Alfred Benitz - Pioneer, Sportsman and Gentleman

Web	Chapters	Years	Ages	Events	Places
Page 1	1-5	1845-1874	0-15	Preface & notes. Family history & youth.	Ft. Ross & Oakland, California, USA
Page 2	6-10	1875-1876	16-17	Emigration & settling into Argentina, father dies.	Panama, New York, Southampton, Buenos Aires, Rosario, Estancia “La California”
Page 3	11-13	1876-1880	17-21	The family business, Charlie & Uncle Frank die, Willie marries.	Ea. “La California”, Santa Fé, Argentina
Page 4	14-16	1881-1897	22-38	Hunts, expansion north, Indian chases, Frank & Herman die.	Calchaquí, Saladillo & Toba rivers, Laguna Yacaré, Ea. “Los Palmares”
Page 5	17-20	1898-1937	39-78	More growth, Travels, & Marriage.	Europe, USA, Africa, Yukon, Ea. “Las Tres Lagunas”, “El Rincon”, Patagonia, Chile
Page 6	Appendix			Bibliography, Glossary, & Illustrations

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Web Page 6:   Appendix  — Bibliography — Glossary of Spanish Terms  — Appendix of Illustrations

Don Alfredo and his inseparable “Perico” (circa 1935 - Photograph taken by George R. Daly)

THE TIMES BOOK ON ARGENTINA

THE SOUTH AMERICAN HANDBOOK

ANUAL DE GRAN BRETAÑA

WHITAKER'S ALMANAC

A HISTORY OF ENGLISH LAW

REPORTS OF STATE TRIALS

THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW OF THE BRITISH DOMINIONS

THE GEOGRAPHICAL MAGAZINE

RODEO

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA

"TIMES REMEMBERED"

 

[ Also see the Benitz website: Glossary of Spanglish Terms ]

Spanish term	English explanation
Aguaciles	dragonflies.
Aguada	pool of drinking water; a well. [watering hole]
Aguaras	species of South American wolf.
Alaridos	Indian yells.
Alazán	sorrel horse.
Alazán overo	sorrel piebald.
Algarrobo	species of South American [spiny] tree.
Arnera	Brazilian tree with poisonous bark.
Arreo	harness.
Arroyo	stream or brook.
Asado	meat roasted on iron grill over open fire [grilled, BBQ].
Atropellar	wild rush. [bowl-over]
Bagual	wild horse.
Balsa	ferry.
Bota	boot.
Boyero	species of South American blackbird. [also: night-horse]
Bronco	untamed colt.
Calchaquis	tribe of Chaco Indians.
Camalotes	floating islands of trees, weeds or reeds.
Camión	truck or lorry.
Cañada	gully.
Capataz	foreman.
Carguero	pack-mule or pack-horse
Carne	meat.
Carne con cuero	meat roasted [grilled, BBQ] with hide.
Carnear	to butcher.
Carpinchos	species of South American wild hog [a.k.a.: capybara, the largest rodent in the world - no pig, see Spanglish].
Chajá	species of South American wild turkey [Southern Screamer - no turkey, see Spanglish].
Chaparral	underbrush or scrub.
Charcos	puddle or small pool.
Charrúas	tribe of Uruguayan Indians.
Chiriguanos	tribe of Uruguayan Indians.
Chiqueta	a burrow.
Chivero	a goat pen.
Choretes	tribe of Chaco Indians.
Ciervo	species of South American stag [deer, see Spanglish].
Colorado	red roan (usually referring to a horse).
Comisaria	police station.
Comisario	chief of police.
Corral	horse or cattle enclosure. [cattle-yards]
Delgado	thin or slender.
Diaquitas	tribe of Indians from northeastern Argentina.
Domar	to tame, or “break,” speaking of horses.
Domador	one who tames or “breaks”.
Entre pelado	type of piebald horse.
Espartillar	field of Esparto grass.
Esparto	species of rough grass or weed.
Espín	a thorny bush.
Estancia	a ranch or farm.
Estero	swamp or marsh.
Fiambre	cold meats.
Gainza	species of South American crane.
Gama	doe.
Garrapatas	a kind of leech [cattle tick - no leech].
Guasó	Jew-fish [also: thug].
Guasuncho	wild deer.
Isleta	islet.
Jabalí	South American wild boar.
Juntar	To gather or collect.
Laguna	Lake. [lagoon]
Lino	Linseed.
Maíz	Indian corn. [corn, maize]
Malón	Indian raid.
Mañada [manada]	Troop [herd] of horses [typically the herd of brood mares]. [See Spanglish]
Masoar	To groom or rub down.
Matacas	Tribe of Chaco Indians.
Mate	Paraguayan herb or tea.
Mazorca	Maize stalk.
Monte	Wood or spinney.
Monte bajo	Wood of low trees.
Mulita	Armadillo [type of, small hairless]. [vs. the extinct giant Tatu Carreta - the shell alone of the specimen in Uncle Alfred’s collection measured approx. a meter long, today in the Las Rosas museum.]
Ñanduty	Paraguayan town famed for its lace.
Ñandú	Ostrich [South American rhea - no ostrich].
Ovalero	Species of South American bird. [not found in a modern bird book of Argentina]
Overo porcelana	Type of light piebald horse.
Pajonales	Thickets of Pampas grass.
Palmar	Palm grove.
Palenque	Hitching post [rail].
Pampas	South American plains.
Pampero	South [SW] gale from the Pampas.
Paso	Path or track. Trail. [also: pace, and mountain pass].
Patio	Courtyard.
Peste	Epidemic or disease.
Picana	[Cattle] Prod with long handle.
Pingo	A fine horse.
Pisadero	Treading pen for making mud bricks.
Poblar	To colonise.
Puestos	Shepherds' houses [?, estancia line houses].
Pulperia	Camp inn or store. [See Spanglish]
Quebracho	Species of South American hard wood [iron-wood].
Quebrachales	Quebracho forest.
Ramada	Horse shelter. [?, shed roofed with branches]
Rastrillo	Harrow.
Recado	South American saddle.
Recorrer	Retrace [to ride through the estancia fields checking the condition of the fields and the cattle in them].
Redomón	Half-tamed horse.
Revisar	To revise [to review, same as Recorrer above; see Spanglish].
Rinconada	Corner [in geographical terms].
Rodar	To fall.
Rosada	Pinkish roan or shade of pink.
Rodeo	Round up [or a herd, or all cattle in total on an estancia].
Sanjón	Large drain [ditch].
Seca	Drought.
Tacurusal	High ant-hill belonging to species of huge South American ant.
Tajamar	Groin or cutwater near pier [a lagoon created by a berm of earth across a creek (arroyo), for watering cattle or irrigation - no piers on an estancia].
Tambo	Dairy.
Tarde	Late. afternoon.
Tobas	Tribe of Chaco Indians who paint their faces.
Toldos	Indian [shelter] wigwams.
Tordillo	Grey horse.
Trigo	Wheat.
Tropilla	Troop [herd] of horses or cattle. [See Spanglish]
Tucurusal	Bamboo thicket.
Tulipanes	Tulips.
Tuviano [tobiano]	Type of piebald horse.
Tuyuyu	Species of South American stork.
Urraca	Magpie. [name often misapplied to the “Pirincho”, a cuckoo common to the pampas]
Vibora	Snake.
Yacaré	Alligator.
Yaguaron	Crocodile.
Yerba	Herb. [usually mate]

[ All the illustrations have been moved to the appropriate chapter. ]

Figure	Title	Chapter
1	Movements of the Benitz family 1832-1874 (map)	1
2	Wm. Benitz certificate "Society of California Pioneers"	1
3	Society of California Pioneers - card	1
4	Old Fort Ross, as seen from the Hill	2
5	Fort Ross, California (Chapel)	2
6	Russian Bastion at Fort Ross	2
7	Well’s Fargo Express, 1850	2
8	The Kolmer Ranch, Sonoma	2
9	Newspaper cutting from the “The Call” of December 22nd, 1873 (performance of “William Tell”)	4
10	The family estancia house (La California)	13
11	A camp scene (La California)	13
12	Camp Monte Aguara	14
13	Interrupted Siesta - Monte Aguaro	14
14	Calchaqui - La Vuelta - Saturday Evening	14
15	Camp at Isleta de los Mosquitos - Sundown	14
16	Passing Arroyo de Las Conchas	14
17	Pleasure? Tabanos, Moscas Bravas, Mosquitos…	14
18	9th Mounted Infantry on their way to hunt Indians	16
19	Plan of Indian encampment during Indian hunt	16
20	Part of “El Bermejo”estancia	19
21	A typical “vivienda”	19
22	Branding cattle	19
23	A close of the branding	19
24	Don Alfredo with one of his faithful henchmen	20
25	Don Alfredo and his Percherons	19
26	Mells Manor House and Church, Somerset	19
--	Family Tree (up to 1935)	4
--	[ Route of Alfred’s first herd, April 1884 (Map) ]	15

 

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