The following account comes from Mrs. A. F. Shannon of Velasco, who was
reared near the mouth of the Brazos. Velasco, be it remembered, was, in
ancient days, a port of many ships—the rival of Galveston. Whether or
not this legend is indigenous to the mouth of the Brazos cannot be
asserted; however, it is but natural that in such a place the legend
should be connected with the sea.
Now this is Mrs. Shannon’s version: “My uncle said that he always heard
the story like this. A ship out in the Gulf was without water, and the
crew were parched with thirst. Suddenly, one of them saw a muddy
current reaching far out into the clear blue of the salt water. The
ship followed the current to a wide river, which was on a great rise
and so threw its muddy waters far out to sea. It must have been a
Spanish ship. The crew drank the saving fresh water, and in gratitude
named the unknown stream Los Brazos de Dios—the Arms of God.”