The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-09-16
SKETCH OF TEXAS.

fe'h part INC climate diners but lille IRON that of
the south of Europe, of Buenos Ayres, and the
Cape of Good Hope. Few countries, says Mr..
Ward, 10 whom arc indebted 70. the annexed
SKETCH possesses SO large portion of rich land,
or are so capable of supporting dense population
The coast Is low, and swampy during the rainy
season, when il becomes unhealthy. 1t is skirted
hy number OF islands separated from the main
land by narrow straits. The most considerable of
these is San Louis, or Galveston, the easiernmost
point OF which shelters the harbor of that name
The BY of Espirtu Santo is the next harbor Of
importance, and this, from the frequency of shoals,
cannot he frequeDted 10y vessels drawing more
than eight or ten feet water.
i The anchorage Is generally good and as The
water shoals gradually, vessels approaching the
coas, may be guided entirely by the lead.
lew countries are better supplied with nayiga.
bic MYERS, streams and rivu' Is, than Texas. New
erlheess, excepting along part of the coast, and
on the banks Of the Red RIVER, near Great Raft
no such lnundations take place 10 render the ad.
laccnt district periodically unhealthy. The depth
Of the water on the bars at the mouth of the ,rin.
cipal rivers IS not yet accurately ascertained, but
It is believed 10 be only from ten 10 twelve feet
The fact that large schooner, mounting twenty
two guns, ran about twenty miles up the river
Colorado in the year l-20, would seem, how ever,
10 prove that this supposii0n IS founded III error
puA ailptti'i StltbbHtt NII!Cil DId~GOS
IN 1855, vi'h difficulty got over tie shoals and,
from the strength Of the current, was in imminent
/ Danger. The rivers al short distance from their
mouths, are generally narrow, deep and clear with
a moderately rapid stream. They abound ia fish,
10 which the Moth American settlers have given
the English names, trouts, carp, tcnch, &C. altho'
I what J saw differed widely from the fish Of the
| same name in Europe. The Red River also pro.
duces species Of fish called gar, or care, which
/ Is cqnall, yoraClous vlih the shark, and has at
tackled persons bathing. The above mentioned
river is the most considerable in Texas, 10 which,
/ Tor some hundreds of lies, i serves boundd-
/ ~ with the I. States. 1t takes lis name from the
color OF IFS water, which flows through soil Of
rich rcd loan and enters the Mississippi about
100 miles from IFS mouth, Steamboats, ran from
New Orleans to Natchijoces, 800 miles above the
junction Of the two rivers, once or twice weekly,
except during the autumn, when chain 81 rocks
prevents their passage higher than Alexandra,
l20 miles lawtr down.
+ The ryer Brazl, and Colorado &c Texas arc the
+ next IN Importance 10 Tie Red River. Both are
nayigab. 10 a very consi lerabic distance from the
coast; but near their mouths are .ubi CT 10 coca
sIoual nnndalions. Tie Guadaoupe is scarcely
interior to those already named. The Nucces
+ Trinidad, and san Antonio, arc lisewisc fue
+ STR amr, and IN size bout equal 10 the Slbina
/ With firms The boundary. The Navaso,o, An
f eufun, aud Ncck7s. SIN Jaciato, and Arroyo de-
Crdras, a,r usyisab.e 70 great extent except al
certain pfri.ds; and the Arroyo do Ia Naco, lar
+ Toyclacy Ry,r1 Which runs but a short distance
F into The interior. has, il is stated, nine feet water
+ upou H. b1r. The ryUcts and minor streams are
+ Erumcrah'c. Is IN Dcyoushirc almost every yal-
E cy ha> n, stream or brook and Idglug rom the
! sm-l fish which ! observed IN them, ! should
conceive thu great number 10 be perennial,
The low lands, which extend 4 along Tie coast
ere sduita'ty adapted 10 the cultivation of nee
IN SOME parts sugar. and IN others cotton, may be
I produced ,iuIar 10 HAT Of sea Islands. Tie cen.
tral part Of Texas Is prairie nearly level, and a.
+ bounding with i most luNuriaut vegetation; the
BANKS Of tho riyer9 beng lined with timber. or
satued by grounds, e,r'y unduattng and cover
Ell with trees. Here the depth Of rich allusil soil
i, v,ry considerable, and cotton, wheat, barley
ryC, Indian corn indeed every production, both OF
mulJ temperate climates ard of Europe ~ prodnc
ed in eGra. abundance and perfection. The pra-
ries Ia their uatural states, afford constant sup.
py Of excellent pasture. The banks OF the San
Marcos were selected by he Spaniards as excel.
lag in fertility, tor the establishment o. colony
projected IN lsg4 and those Of tie Colorado and
. Nu,ces arc also spoken OF in very high terms by
/ al Whn have visited them. In the Norh-wes:ern-
mos, part ai tho mountainous district OF san Saba,
I The ground in general i rocky and sterile
Toward the e1st there are also extensive hills,
covered With fgtrccs. THIS land is poor, but
would evidently produce 4luc, since the vine
grows there spontaneously, and III great abundance.
There are three sorts, two of which are small and
sour but tic grape Of the other, although the skin
is thick, Is large and sweet Tie valley OF the
Rcd River is stated, hy the numerous North Anne
ricSu settlers. TO contain some millions of acres,
.ft.... =. .. tr,t
igpi ho,,ain the valley Of the Roanoke or, indeed,
ans lands 10 be found in the United States, They
have STYLED II the "Garden of the west" and the
colt, which it already produces, far excels the
Alabama, Tennessee, or, indeed, any excepting
that Of the S,a Islands. ! here ought 10 remark,
that growing cotton possesses one great advantage.
CE'ldren so young 10 be unable to engage In
anv other occupation, IN he employed IN picking
cotton, and at the age OF nine or ten, probably do
fully as much as grown up persons. Every spe.
ecs Of grain hrives admirably in this fertile tract,
and it is thought that the ribbed sugar cane, late.
" introduced from the Philippines, and which ar.
fves at maturity a month sooner than the com.
mon sort, would answer well there. In the val.
leys is found the red, pencil cedar of the largest
growth, also great quantity Of the Bots dare, Of
which the Indians make their bows. II is of
beautiful yellow colour, susceptible Of the highest
polish, not heavy bu: exceedingly tough and elastic.
In addition to these trees, all the varieties which
flourish in the Urited States are to be met with
while rcd dwarf or scrubh and post oaks; (of the
former of which slaves are made; while the latter
is so strong, hard, and tough, that it is frequently
employed in lieu ofron to make The screws Of the
cotton presses y together with ironwood hickory,
and many other woods admirably adapted to the
lathe The sugar.maple is also very valuable; an
auger-hcle being bored IN lis trunk in the spring
of the year, small spout is inserted, and the Ii.
quor which is subsequently evaporatcd TO con-