&c. &c. after Dinner we gave Mr. Peter Darion, a Comission to act with a flag & some Cloathes & Provisions & instructions to bring about a peace with the Scioux Mahars, Panies, Ponceries, Ottoes & Missouries—and to employ any trader to take Some of the Cheifs of each or as many of those nations as he Could Perticularly the Sceiouex—I took a Vocabulary of the Scioux Language—and the Answer to a fiew quaries Such as refured to ther Situation, Trade, number War, &c. &c.—This Nation is Divided into 20 Tribes, possessing Seperate interests- Collectively they are noumerous Say from 2 to 3000 men, their interests are so unconnected that Some bands are at war with Nations which other bands are on the most friendly terms.
— from The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 by William Clark

“Crusty,” poor tempered; “two of a kidney,” two of a sort; “lark,” a piece of fun; “lug,” to pull; “bung,” to give or pass; “pickle,” a sad plight; “frump,” to mock, are a few specimens casually picked from the works of the old histrionic writers.
— from The Slang Dictionary: Etymological, Historical and Andecdotal by John Camden Hotten

In the middle of each table, according to the practise of the establishment, were arranged four small colored plates with four pies on each one and four cups of tea, with the accompanying dishes, all of red porcelain.
— from The Reign of Greed by José Rizal

“Forget and forgive,” she cried passionately.
— from Martin Eden by Jack London

In all the broad lands which the Constitution of the United States overshadows, there is no single spot,—however narrow or desolate,—where a fugitive slave can plant himself and say, "I am safe."
— from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass

Crusty , poor tempered; “two of a KIDNEY ,” two of a sort; LARK , a piece of fun; LUG , to pull; BUNG , to give or pass; PICKLE , a sad plight; FRUMP , to mock, are a few specimens casually picked from the works of the old histrionic writers.
— from A Dictionary of Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words Used at the Present Day in the Streets of London; the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; the Houses of Parliament; the Dens of St. Giles; and the Palaces of St. James. by John Camden Hotten

"Among other essentials," says Major Littlehales, "it possesses the following advantages: command of territory—internal situation—central position, facility of water communication up and down the Thames into Lakes St. Clair, Erie, Huron, and Superior,—navigable for boats to near its source, and for small craft probably to the Moravian settlement,—to the southward by a small portage to the waters flowing into Lake Huron—to the south-east by a carrying-place into Lake Ontario and the River St. Lawrence; the soil luxuriantly fertile,—the land rich and capable of being easily cleared, and soon put into a state of agriculture,—a pinery upon an adjacent high knoll, and other timber on the heights, well calculated for the erection of public buildings,—a climate not inferior to any part of Canada."
— from Toronto of Old Collections and recollections illustrative of the early settlement and social life of the capital of Ontario by Henry Scadding

I am afraid it will result in your [Pg 178] ruin; you will most likely be arrested for stealing church property—the punishment for which is death at the stake.
— from Told by the Death's Head: A Romantic Tale by Mór Jókai

Human burials have been found in the earth floors of shallow caves scattered through the San Juan river drainage; and in these same caves are found storage chambers prepared to protect the foodstuffs, principally corn.
— from Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico by Kittridge A. Wing

Put your pieces, when dry, into the comfit-pan, and pour on them a little syrup, as for Scotch caraways, proceeding in the same way until they are one-third the required size.
— from How to Make Candy A Complete Hand Book for Making All Kinds of Candy, Ice Cream, Syrups, Essences, Etc., Etc. by Anonymous

Thus the country was divided, as in a chess-board, into squares, but still more geometrically subdivided in order that, should necessity require it, the angles forming squares could point together on emergency and form a solid concentration at any place, their action being much as that of a kaleidoscope, which at one time breaks into particles of colour, or at another groups into masses of it, at will.
— from South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8) From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901 by Louis Creswicke