The rivers are navigable to some extent, whether great or small. The
following are the names of the principal, to wit:--Sabine, Ayish
Bayou, Atoyac, Angelina, Neches, Trinity, St. Jacinta, Buffalo Bayou,
Navasota, Brazos, Bernard, Canebrake, Colorado, Navedad, La Baca,
Guadalupe, San Antonio, Aransaso, Neuces and Rio Grande or Rio del
Norte. The streams are all muddy and unpleasant, until you reach the
Colorado; this, and those to the south are, generally, clear and
beautiful. About ten miles from the mouth of the Colorado, a raft two
miles in extent, obstructs the navigation; when that is removed, boats
may go some distance into the country. The Brazos is navigable at high
water, to the falls, about two hundred and fifty miles from its mouth.
A steamboat is now running upon it, as high up as St. Felipe, over a
hundred miles.
The Sabine, Neches and Trinity are respectively three hundred and
fifty, three hundred, and four hundred and ten miles in length, and are
navigable some distance into the country for a considerable portion of
the year. The San Bernard is navigable sixty miles. It has about four
feet of water on the bar at its mouth. The Colorado rises in the high
prairies near the mountains, pursues quite a direct course six hundred
miles and falls into Metagorda Bay. Above the raft, which is situated
ten or twelve miles above its mouth, it is navigable three hundred
miles. It has as strong a current as that of the Mississippi.
But the Rio del Norte is much the largest and longest river in this
region. It rises high up among the mountains, and is estimated to be
seventeen hundred miles in length. For two thirds of its course it
runs nearly south; it then changes to the southeast, and empties into
the Gulf of Mexico, near the southern boundary of Texas. It has been
ascended by a steamboat two hundred miles to Loredo; and it is stated
by those acquainted with the stream, that it is navigable five hundred
miles further.
Texas has a seacoast of three hundred and fifty miles; and in a
commercial point of view is favorably situated. Its many navigable
streams afford great facilities for transporting the rich products of
its luxuriant soil to the United States and the rest of the world. It
will shortly be settled, its rich lands will become valuable, and it
will soon be a great and powerful state.
Mill seats are not plenty. Although the streams run with a lively
current, yet there are not many falls suitable for mills; especially
in the lower part of the territory. On the sides of the streams, are
occasionally found ledges of limestone; but none of any kind are
seen scattered over the country.--The prairies are free from rocks,
brambles, bushes, and every thing except grass. They look like a finely
cultivated old field, well set in grass; sometimes flat, sometimes
rolling, but invariably having a surface entirely smooth and unbroken.
A carriage can run any where over them. Clay is found all over the
country, of an excellent quality for brick. In some places, coal and
iron ore are said to have been discovered.
Such are the situation and resources of the country. Let us now look,
for a moment, at the inhabitants, and see how they are improved. The
Spaniards are not an agricultural people. They are more fond of raising
stock, than cultivating the land. They are also a very social people,
and fond of society. They are seldom found on farms alone, and at a
distance from neighbors. They formed some small villages in Texas, and
left the remainder of the country entirely unsettled. Some ten years
ago, the system of grants commenced; allowing an individual, under
certain regulations, to introduce and colonize foreigners. There are
now thirteen of these Grants, including a large portion of Texas,
to wit: Zavala, Burnet and Vehlein--now formed into the Galveston
Bay company--Austin's, Milam's, Robertson's, Cameron's, Dewitt's, De
Leon's, Felisola's, McMullen's and McGloin's, Powers' and Beal's.
On all these Grants, more or less settlements have been made, and
therefore, the population is scattered over an extent of country out
of all proportion to their numbers. The large tract granted to each
individual, tends to the same result. In riding through regions called
settled, a person may not find a house in thirty or forty miles; but
generally from ten to twenty. I believe there are from forty to fifty
thousand inhabitants in Texas; and a large proportion of them are
Americans. A person may travel all day; and day after day, and find
Americans only. He can hardly make himself believe that he is not still
in the United States.
The exports of Texas are cotton, live-stock and peltries. The cotton
and peltries are sent either by Natchitoches, or by shipping through
the Gulf of Mexico, to New-Orleans. The live-stock--cattle, horses and
mules, are driven by land across the country to Natchez or New-Orleans.
The cost of driving is trifling. Plenty of grass is found all the way
for the stock; and the drivers carry their provisions, shoot game, &c.
and camp down near wood and water by the side of a fire, and cook their
meals.
In this manner, a fellow traveller and myself camped out two or three
nights. It was quite a novelty to me to sleep in the open air; but the
people here think nothing of it. The wolves made rather too much noise,
for me to sleep quietly. One night, they awaked me out of a sound
sleep, by their discordant yells; I jumped up, dashed a club or two at
them, and off they went over the prairies. Our provisions were what
they sought, I presume, and not us.
The inhabitants are, many of them, what our northern people would call
rather indolent. Occasionally, I found a good farm, large plantation
and fine herds of cattle, and all the comforts of life within their
dwellings; but more generally, the traveller only finds the log house,
built in an open, rude manner, with only one room, where he and the
family lodge together; and perhaps only corn-bread, meat and sweet
potatoes to eat. I called at some places where they had twenty or
thirty cows, and could get neither butter, cheese, or milk. They let
the calves run with the cows, and seldom milk them at all. I did not
find butter at half of the places where I called; and obtained cheese
only once in Texas. At only three places I found wheat bread.
Although the climate is suitable to the production of Indian corn, yet
it is not cultivated to any extent. The reason is, stock is raised with
less trouble, and cotton is thought to be a more profitable crop. There
is hardly enough corn raised for the consumption of the inhabitants;
it, therefore, bears a high price. At St. Felipe, it was a dollar a
bushel; and at Velasco on the mouth of the Brazos river, I saw a bushel
of shelled corn sold for two dollars!
Thus it is; man seems disinclined to "till the ground," and by "the
sweat of his face," to obtain his bread. It often happens, where
the earth produces in abundance with little labor, that little is
indifferently performed, so that all the comforts and conveniences of
life are less enjoyed, than in more sterile soils, and unpropitious
climes. Man will "'mid flowing vineyards die of thirst." Where nature
has done almost all, and scattered her favors without stint, man will
not stretch forth his hand, and gather her rich bounties. It is not
universally so. There are many exceptions to this in Texas. In many
instances, the comforts of life are enjoyed there to perfection. Man
may not be censured, for not performing severe bodily labor, if he can
well provide for himself and those dependent upon him, without it; but
life could not have been given, to be spent in listless idleness. A
vast field of usefulness is open to the active man; and he may do much
good in his day and generation, other than toil for gain.
But another inducement is held out to the emigrant to settle in Texas,
besides the beauty of the country and productiveness of the soil. It
is the cheapness of the land. This is no small consideration. A man
with a family obtains a Spanish league of land, amounting to four
thousand four hundred and twenty-eight English acres, by paying the
expense of surveying it, office fees, &c. These expenses amount to one
hundred and eleven dollars, with the addition of thirty dollars to the
government. So that a man with a family has four thousand four hundred
and twenty-eight acres of land for the small sum of one hundred and
forty-one dollars. He must make application to an officer, called an
empressario, and obtain his consent; which is given in the form of a
certificate, stating the name of the family and the quantity of land
allowed. This certificate is presented to another officer, called a
commissioner, who orders a survey; and when completed, makes a deed
from the government to the emigrant. The only condition is, that the
land shall be settled upon, within a limited time. The emigrant may
make his own selection out of any lands, not previously granted. A
single man obtains one quarter of that quantity, with the privilege of
having three quarters more, when he is married. And provision is made,
that a foreigner, marrying a Mexican woman, may have a league and one
third. These terms are, certainly, very liberal. A man here obtains
good land, at a cheaper rate, than in any other part of the world.
But the government have lately adopted another method of disposing of
their land. A regular land law has been enacted, and various offices
have been established for the sale of all the vacant land in the
province. A person desirous of purchasing public land, goes to the land
office in the district where the land is situated, files a petition
for a sale, and obtains an order for a survey. This land is laid off
into what is called _labors_ of one hundred and seventy-seven acres
each, and an individual may purchase as many labors as he pleases, up
to two hundred and seventy-five, which is about equal to fifty thousand
English acres. The minimum price is fixed at ten dollars per labor,
the purchaser paying the expense of surveying in addition. One third
of the purchase money is payable at the time of sale; the remainder in
two equal annual instalments; and the new settlers are exempt from the
payment of taxes for the term of ten years.
But Texas has some evils, which will be deemed greater or less,
according to the particular section of the country the emigrant may
happen to come from. But still, they ought in fairness to be stated,
that all may judge for themselves. And in the first place there are
three kinds of venomous snakes--the great rattlesnake, the moccason
snake, and the prairie rattlesnake. The large rattlesnake is not very
plenty, and is seldom seen far out in the open prairie. A gentleman who
had lived in the country ten years told me he had killed only two in
the time. The moccason snake, deemed as poisonous as the rattlesnake,
seems to be more plenty; but they are not found except in or near wet,
marshy land. A gentleman told me, he had a small marsh near his house
which seemed to be a haunt for them, as occasionally he found some near
it, and in his door yard. He set half a dozen of his servants to cut
down the weeds, and dig a ditch to drain off the water; and in one day
they killed _forty-three_ moccason snakes; and he pleasantly added, it
was not a very good snake day neither. Perhaps this will be set down as
another "snake story;" but my authority is Mr. Elisha Roberts, living
on the main road, five miles north of St. Augustine; a very respectable
man as I was informed. The prairie rattlesnake is a small one, about a
foot in length, similar to that of Illinois. I saw only one in all my
wanderings through the country. There are other snakes, not venomous,
such as the coach-whip snake, the large black snake, which is here
called the "chicken snake," because it sometimes robs hen's nests; the
glass snake, which if you strike it, will break in a number of places,
and some others. Then, there is the tarantula, a large spider; and the
stinging lizard, a species of the scorpion, of a reddish color, and
about two inches long. The bite of the tarantula and stinging lizard
is, in pain and effect, similar to the sting of a bee. There is a weed
here, growing all over the country, which is a certain cure for the
bite of all these venomous reptiles.
The alligator is found in the rivers of Texas. I saw three, one large
one; the other two, small ones. They sometimes catch hogs, as they go
down to the water to drink. They will attack a man in the water. A man
was seized by one on Little river, while I was in the country, who was
swimming across; but he was beaten off by a person near him, on a raft.
Of the animals, there are many--the panther, wolf, wildcat, tiger cat,
bear, Mexican hog, antelope, &c. The wolves are the most numerous, and
are quite bold and mischievous. I frequently saw them in the day time,
and often heard their discordant howl in the night.
One day, as I was riding along alone in the open woods, a panther came
out of a small thicket, into the path before me! I knew that retreat
would be dangerous; and, therefore, I boldly sung out and pushed
forward towards him. He was not disposed to give battle, but leaped
off at once into the woods. I was a good deal startled at this sudden
appearance of such a powerful, uncaged beast of the forest; but as he
appeared to be the most frightened of the two, I ought to be content.
The panther is an animal of the size and color of a full grown lioness,
but too cowardly to attack his prey in the open field. Like the Indian,
he lies in ambush, or sits perched on the branch of a tree, and seizes
his victim unawares. Even a small dog has been known to chase him into
his favorite retreat on a tree. The bears, generally, take to the dense
forest of trees and cane-brake. They catch the full grown hogs, and the
wolves take the pigs.
Flies, of various kinds, are found here; and are more troublesome to
animals in the warm summer months, than at the north. I saw large
sores, caused by them, on cattle, dogs and hogs. An application of
mercury is sometimes found necessary to cure them. There is also a wood
tick, resembling that on sheep, which fastens itself on animals, but
does not appear to do any essential injury.
But last, although not least, in the list of evils, is the ever active
moscheto. In the flat country, bordering on the sea and bays, they
are indeed dreadful to a northern man. When I was at the mouth of
the Brazos, towards the last of December, whether on the beach, in
the house, on board the vessel, day and night without cessation, the
moschetoes were excessively annoying. Give me a general assortment
of alligators, snakes and lizards, rather than subject me to the
eternal buzz, and stinging bite of the ever busy moscheto. Other
animals may be successfully combatted and subdued; but to fight the
moscheto is like "beating the air;" give a blow in front and he is
in the rear; brush the rear, and he is in front--and so on all day
long. And when you have done, you have only excessively fatigued and
perplexed yourself, and left him the uninjured master of the field. The
only chance to get rid of such a keen tormentor as this, is to hang
yourself, or run away. In the high rolling country, there are less
flies and no moschetoes.
There are few remnants of tribes of Indians in the settled region of
Texas. They are generally said to be harmless and inoffensive; doing
nothing worse than stealing a hog or so, in a neighborly way; so that
they may not be entirely forgotten. A woman where I stopped one night,
told me that about twenty Indians encamped at the spring near her
house; came to the house for meal, and she gave them all she could
spare. In the morning, after they were gone, she found they had robbed
the yard of all the melons, and taken the fattest shoat she had.
While I was in the country a man was shot at and wounded by an Indian,
near Jones' ferry on the Colorado river. As he was riding along
alone over the prairie, he saw a number of Indians by the side of a
wood, who beckoned for him to approach. When he had come quite near,
happening to cast his eyes towards the wood, he saw an Indian, partly
concealed behind a tree, with a gun drawn up in the act of firing. He
had only time to throw himself back on his horse, and the ball made a
slight flesh wound on his breast. He wheeled, put spurs to his horse
and escaped. Whether these were Indians belonging to the settled or
unsettled regions of Texas, could not be ascertained.
Between the settlements and the Rocky Mountains, are large tribes of
Indians; and detached parties from them, sometimes come down to the
border plantations, and steal a few horses. They consider the Spaniards
lawful game; but do not care about fighting the Americans. They say,
the Americans are a brave people and fight most desperately; and from
them, they obtain their chief supplies.
Perhaps my readers may think this rather a formidable array of animals
and reptiles. It may appear more so on paper, and at a distance, than
in the region where they are found. People of Mississippi, Alabama and
Florida, would find themselves at home among them; but to a northern
man they might be found somewhat disagreeable at first.--They would,
however, soon become so much accustomed to them, that in a short time
they would hardly regard them at all. The inhabitants here, from
whatever quarter they may have come, do not think they form any serious
objection to settling in the country.
While I remained in Texas, I found no serious trouble from the animals,
reptiles or insects, except that general enemy to repose, the moscheto,
and that only in the lowlands. On the open prairies, there are but
few noxious animals, except the wolves. This is owing a good deal,
undoubtedly, to the fire running over them twice a year. As the country
becomes more settled, they will be less numerous; and some of them will
become entirely extinct.
The water, generally, is very good for a southern country. I found many
fine springs of pure soft water in various parts of Texas; and in the
rolling prairies, good water is obtained by digging. The only objection
to it is in its temperature. To me, it was universally too warm to
be agreeable. "A cup of _cold_ water" is nowhere to be found in the
territory; and to a northern man, in a warm day, it is so refreshing,
reviving, invigorating--so readily slakes the thirst, and cools the
body, it is almost indispensable to his comfort and enjoyment. Warm
water is the common drink of the inhabitants. In the towns, I found
the various kinds of spirits and wine; but in the country, I found
no spirits, (except very seldom, whiskey) wine, beer, or cider; but
only water--_warm water_. It must be admitted, that the people are
very temperate, _if not to drink the ardent_ be a sure indication of
temperance.