AUSTIN AND DE WITT'S SETTLEMENTS.

43

the land route there are many dangers to be encountered. The Indians are extremely hostile to white strangers; continually attack the traders who visit New Spain from the States, and settlers of course are their aversion. Twelve years ago, a Mr. Austin obtained a grant of land in Texas, which, with subsequent additions to his son, embraces the large area of nineteen thousand square miles. De Witt's colony adjoins that of Colonel Austin, and comprises an area of three thousand five hundred square miles. Including the Indians, the entire population of Texas is said not to exceed fifteen or sixteen thousand souls, and these principally in the settlement of Colonel Austin, who tempted emigrants with one square league of land each.

The Mexicans complain, with justice, that instead of industrious and respectable settlers being introduced into Texas, in general the most worthless outcasts from society enter the territory. I heard of people there quarrelling and shooting one another with pistols, in the open day, with perfect impunity; of a dialogue between two old friends who unexpectedly met there,-one asked what brought his neighbour there? "The murder of a brother-in-law;" the other "had fled after being detected kidnapping free negroes." Again, the Mexicans complain that they are insulted by the Americans, who, contrary to express stipulation, introduce slaves into the colony, under

44

ANTICIPATED CONQUEST.

pretence of their being indented servants; and, indeed, it seems quite evident that the Americans are endeavouring to obtain possession of the country (a very tempting prize) in the same way as they did Florida, by encouraging squatters to enter it, who, when they are sufficiently numerous, will rise under pretence of being oppressed, and an American force will be marched in to succour them, which retaining possession of the country, a compulsory sale will ensue. Some will say that the Northern States would not tolerate the addition of Texas to the Southern, because their influence in Congress would then be still more preponderating than it is at present; but I am very certain that the American Government fully appreciates the great value of Texas, and will not lose sight of such a noble prize, and such a splendid addition to the territory of the United States.

On the Sabine river the Americans have a garrison of three companies of one hundred and fifty men, and the Mexicans have a superior force on Galveston Bay.

It now remains shortly to describe the face of the country. The mountain ranges of Texas are not of very great altitude; those along the Saba river are said to be the highest, and the southwestern quarter is broken and rises into considerable ridges; this quarter is also barren and unproductive. The north-eastern and eastern parts of

FACE OF THE COUNTRY.

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the province are spread out into immense prairies, waving with luxuriant herbage, and watered by abundant streams. On these otherwise wild and solitary steeps, great droves of wild horses and herds of buffaloes are found; and in the northern frontier, and scattered throughout the province, are forests of stately trees.

The rivers are numerous, and several of consiable size. The Brazos river is at present of chief importance, as along its banks are principally settled the white population. Its length is seven hundred miles, and keel boats may navigate it to a distance of two hundred and sixty miles from its mouth, which generally carries only six feet water; but this might easily be avoided by a short canal of three miles from Galveston Bay to the Brazos. The entrance to the bay is twelve feet deep, and it affords an excellent and safe harbour inside. To the westward, the land seems to be gaining on the Gulf of Mexico, which again is encroaching on the Florida shore. With the exception of Galveston Bay, there is no other along the two hundred and sixty miles of coast which affords sufficient water to constitute a good harbour, and the mouths of the rivers are all interrupted by bars; but what will not science effect, and what obstacles will it not remove?

The Red River, a noble stream (flowing into the Mississippi, and affording an outlet to the

46

RIVERS CLIMATE.

fertile tract along its southern bank in Texas) is interrupted by a dangerous raft of timber, now eighty miles long by thirty broad; this is constantly ascending the river, increasing in size by the addition of countless logs after the floods, inundating the country, and distressing the settlers in Arkansas. Plans have been submitted to Congress, to get rid (in part) of this great impediment to the prosperity of Arkansas. As yet there are no settlers on the Texas side of the Red River. A steam-boat from the Mississippi passed the raft last year.

The Sabine river, though three hundred and fifty miles long, affords no facility for navigation, and expands into a lake of only five or six feet in depth. No lakes of any great size have as yet been discovered in Texas; the most remarkable that have been described are, the salt lakes of Tamanlipas, near the Bravo river. Large supplies of salt are furnished by these lakes, which is sent into Mexico Proper.

Except near the swamps, or some parts of the sea-shore, the climate of Texas is highly salubrious; and winter does not interrupt the labours of the husbandman. Instead of spreading out into marshes on the banks of the rivers, as in Louisiana, the land in Texas rises from the streams, and then extends into fertile prairies, capable of raising any crops. The river banks are fringed with walnut, elm, oak, cedar, &c.;

NATURAL PRODUCTIONS.

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and in many sections of the country extensive cane brakes are met with, which might be converted into sugar or cotton plantations. A company has been formed this year in New York to work the valuable silver mines in West Texas.

The colonists have turned their attention to agriculture and grazing principally. Fifteen hundred bales of cotton, two hundred thousand bushels of corn, and about two hundred hogsheads of sugar, exported last year to New Orleans, show, that though as yet the settlers are but few in number, they are rapidly developing the resources of the country.

The local government consists of Alcaldes, Regidores, and Syndics, as in Mexico Proper, elected by the settlers. Brazaria, the principal town, is twenty-four miles from the mouth of the Brazos. Nacogdoches, in a direct line from Natchitoches, was burnt down by the Indians in 1821, but is now rising from its ashes. Bexar is about four hundred miles to the south-west of Nacogdoches, and is still of inconsiderable size, as are Victoria and Goliad.

1

To conclude this sketch of Texas, it appears to be a province with a delightful climate, fertile soil, watered by numerous streams, and in the words of an American writer of a pamphlet urging the propriety and necessity of attaching it to the United States, "We may anticipate to a