The next day, we passed three houses, a number of prairies and post-oak
openings; but found no more pine woods. Immediately on this side of
the Trinity, we passed over a low, wet prairie, four miles in extent;
where a horse would sink in to the fetlock joint; and then, half a
mile of heavy timber. The Trinity is a large stream; but not quite as
large as Red River--deep, navigable, and muddy water. We stopped at the
house of an intelligent farmer on the other bank of the river. Here,
our accommodations were very good. He had a house of hewn logs, three
rooms, no windows, a portico in front and rear, and an avenue through
the middle. The front yard was fenced in; and a kitchen and smoke house
were in the back yard. He had a large field cultivated with corn, and
perhaps, half a dozen negroes.
I here found a young man who deserved commiseration. He was from
Missouri. With his young wife and two small children, the youngest not
quite a year old, he started in a wagon for Texas. He had been two
months on the road; encamped out in the woods every night, although
they had some wet and chilly weather. The fatigues of such a long
journey, and the many attentions such small children required at the
hands of the wife while on the route, were more than her constitution
could endure. She became worn down almost to a skeleton; and grew daily
more enfeebled; but as they were approaching the end of the journey,
she kept up a good heart, and exerted herself to the utmost. But "tired
nature" could do no more. She sickened and died--and left her husband
in a distant land, with two infant children. Those who have endured the
agony of a parting scene like this, although surrounded by relatives
and friends, may form some estimate of the measure of pity due to him!
There are many hardships, perplexities and sufferings, necessarily
attendant upon a removal to a new and distant country; and any accident
or misfortune is more severely felt, because a person has no chance of
remedying the evil. I do think, a single family ought not to go to a
new country alone; but a number in company; and then they can assist
each other in all their hardships and trials.
At the mouth of Red River, a gentleman, moving on to Texas with his
family, lost his pocket-book, containing about four hundred dollars.
He carried it in the breast pocket of his coat; and in unlading some
of his goods from the steamboat, he stepped forward to assist, pulled
off his coat, threw it across the railing, and the pocket-book dropped
out into the water and sunk. It would have swam on the water, had it
not contained three or four dollars in specie. Search was made for it;
but the stream was so deep and muddy, they were foiled in all their
attempts to find it. This was, at such a time and in his situation, a
severe misfortune. On the road, two thousand miles from the place he
started from, and five hundred more to travel; his family with him,
and all his money gone. A family of his acquaintance happened to be
in company with him, and through their assistance, he was enabled to
proceed.
Another case was stated to me, more aggravating than this, because it
was not the effect of accident but of knavery. A gentleman, moving from
Michigan to Texas, brought down in the boat a valuable horse worth
three hundred dollars. On board, he became acquainted with a young
man, who wished employment, and he hired him. When they arrived at the
mouth of Red River, he concluded to send his horse by the young man
across the country by land, and he and his family would go round by
water. He, accordingly, equipped the horse with a new, elegant saddle,
bridle, martingale and saddle bags; and supplied the young man with a
good greatcoat, and twenty dollars in money, and started him off. And
that was the last time he saw man, horse or equippage! He incidentally
heard, that a man answering his description, gambled away a horse and
equippage at Alexandria.
For ten miles after leaving Trinity river, we passed over some most
beautiful rolling prairies. Although it was December, yet the air was
mild and serene, and the grass as green as in June. These prairies much
resemble those of Illinois; and on some of them, we saw large herds of
cattle feeding. We passed some miry swamps and deep muddy streams. The
most disagreeable part of the whole trip, was the fording of streams.
The banks were generally steep down into the water; and so slippery, we
had sometimes to dismount, hold on to a tree, and let the horse slide
down; then pull the horse beside us, mount him in the water, and ride
across. I would sometimes take my saddle bags off, send my horse over
by himself, and find a tree or a log on which to pass myself. The water
was very muddy, so that we could not see the bottom, or form hardly
any idea how deep it might be, until we forded. One stream was a very
bad one. There were logs in the bottom, embedded in the mud about the
middle of the river; and when our horses passed them, they struck into
a channel where the water was about two feet deeper; their heads were
suddenly plunged under water, and we came very near being thrown into
the stream. Among the trees in the swamps, I noticed the red cedar,
to-day, for the first time. It grows to quite a large tree, and is very
good timber for building, boards, posts, &c.
To-day, we found by the side of the path a number of petrified limbs
of trees; and in one place, there was a log about a foot in diameter,
turned into stone. We broke off some pieces which plainly showed the
grains of wood; and on one side the bark remained and was petrified
also. It might probably be manufactured into good hones, although it
was coarser grained, and of a lighter shade, than those usually found
at our stores.
We passed only two houses this day, and put up for the night at a
miserable log house occupied by a widow woman. She had a large stock of
fine looking cattle, but no milk. Our fare was not of the best kind,
although the old lady tried to accommodate us as well as she could.
There are few mills of any kind in the whole country. The corn is
ground in a steel mill, like a coffee mill, although much larger, and
having a crank on each side. This is commonly nailed to a tree before
the door. The corn is often left standing in the field, and gathered
only as fast as they wish to use it. It used to amuse me, when we rode
up to a house at night, and called for a meal, to hear the woman sing
out to a boy, "Run to the field and bring two or three ears of corn--I
want to make some bread for the gentlemen's supper." So we had to wait
until the corn was gathered, ground, kneaded and baked, before we could
have bread to eat. I suppose this is the true method of "living from
hand to mouth."
We took an early start next morning, and after passing swamps, streams
and woods, came out into a fine prairie country. Our path led over the
top of one, somewhat elevated above the general level of the country,
and from which we could see many miles all around. It was a prospect
too grand and imposing to be adequately described.
As we passed along by the side of an extensive prairie, we saw two
Indians horseback, on an elevated spot, about half a mile distant, with
guns in their hands, and looking at the country beyond them. On seeing
us, they wheeled their horses and came at full speed down upon us. We
were a little startled at first; but they halted within a few rods
of us, stared a moment, and then civilly passed the time of day, and
enquired in broken English, the distance to a house on the road we had
come. I never was an enthusiastic admirer of the Indian character. They
may have done some noble deeds of daring, and performed some generous
acts of disinterested friendship; but they possess and practice the
art of deception so well, that no one can know, with any degree of
certainty, when these acts may occur. When I see Indians approaching,
I hardly know whether it is for good or for evil; and therefore, never
feel entirely at ease in their society.
The Romans, in the days of their prosperity, prided themselves in
being called a _Roman citizen_; and this was generally, a sufficient
protection from depredation and insult, when travelling among the
more barbarous nations around them. Like the Romans, I felt not a
little pleasure in the thought, that I was an _American citizen_, and
that this was a protection from outrage and insult in the presence of
the savage Indian. Since my return, I have seen an account of twenty
Polanders, while on their way from New-Orleans to Mexico, who were
attacked by the Indians in Texas, and all killed except one, who was
fortunate enough to escape and tell the story. Had not the Indians
readily discovered by our personal appearance, that we were _American_
citizens, we might have shared the same fate.
We passed a muddy swamp, in many places the water standing in the road
a foot or two in depth; densely covered with timber, and four miles in
extent. As we emerged from this, we came upon the bank of the Brazos
river, at Hall's ferry. This is a stream of the size and complexion of
Red River. In crossing in a boat, we found a strong current. On the
other side there is a high bank on which a town has been laid out; but
now contains only three dwelling houses and one store. Here we stayed
over night. Late in the afternoon, a Spanish trader arrived and put up
for the night. He had two men, five mules and one horse and wagon with
him. His goods were bought at Natchitoches, and he was transporting
them to St. Antonio in the interior of Texas. They were made up into
convenient bundles, hung across the mules' backs and stowed in the
wagon. They were all armed with guns; and the trader himself had a
pistol at each side. He could not well talk English and we conversed
but little with him. He had a strong dislike to the Indians, and was
afraid of being robbed by them. Of this ill-will, the Indians have
their full share. In hunting parties composed of both Americans and
Spaniards, when attacked by the Indians in their excursions along the
Rocky Mountains, they have been known to spare the Americans, when they
have killed all the Spaniards.
The next day's ride was through a most beautiful open prairie country.
We crossed some small streams, skirted with timber and small groves
on the highland; but generally, we found high, rolling prairie. The
live-oak made its appearance to-day. This is an evergreen and a
beautiful tree. We saw them growing in an open prairie, sometimes,
one standing by itself, about the size, and at a distance, of the
appearance of the northern apple tree.
On a fine high prairie, we observed quite a number of elegant houses,
a store, a tavern, &c. and some fine farms. This is called Cole's
Settlement; and from the beautiful scenery around, and the respectable
appearance of the inhabitants, I inferred that it is a desirable
neighborhood.
We stopped for the night at a house half way between the Brazos and
Colorado rivers; being thirty-five miles from each. A few years ago, a
town was lotted out in this place, but still it shows only one decent
farm house. Here is a gristmill turned by horses, and does a good deal
of business; and profitable too, for the rule is to take one sixth part
for toll. In the neighborhood, I saw a very good looking house, built
of limestone.
From this place to the Colorado river, we passed only two houses; a
distance of thirty-five miles; and the complexion of the country was
similar in all respects to that of the day before. At a very decent
farm house on an extensive prairie, by the side of the river, we put up
for the night; and remained here and in the neighborhood, a number of
the succeeding days.
And now from this central position, I propose to take a more general
view of the country. I stayed more than a month in Texas, traversed
the country in various directions, conversed with the inhabitants, and
gained what information I could within that time. I feel therefore,
somewhat qualified to speak of the country. And this I shall do
fearlessly; yet I hope, in sincerity and in truth. I am aware that many
articles have been written concerning this country, of various import
and meaning; but I shall speak for myself only, without reference to
others. I do not propose to write its geography or history. Had I the
means and ability accurately to do this, the limits of this work would
not allow of it. I only propose to give the information I obtained from
inspection, examination and enquiry, in a concise form and tangible
shape.