The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-02-27

I long dropping lashes of their dark ewes,
eclipsed the,daZzling iuslre Of the diamonds
and costly crescents that clustered amongst
the let black braids Of their hair, the bellies
and beauties of San Antonio looked like
band of houries from some fabled land of
/ the East, or like an assemblage of Young
/ princesses of some romance.
They were all so young, 50 lovely, and
so noble, and yet so very natural and un-
afected-they smiled with such exquisite
sweetness, laughed with such delight, their
voices possessed so much melody, their
mien so artlesg, they danced so divinely.
and spoke broken English so pretily, THAT
more than dozen OF our troopers lost
their hearts. while the heads of enc or two
. were so completely turned that they have
looked westward ever since our return 10
America.
This city has been the theatre Of so
many skirmishes, and so many revolution
airy scenes. that not house has escaped
the indelible evidences of strife. The
walls. windows and doors on all sides,
are perforated by thousands Of balls. aud
even the steeple Of the venerable church
was penetrated by a shot from the ordi-
nance Of the TcXiaus during the first
memorable action in December. 1895.
The noted spots where the lameD,ed aTi-
lam fell. where the fearless Ward lost his
leg, and where the intrepid Bcldiu, after
rushing out TO spike the cannon, was de-
prived ol an eve by ball from the enemy
were all pointed out 70 me.
The traces Of the bitches across the
streets and along which they advanced
from house to house. are vet visible. and
the unreDaircd wall, then demolished bv
their hands, vet stands the proud moDn-
meut or rtheir patriotism and their prowess.
We next visited the Alamo. on the east
bank OF the river. and opDosite the north
ern extremity OF tue CITY. II stood in RI
ms as il was lcil bv the Mexjcaus. and
was occupied by lew hundred soldiers
and as many thousand chattering swallows
forever passing IN and out like bees around
hive.
Bv broad arcuway through the centre
of fortress which fronts the south. we
entered an oblong square OF some twelve
acres extent. and turning obiquely III the
Left, We had passed al out the last OF long
row of soldiers quarters. which form =
part Of the western wall. when our guide
exclaimed, Here perished poor Crockett"
We then followed along the wall on the
north and east until we came f., nm caifire
OF great strength. two stories high. and di
vidcd by thick walls and archways with
many apartments, some Of which are in
good repair and others in runs. This
building stands detached from the wall.
and il was in one of its rooms that Colonel
! Bowie was murdered. while confined TO
I his bed by sickness. Extending from It's
southeastern corner 20 the wall in the rear
/ is seen the splendid RUNS of the cathedral
j building OF beautiful proportions. entered
( by large Ornamenied door frontinU the
west. on either side oC which bot.,ooI7 t,..o
( deeply ilutcd stone columns, stands fl
gurc OF some holy saint, executed and fin
lshcd with taste that would do credit to
I some OF the best European sculptors The
roof had fallen in, but the high columns
and part of the archwav remained, and the
/ cells and chambers that we're once the
/ abode OF priests and bishops, were filled
( with Camanche prisoners and mutinous
/ soldiers, while an armed guard stood upon
/ the rear wall, directly over the seat of The
holy altar.
W thin short distance, and very SINH
lar IN appearance TO the Alamo, stands the
mission OF ST. Jose. Here, too, the hand
OF time and destruction is visible, yet the
"alS anu the numerous edlficcs are more
! perfect ana the church is III a good state