Saturday, November 29, 2003
Ouch: "Tacupeto is a small settlement that offers nothing worth mentioning."
Writing about his experiences as a Jesuit priest in Sonora, in the 1750's, Juan Nentvig was often uninspired by his surroundings, as evidenced in this chapter preface:
"As I undertake the writing of this chapter, I cannot see a way to temporize the boredom of my readers unless we change ourselves into spirits and, laying aside the burden of our bodies, survey this province from a suitable height as we did the missions. Otherwise we would have to undertake journeys twice as long with less comfortable lodgings, and a greater scarcity of food and transportation. With this explanation we shall begin our flight …"
And evidently boredom, and poor eyesight, led Father Nentvig to take other flights of fancy. Here he is describing one baaaaad tarantula (in the delightfully titled chapter "Insects and Disgusting Creatures:") "...a soldier from the Fronteras presidio assured me that the steed he was riding, having stepped upon one, stopped suddenly. Upon looking for the cause, he found the trampled tarantula dead and his horse's hoof fallen off."
Or this:
"Declaring himself an eyewitness, Nentvig discloses that a cowboy was restored to health overnight after being trampled by a horse. His face mangled with bones exposed, he received treatment consisting of a poultice made from this wondrous plant and was healed by the next day."
One wonders if Father Nentvig held a few too many communions with the Bacanora. The poor padre must have stopped in Tacupeto on a slow day, without the benefit of a local host or guide. He must have skipped the hike into Los Cajonsitos or swimming in Las Tinajas at La Mesa del Aguage.
Las Tinajas: An oasis for Summer swimming.
A short hike from Ojo de Agua, Los Cajonsitos offer shade, natural beauty, honey, fruit and a place for quiet reflection.
Writing about his experiences as a Jesuit priest in Sonora, in the 1750's, Juan Nentvig was often uninspired by his surroundings, as evidenced in this chapter preface:
"As I undertake the writing of this chapter, I cannot see a way to temporize the boredom of my readers unless we change ourselves into spirits and, laying aside the burden of our bodies, survey this province from a suitable height as we did the missions. Otherwise we would have to undertake journeys twice as long with less comfortable lodgings, and a greater scarcity of food and transportation. With this explanation we shall begin our flight …"
And evidently boredom, and poor eyesight, led Father Nentvig to take other flights of fancy. Here he is describing one baaaaad tarantula (in the delightfully titled chapter "Insects and Disgusting Creatures:") "...a soldier from the Fronteras presidio assured me that the steed he was riding, having stepped upon one, stopped suddenly. Upon looking for the cause, he found the trampled tarantula dead and his horse's hoof fallen off."
Or this:
"Declaring himself an eyewitness, Nentvig discloses that a cowboy was restored to health overnight after being trampled by a horse. His face mangled with bones exposed, he received treatment consisting of a poultice made from this wondrous plant and was healed by the next day."
One wonders if Father Nentvig held a few too many communions with the Bacanora. The poor padre must have stopped in Tacupeto on a slow day, without the benefit of a local host or guide. He must have skipped the hike into Los Cajonsitos or swimming in Las Tinajas at La Mesa del Aguage.
Las Tinajas: An oasis for Summer swimming.
A short hike from Ojo de Agua, Los Cajonsitos offer shade, natural beauty, honey, fruit and a place for quiet reflection.
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