opened it
haciendado – owner of the estate or the land (Spanish)
inamorata – a sweetheart, a beloved one (Spanish)
tomahawks – Indian weapons, small battle axes; to bury (entomb) a tomahawk means to achieve peace
desayuno – breakfast (Spanish)
almuerzo – lunch (Spanish)
comida – dinner (Spanish)
y cena – and supper (Spanish)
piazza – here: place, open place (Italian)
peccary – a wild swine
Seminole – North American Indian tribe, known under this name since 1775
sala – sitting-room (Spanish)
Siéntese! – Sit down! (Spanish)
Pesos in this very sentence mean dollars. Peso was a monetary unit in Mexico and many Spanish-speaking countries
Maldita! – Damn it! (Spanish)
Carrambo!, Carajo!, Carrai! = Deuce take it! (Spanish)
Santíssima Virgen! – Holy Virgin! (Spanish)
Adiós! – Goodbye! (Spanish)
chiripé – good luck (Spanish)
claco – a trifle (Spanish)
Viva la guerra de los Indios! – Long live the Indian war! (Spanish)
Houma – one of the North American Indian tribes
bayou Atchafalaya – Atchafalaya Bay, a part of the Gulf of Mexico along the southern coast of Louisiana
Condé – Louis II de Bourbon, Prince Condé (1621–1686), one of the greatest French generals of the times of King Louis XIV
the Campeador (1043–1099) – also called the Sid, the byname of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, Castilian national hero and military leader
Ferdinand – Ferdinand II, king of Aragon and Castile; he united different Spanish kingdoms into one nation and supported Columbus’ expeditions to America
Cortez – Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), Spanish conquistador who ruined the Aztec empire and expanded Spanish territories on the American continent
Pizarro – Francisco Pizarro (1475–1541), Spanish traveller who led many successful expeditions in Central and South America, conquired the Inca empire and founded the city of Lima
Malinché – also called Marina (1501–1550), an Indian princess; she was interpreter and mistress to Cortés during his conquest of Mexico
Eve – in the Bible, the first woman on earth, created from Adam’s rib by God; Adam and Eve lived happily in the Garden of Eden until Eve yielded to the temptation of the evil serpent
Elysium – in Greek mythology, a land of perfect happiness, the paradise to which immortal heroes were sent after death
sylph – an imaginary soulless creature that lives in the air
the old Scratch – the devil
Jehovah or Jahweh – in Judaism, the name of God; the name is thought too sacred to be said aloud
negligé – any kind of informal dress
robe de chambre = dressing-gown (French)
reja – an iron or wooden grate (Spanish)
Hyperion – in Greek mythology, one of the Titans
Satyr – in Greek mythology, half man, half goat; Satyrs were associated with the god Dionysus and his cult
cottonade – cotton (Spanish)
patio – an inner courtyard in a Spanish American home
the Almighty – God; the Almighty God
saguan – here: gates (Spanish)
sangre – blood (Spanish)
Madre de Dios – the Holy Virgin, Mother of Jesus (Spanish)
Popish – Catholic
leperos – rascals (Spanish)
table-d’hôte – 1. a large dinner table for many people in hotels and restaurants; 2. a fixed menu at a fixed price
bon vivant – a person who enjoys life and lives to his/her own pleasure
Scouts – rangers, reconnoiterers
carcass – a dead body of a human being or animal
phantasmagoria – fantastic, unreal pictures; ghostly images
Iberian – Iberian people used to live in the southeast of Spain; in the text, Iberian means Spanish
Aztecan – related to the Aztec people
Vandyke – Anthony Van Dyck (1599–1641), the most famous Flemish painter; beards and collars in the portraits by Van Dyck came into fashion under his name: Vandyke beard, Vandyke collar
cuartilla – the four of them (Spanish)
conpaisanos – here: compatriots (Spanish)
mezcal – a strong alcoholic drink (Spanish)
pueblita – a small settlement (Spanish)
Mein Gott – My God! (German)
Aguardiente – Mexican rum (Spanish)
musteños – mustangs (Spanish)
tasajo – here: meat
confrères – comrades, friends (French)
gringo – a contemptuous name for Americans in Latin American countries
Saurian – one of lizard species
Ochone! – Oh, my God! (Irish)
goblins – in European folklore, goblin is a malicious spirite attached to a household, who makes noise, disturbs people, punishes disobedient children, etc.
Ishmaelites – also called Medianites, in Old Testament, nomadic tribes living in the Arabic deserts and engaged in banditry
butt – a target of or for smth