Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-06-28

range oil rooms IOr the missionaries,
opening in a covered gallery or portG-
les Of nine arches. Though the Tex
an troops were long quartered here,
the stone carvings have not been in
jured. The church has been repaired
and divine service is performed in it.
About half a mile further down is the
Mission of San Juan. The church
forms part of the side ofthe square; it
is plain, simple building with little
ornament. The adjacent buildings
are poor and out ofrepair. The gran
airy stands alone in the square and on
the northwest corner of the square are
the remains of small stone tower.
The other Mission,th Of La Espada,
is also inhabited as we'll as the last.
The church, however, is III ruins.
Two sides Of the square consist Of
mere walls; the other sides are COM
posed of dwellings as in the other in
stances.
The church at San Antonio was
built in the year 1717; and although
it has suffered much from the ravages
of time and the different sieges which
the city has undergone, is still used as
place of public worship. AT the
time San Antonio was attacked and ia
ken by Coils. Cooke and Milan, in
1895, Gen. Co: made the belfry of
this church his head quarters. A we'll
directed cannon shot from the Texans
struck just above the Mexican gener-
ais head, Inducing him to evacuate the
place with his staff Immediately. The
hole made by the ball is still visible,
and in fact all the houses in the princi-
pal square Of the town are marked
more or less by shot.
At one time the city contained some
twelve or fifteen thousand inhabitants;
but the different revolutions, the many
bloody battles which have been fought
within its walls, and the unsettled state
Of the frontiers have combined 10 les
sen this number materially. 1t is still,
however, place of no inconsiderable
trade, and should peace be made with
Mexico it will regain its former stand
ing. While was there a company
of Mexican merchants from the other
side the Rio Grande arrived, who were
allowed to trade and depart in peace,
and had the expedition to Santa Fe
been given up, as was at one time an
ticipated, l should have joined one oil
these companies and entered Mexico
! by way of Loredo.
After spending some six or eight
days very agreeably at San Antonio
started on my return to Austin. Two
| days before | left, a number of wag-
CONS, loaded with goods by the mer-
chants Of San Antonio and destined
for the Santa Fe market, left the for
mer place. These we overlook at
the Guadalupe and from thence jour
| reyed on towards Austin in company
! On the third day we deserted three
Camanches some distance ahead and
started after them; but we soon ascer-
tanned that they would 60 at least two
yards TO our one across the hog-palloaoH
prairies, and we therefore gave up the
chase. On arriving at camp that eve
ming we found that the Indians had
been trailing two of our party who
had started out in the morning after
game, and whom we found in Camp
with fat buck ready dressed for cook
ing. 1t was thought at the time they
+ had made a narrow escape from the
, Indians. Singular as it may appear
, they are both now dead. One ofthem
, a young man named Lockridge, ma
tive Of this state | believe and lawyer
by profession, shot himself on Little
River. Whether by accident or no
was never ascertained-but he was
you Nc man of good manners, excel
lent education, much respected BY
those who knew him, and was buried
with military honors. The other, DR.
Bell, was brother Of Capt. Bell o
the U. S. Dragons. He was killed
by the Indians on the large Prairie
, and his loss was deeply regretted by
r those who knew him best.
The next morning, after brisk ride
we reached Austin, having been alb
! sent fortnight. One half this time
, had camped out, with no other bee
r than the ground, no covering but thu
| blue sky after deducting a Mexican
! blanket. From this experienced nj
: bad effects, however, and was every
} day getting better and better reconci
led to the long tour which lay before
me.
Preparations for us Departure from
Aastia-Speculation as to its Recep
tion'at Santa Fe-A break-neck fill
h. resulting IN breaking an Ankle, .'Oit,
I other matters.
: On reaching Austin from San An
tonic | soon ascertained that the exps
D dition was about to leave. Preparation
5 were going on in every quarter-mer
chants were packing their goods-vol
(. ;";"teers we're cleaning y" ~, snd nrenaE
: Ing their arms, as we were to enter a
e Indian and buffalo range immediatel
n borsea and mules were being sho