New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-10-28
WESTERN TEXAS.
singing.
Progress Of the Boundary Commission.
daaoIG Victo1a The GaudaIoupc. Tho Sd!add San
Correspondence of The Tribune.

Correspondence of The Tribune.
CAMP PEDRO, SAN ANTONIO De BExAR
Sunday, Sept % 1880. }
DEAR SIR: am at one time squatted like
tailor, at another my knees by way OF a change
to give you few lines The lack OF table, and
the dispatch of the mail this evening. WILL tear
check both pen and matter
The Boundary Commission. after leaving Camp
Ewing, on the sandy shores of lndlanola, was
dispatched in various detachments as appolnted'
en- route to Victoria, between the LIST and 8th sep
TENDER. to the number of 80 horsemen, 20 ambu
ances. there called avalanches,) and 9 ox-teams
the surveying party going aloot Marches were
made according to run of water, which, with grass,
is scarce in this usually wet season,-unhealthy
this year from the opposite cause. Diarrhea has
been very prevalent through the country some
of the party have been attacked BY lt-no doubt
| from change of bad water for tho pure element
left behind. But, considering the many changes,
all are wonderfully we-much credit being due,
I reckon, las all start at AM to that el1T1r
vit0, early rising
The mules generally had to be purchased IN an
unbroken condition, and instead of starting lar
would be seen with their heads where their tails
oDght to be as if to set teamsteTs at defiance, or
OF least try their hands bit; until, whipped and
cursed not few, they find it a decided case oil
go ahead The instinct OF these animals is soon
evinced by their acquaintance with the teamster,
| their keeping together at watering places by
! teams, kicking at any but those who look after
! them, and knowing the neig hborhood OF water,
as shown by neighing.
| The road or rather beaten track, from Indian
Point winds for many miles over sandy tract OF
table land, apparently not many centuries aesert
ed by the sea and since by the hand OF man,
which from heavy rains. is formed into ridges,
called bog.walows that act water-plpes Tor
swine, wild yet harmless The first rancho Is ~
or 10 miles up, the length OF mile uncertain here
and so far Nature, Ill her sport seems, like pas
try.cook to have Just taken her doughty lnSredl-
ents and run over the yet unbounded material,
rolled on continuous OF table, sprlnkled here
and there with few sprigs of garnlsh, and 80 lett
it. TILL in kindling the oven, the table caught tire.
las the prairies after trail,) and the unkneaded
pastry was more worthless looking than King AL
| fred spoiled cakes.
The ranches afford bedding and provisions such
as they are for man (honey is good and beast, at
no mean cost. Inquire not who slept Ia them
the most common observer can ind, amid the
crowd there is an uneasy movement, such as
known to those who played i" the Scotch fiddle,
or as seen under st. Vitus s-dance Affection and
the conclusion arrived at, inquiry OF the cause,
is that these ranches swarmed with fieas, &c.
and their accommodations dear and Wretched be-
| yond description.
| wv
els are like automatons, with no ite-like or mus
cular action, and " hose empty soundng words are
az the hollow workings of a broken sucker IN
pump-handle over a dry well
| There is an imperceptible ascent from the coast
| to Victoria, the hight of which above the sea IS
nearly 90 feet; distance nearly 80 miles, and from
| observations (Victoria taken in the plaza, Its
magnetic variation, 10 O2 f. OF n; magnetic IN
tensity, l-l472 and true magnetic Inclination
! deduccd 579 2i-G3.
This once Spanish town, situated on the Guau-
| aoupe, expelled its orig inal Settlers and by an
| act forbade them any privilege of settlement
within its vicinity Since the last Mayor was
murdered by the Inhabitants, in a toWn-broli, or
some petty legal affair no one has sought the
Office the authority OF which cannot be enforced
Population has not increased in proportion to
, building The Court House IA DISTRICT built
about year back, is little interior to Austin
State House II and all the 'nod0rn puNuli'b'
aro but red, SOUND BRICK, burnt on tho spot, at
| 81 per thousand A printer OF old. upon lease
of Il years, is now building bridge on the south
west bend the Guadaloupe. Its construction on
this rapid and swollen river in tloods-borders
| overhowed banks and snags washed down-ls
very questionable. Below and above this point,
ferries run in opposition on a novel plan. A strong
rope secured to tree mt either side OF the river,
is stayed from bank 70 bank and a smaller one
rove through the shell OF q snatch-boch, within
which is sheave each end OF the rope taxes
the ferry. boat fiat bottomed fore and att, and by
Stacking off either end the carries it to and
fro as required. Trained mules in readiness
TO convey trains down and up the steep banks
| that stand at about one IN tOur-on the Victoria
| side about $50 feet Of q slope; on the other, 80
feet; width of river, 100 feet.
AS proof of readiness for "war to the knife
"A question being put to q man on the bank reia-
tive to the foundation otthe piers otthcncw bridge,
tho reply was no sooner from his lips than the lie
WIS given, and drawn knives might have ended
either, or both, but for hasty intercesslon
| fret nj bpVOnd
cid Goiad, despoiled and in ruins, since l826-its
population some years previous was about 1000
and but a year before its downfall 3O00-the num-
Der of women and children, unprecedented for its
extent. The beautiful San Antonio River, which
has many fine trbutares-the Medina, Salado,
Cibello-g gracefully flows by this old and new Co
| lad three miles below which the falls
thence to Arausas Bay it is navgable. The ruins
of Old Town are interesting, not from reverence
for antiquity or beauty OF architecture, bat rather
from peculiarly OF structure, natural position
the old fort standing as one OF the monuments OF
Spanish architecture. 1t mounts 10 heavy guns,
and 40 could have been worked from its once lofty
and commanding position Here was also Span
sh Mission having two-fold object tho CONVEX.
sion of lndians-the promotion and security OF
trade The exterior is square, solid, pialn build
ng without dome or turret, few windows, light
being admitted through the lofty doorways) small
and unadorned-the interior, crattily preserved
| from final destruction at the hands oil the Next
canos, is now divided into various compartments,
over head of which the charred roofing marks the
destroying hand. Atmospheric influence is fast
crumbliDg to dust the sandstone blocks whose
foundation is on rock of the same formation,
over strata of luminous limestone, having for
bed hard gravel. On the other side of the river
stands another Spanish mission Of similar features
on the ruins of which was raised seminary for
Young ladies. The attraction was not truly mag
netic, The rust destroyed observation where lch-
abod was plainly seen,
The sight of any lfruit creates desire to pluck
even from the Cactus, which, with its prickly
force arms its pear against the snatching hand,
warning not to eat-its seeds swallowed produce
vomiting-the tongue indicating its presence by a
scalop similar to that of the leaf
A,,tn Snlnhrr