Francis Parkman Quotes

• A few hours’ ride brought us to the banks of the river Kansas.

  Francis Parkman

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  Tags in River

• A military road led from this point to Fort Leavenworth, and for many miles the farms and cabins of the Delawares were scattered at short intervals on either hand.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Short, Military

• Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity.

  Francis Parkman

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  Tags in Visible, Descent

• Early on the next morning we reached Kansas, about five hundred miles from the mouth of the Missouri.

  Francis Parkman

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  Tags in Morning, Reached

• Fort Leavenworth is in fact no fort, being without defensive works, except two block-houses.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Except, Fact

• Four men are missing; R., Sorel and two emigrants. They set out this morning after buffalo, and have not yet made their appearance; whether killed or lost, we cannot tell.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Appearance

• Here society is reduced to its original elements, the whole fabric of art and conventionality is struck rudely to pieces, and men find themselves suddenly brought back to the wants and resources of their original natures.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Society

  Tags in Suddenly, Original

• Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue sky was visible, it wore a hazy and languid aspect.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Visible, Breath

• Our New England climate is mild and equable compared with that of the Platte.

  Francis Parkman

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  Tags in Compared, Climate

• Many of the Iroquois and Huron houses were of similar construction, the partitions being at the sides only, leaving a wide passage down the middle of the house.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Construction, Middle

• Riding in advance, we passed over one of these great plains; we looked back and saw the line of scattered horsemen stretching for a mile or more; and far in the rear against the horizon, the white wagons creeping slowly along.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Advance, Great, Against

• The fortified towns of the Hurons were all on the side exposed to Iroquois incursions.

  Francis Parkman

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  Tags in Exposed

• The great medley of Oregon and California emigrants, at their camps around Independence, had heard reports that several additional parties were on the point of setting out from St. Joseph’s farther to the northward.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Great, Independence, Reports

• The reader need not be told that John Bull never leaves home without encumbering himself with the greatest possible load of luggage. Our companions were no exception to the rule.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Possible, Exception, Greatest

• We were in all four men with eight animals; for besides the spare horses led by Shaw and myself, an additional mule was driven along with us as a reserve in case of accident.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Accident, Myself

• We were now, as I before mentioned, upon this St. Joseph’s trail. It was evident, by the traces, that large parties were a few days in advance of us; and as we too supposed them to be Mormons, we had some apprehension of interruption.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Apprehension, Supposed, Evident, Advance

• We were soon free of the woods and bushes, and fairly upon the broad prairie.

  Francis Parkman

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Free, Fairly

Francis Parkman (17)

Birth:	16th September, 1823
Death:	8th November, 1893
Nationality:	American
Profession:	Historian

About

Francis Parkman was an American historian, best known as author of The Oregon Trail: Sketches of Prairie and Rocky Mountain Life and his monumental seven volume France and England in North America. These works are still valued as historical sources and as literature. He was also a leading horticulturist, briefly a Professor of Horticulture at Harvard University and author of several books on the topic.

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