Western Enquirer And Virginia Springs Gazette

MISCELLANY
SUMMER RAMBLES
No. VI.
Huc et Illud

Texas—Rambles Continued—Upon Prairies
Early Emigrants—First Impressions: Advice to Ramblers: Bayous: Country: Long
Drought: San Philippe. A Sucker: The
Desert: Columbus: The Camp: Texian
Glory—Mexican Retreat.

Having spent some time very
agreeably with my friends at
Houston, I ordered my Comanche
to be saddled, bade them
good bye, and on the morning
of the 28th of April set off with a
party of ramblers for San
Antonio and the far west. The
day was cool and pleasant, and
the sky somewhat overcast, as
it had been for a week or two
previous, owing, I suppose, to
the prevalence of trade winds.
The breeze was still fresh upon
the prairies.
The road was dry
and good to a bayou, 12 miles
distant from
Houston, which
runs through the prairies, and is
generally
overshadowed with
timber and thick foliage. It
was now quite dry, but in a wet
season, no doubt, would afford
plenty of water.
It wends its
way to the Brazos, and proba-
bly enters that stream some 10
or 12 miles distant. The route
beyond the bayou, 15 miles or
more, to Fayette, is through a
wet and boggy prairie, and in
many seasons we should think
would be almost impassable.
The prairies hereabouts
are
covered with a plant resembling
the wild indigo, whose large
clusters of yellow blossoms at a
distance seemed like a bed of
liquid gold. We stopped for
the night at Cartwright's, where
we had sorry comfort. He was
engaged, on our arrival, in bran-
ding calves for the season. He
had about 50 penned, and yet
his family were without milk,
butter, or cheese. They gave
us
some sour crout, which
might have been acceptable to
a Dutchman, but did not suit
either our necessities or our
taste. It is surprising how
negligently some people live all
their lives long in this world.
This family was from Tennes-
see! was among the first that
emigrated, and is as comfortless
now as if it came but yesterday.
I have noticed in my rambles in
new countries, and in Texas
especially, that the Virginians
and Yankees live well but emi-
grants from abroad, and from
the South generally, are negli-
gent and careless, and seem not
to care how they exist I may
be wrong, but this was my first
impression.
Let me advise all travellers
as a general rule; not to take the inside of a bed in any of the
ranchos of the South-West.
They are generally repositories
of dust and insects, and if you
enter them you will most likely
encounter whole tribes of bugs,
fleas, and other vermin, which
like the plagues of Egypt, come
into the very bed-chambers;
while perchance you may be dis-
comforted by a dirty traveller,
whose feet and body have not
seen water since the flood, and
who, sans ceremonie, becomes
your bed-fellow, and, mayhap,
inflicts upon you one of the afore-
said abominations of Egypt in
the form of some filthy and dis-
gusting disease.
Leaving Cartwright's early in
the morning, we rode along the
Brazos prairies 15 miles to
Cooper's another of the earliest
emigrants to Texas. Here we
lay by in a thunder storm. the
first that had occurred here
since the middle of February:
For two months past, the
heavens had been brass, the
earth iron, and the rain of the
land powder and dust. The
crops were suffering, and the
corn in many places not yet
planted. The land we passed
over to-day, was generally poor.
arid, and badly watered; several
cabins were deserted, and the
stock were suffering from the
drought. This region, here
abouts is moreover quite sickly.
and by no means as attractive
as the valley of the Brazos is
generally represented. The bot-
tom only seems to be rich. and
verily they are rich enough: but
they will forever be unhealthy
and deadly fatal to most of those
who are pioneers in the settle-
ment, and undertake to cultivate
the soil. We made a good din-
ner at Cooper's, and after the
shower had passed rode on to
San Philippe, a little village of a
dozen dwellings on the west
bank of the river, 7 miles dis-
tant from Cooper's. and about
3 from the ferry, where we cros-
sed. It is one of the oldest
places in the Republic, and for
many reasons will probably re-
main one the poorest. It was
sacked and burnt by the Mexi-
cans in 1835, while on their
way to San Jacinto, and most of
the inhabitants who were living
there at the time, have long
since fled, or given up
the
ghost.
Good water is obtained here by
digging some 50 or 60 feet through
a bed of sand-stone. There is a sol-
itary house kept here by a Virginia
yankee, a very mean sort of a fellow.
who deserves to be tossed in a blan-
ket, like Sancho, for his sins. We
paid an exhorbitant bill here for
as wretched fare and accommodations
as Texas any where affords.
in its solitary houses of entertain-
ment for man and beast. We had
no reason to complain through the
country generally, but we cau-
tion all way-farers not to tarry long
at mine host of the inn at San Phi!
lipe.
On Monday morning, the first day
of the month of flowers, we were
joined by a party of travellers, who
had come up the preceeding even-
ing, and like ourselves were jour-
neing to the westward to spy out
the land. A ride of 26 miles brought
us to Columbus, a newly awakened
village on the west side of the Colo-
rado, situated in a rich and beau-
tiful country, though the District
between it and San Philippe, which
we crossed to-day, is a desolate san-
dy prairie, uninhabited, and like
the deserts of Arabia, will proba-
bly remain so for many years to
came. The soil is poor and arid.
without either wood or water, two
of the great requisite for farming,
and absolutely essential to the
comfort and happiness of those who
would sow and reap for a living,
and without which seed-time and
harvest avail but little in this work-
ing day world. Deep wells and
large fenced, however, may
obviate this difficulty, and in time
make the desert smile and bloom as
the rose.
Here is an excellent
ferry kept at Columbus, and you
pass the river in ease and safety.
both man and horse, by paying
the usual charge of twentyfive cents
It was here in this neighborhood
that the Mexican army encamped,
on their way to San Jacinto, the me-
memorable battle field, which will here
after be associated with Marathon
and Plataea, Bunker Hill and Lex-
inton—and at the bare recollec-
tion of which the heart of every
Texian soldier beats proudly, and
he feels that he has fil.
led up the measure of his coun-
try's glory, when he exclaims a
was of the army of San Jacinto
General Houston and his little
band of Texians were encamped on
the eastern side of the Colorado, a-
bout three miles from its banks. and
so close to the Mexicans that spies
from either camp were frequently
passing and repassing each other.
Filisola's division, from all accounts.
on its retreat from the Brazos. al-
ter the battle, must have suffered all
possible privations and fatigue. The
Prairies, at this time were unusually wet
and boggy, and several days were
consumed in passing over some twen-
ty-five or thirty miles. Filisola him-
self, in his letter and defence to his
Government, says that his soldiers
were nine days busily engaged in
withdrawing what few cannon re-
mained to them from the bottoms of
the Colorado. Many of the horses and
mules died from fatigue, and the
soldiers one after another carelessly
dropped off, till all were scattered,
and the cannon and baggage being
chiefly deserted, they at length re-
treated in most admired disorder.
to recount at home, should they
ever reach there, the perils by flood
and field they had encountered, in
that never to be forgotten and dis-
astrous Campaign.
SUMMER RAMBLES.
No. VII.
Huc et Illud.

Texas—Columbus—Excellent Fare—Fellow
Ramblers—Navidad—La Baca—A Soli-
tary Widow.—Appearance of the Country
~4?
cun Sekiuara.—Bivouac.—An Escape—Ran-
Texas Landscape.—Capitol Hill—Mexi-
bles continued.

Columbus, of which we have
previously spoken, is well situat-
ed on the west bank of the Co-
lorado. and will no doubt in
time, become a place of com-
siderable consequence and trade
It has the advantage of good
water and boat navigation, and
is easily accessible from all
parts of the Republic; as Hous-
ton. Matagorda, Washington
the Trinity and San Antonio.
There is a good public house
here kept by a clean family by the
name of Wade, who seemed ex-
tremely obliging and accommo-
dating, and treated us to the
best fare we found on our route.
In the evening we had an ac-
cession to our party of some
half dozen wayfarers, who like
ourselves, were journeying on-
ward in search of the far west.
The weather was hazy, and
dark clouds flitted athwart
the sky, indicating a storm. We
rode on however, through post
oak openings and prairies for 20
miles to the Navidad, where
we halted for awhile to re-
fresh our ponies, whose spirits
and appearance were contin-
ually improving on the luxu-
rious grass now every where
abundant. Here we turned off
from the main road and took
an old Indian trail to the left,
and rode on to the La Baca, some
15 or 20 miles to Mrs Hallett's.
where we hobbled our ponies
and rested for the night. The
old lady, who has been living
here some 5 or 6 years in soli-
tary widowhood, welcomed us
to her homely fare of bread and
milk, and entertained us with
various legends concerning the
neighborhood and the land of
our adoption. She made a com-
fortable pallet for us upon the
floor, there our wearied souls
and bodies rested quietly until
the morning:
The following
day we encountered a slight
shower on the prairies, and
saw a magnificent rainbow; at
all times magnificent in Texas
upon the horizon: just as the
glorious sun sank into the west:
and gave goodly promise of a
golden morrow.
We forded the La Baca at
Mrs. Hallett's a little chrystal
stream flowing over a bed of
sand stone. and before night
rode to Gonzales on the Gau-
daloupe: about 35 miles distant.
We had now reached the beau.
tiful region of the far west, and
U
during our ride were enchanted
by some of the grandest scenery
and most lovely landscape that
we had ever seen. The soil
was far richer than any we had
passed over west of the Brazos
bottom, and the country better
watered and timbered, and far
more desirable for farming and
grazing than any on our route.
The land is elevated and rol-
ling: and the climate uniform-
ly salubrious and healthy. On
the height of land where we re-
entered the main road about
15 miles east of the Gauda-
loupe. our attention was arrest-
ed by one of the loveliest pic-
tures of landscape scenery that
we ever saw. We now felt the
full force of the saying of Don
Gomez, that no man could con-
ceive of paradise till he had look-
ed down upon the valley of
Mexico. On the south and
east lie the undulating and
boundless prairie we had just
passed over, skirted with islands
of timber, and its tall grass rol-
ling like the waves of the sea:
with its myriads of spring flow-
ers, and herds of wild horses.
deer and antelope. far more
beautiful; in nature than the
finest cultivated parks in Eu-
rope: while beneath us, and as
it were flying at our feet the
dark umbrageous forests expand-
ed itself away to the north
west in contrast with the lights
and shadows of the sea green
prairies, whose irregular outline
was blended with the hills of
Capata, towering to the heavens,
and filling up the measure of one
of the loveliest and most mag-
nificent landscapes over which
the eyes of a painter ever lin-
gered.
This elevated situation which
affords so commanding a pros-
pect, and which we so much
admired is called by the settlers
in this region, Point Lookout, or
Capital Hill, in expectation of
its becoming one day or other
the seat of Government, and
because the wandering tribes
of Indians generally, in passing
it, have a sentinel or spy posted
here to look out for travellers.
whom they design to waylay,
and plunder or destroy. After
enjoying this attractive scene
as long as time would permit,
we descended into the valley
beneath. and riding onward to
the next branch, as the small
streams are commonly called at
the south, we hobbled our hor-
ses and refreshed ourselves with
the good things the gods had
provided for our journey. We
then remounted our steeds and
before night-fall was some 30
or 40 miles nearer the land of
the sun.
We passed to-day several per-
sons on foot and on horse back,
and two Mexican soldiers, a rein-
nant of the scattered band of
San Jacinto, who were in search
of employment, and begged as
they passed, por l'amor de Dios,
for a little bread. Poor
fellows! I could but pity them:
that the sins of their imbe-
cile and distracted government
should be visited upon their
heads, and that in the midst of
plenty, they should be begging
their way in an unknown land
We were told for comfort
awhile afterwards, that we had
halted on the very spot where.
about four years previous, some
half dozen Mexican traders
were attacked and killed by In-
dians. Had we known it at
the moment, I dare say we
should have eaten our repast
more hastily. and with less
courageous hearts rode on to
another ford. Thus how small
a circumstance, in travelling
through life, will add to our se-
curity or our fears.
The following day we spent
at Mrs. Floyds near Gonzales,
where our party was reinforced
by the county surveyor of Bexar
and his deputy. a colonel and
major of the army, a doctor
from Virginia, and some two
or three strangers. land hunters
and speculators, on their way
to the paradise of the west They
were marching at once towards
the same horizon: their lan-
guage. their religion, their man-
ners was different, their object
is the same. The gifts of for-
tune are promised in the west,
and to the west they tend their
course.