Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-08-05

Arrival at Neutrality-suspicious. Buffalo Bayou
Familiar Sghts-Stroll through the city Of Hous
ton-Its population Business-Traffic in Mustangs
and Mules-Houston, as a business pont-Contem-
plated departure for Austin.
HoUsToN, May, 1858.
On landing at this place, left my bag
gage in charge of q friend, and hurried to
the stage Office, to secure my passage for
Austin, the capital of the State, but found
Il had been anticipated, and. the-register
showed some two or three entries for the
next regular. As we have SO much time
allotted us in this world, am rarely dis
posed to turn grumbler-but find it best to
take disappointments coolly; and, as it was
impossible to proceed, was determined to-
make the most of my time, and see oil the
sights this town affords.
On entering Buffalo Bayou, the traveller is
not impressed with very favorable opin-
ion of the city he is approaching. The
stream is scarcely wide enough for the nav
igation of small-sized steamboat, and
should two meet, one would be compelled
to take to the woods or back out. The
banks are quite high, and covered with q
dense growth Of pine-the first had seen
of my old southern friends for years, and l
hailed them with no small feelings of pleas
ure. To add to the interest of the scene,
I saw another familiar form in the shape
of an alligator; and for the moment, felt
more like wanderer, after a long absence,
returning to his home, than one who was
leaving all that was dear far, far behind.
So much for the association of ideas.
But my musings were soon interrupted
by our preparations for landing, where
found the people of Houston equally as
anxious to jump aboard of a steamboat on
her arrival as the bipeds Of our own river
towns. Whether in the South or the North
this particular trait of character appears to
be the same. The "gentlemen of coloro
were extremely polite in rendering their
services to convey our baggage to the hotel,
(of course for the usual fee,) but being in
one of my unusual hurries, passed through
the crowd. Although disappointed in OBJ
tanning seat in the stage, was fortunate
enough to secure one OF the best rooms in
the hotel. Having put our room in order,
and refreshed the inner man, ! determined
to make an effort to regain the sleep l bad
been deprived of the night before.
After a most refreshing siesta, took a
stroll about the city to see and be SEEM
The stranger from the north Immediately
discovers he has got among populace
whose customs are peculiar to the climate.
Here the houses are surrounded with shrub.
berry and shade trees; piazzas are part
and parcel of all (; and everything indicates
protection from heat, instead of it's ab-
sence. Like most of our western towns,
where land is plenty, the lots are ample in
size, and those who have the industry are
rewarded by delightful gardens, and none
need know the want of vegetables of every
description during the entire year, if their
kitchen garden receives its due share Of
labor.
The city contains population of about
5000, and to a stranger would appear to
be increasing rapidly, and must, unless
the railroad to Galveston Injuries its busi-
ness, become a place of considerable i'm
portance. Here the produce from the in
terror must be transferred to boats for its
transit to Galveston, and the teams agar
loaded with supplies for the country towns
1t is quite a novelty to see the long line Of
OK teams, with their loads of cotton bales,
vending through the streets to the ware.
houses, some driven. by Mexicans, with
their high-peaked hats, and their dress or
namented with buttons enough to set up 9
Yankee peddler in very respectable trade
their cattle worked by the horns instead Of
the usual yoke, and the animals, with then
extraordinary large horns, all tend to throw
an interest around the scene, which, to the
visitor, is both novel and amusing.
This is one of the great markets fol
mustangs and mules. They are driven in
from long distances, to meet the demand Of
those who come by sea to explore the coun.
try; and from the prices asked, should judg.
the trade paid very fair per csntage.
saw them asking sixty dollars for . mus
tang poney that would have been loath te
have taken at twenty. ! have seen many
shrewd horse jockeys, but think they ooult
have taken lessons in the art at this place
1t is strange how soon the em;grants from
the different States, fall into the customs ol
the Mexicans. Instead of the light, neal
saddle of the north, almost every little po'
ney and mule, is loaded down with th'
heavy Spanish saddle, with trappings sufi
cient to almost hide the animsl that bears
them. Every man carries rope, some hmm
dred feet long, and large gourd, hung a
his saddle bow. This, together with him
self and his baggage, makes one wonder hov
the poor little animal can carry his burthen
Nevertheless, am told, they perform some
wonderful feats, in the way of travelling
One thing remarked as singular that O
the hundreds of mustangs saw in Texas,
did not meet with one that SHOULD call il
tolerable good order, but all were invaria
bly, Of Pharoah's lean kind. Why this i
90 cannot say, for grass, their natard
food, is certainly abundant,
was very favorably Impressed witt
Houston, as business point; although
competition 10 great, were going to EN-
bark in mercantile operations, would q
soon take my chance at this point as any on
| In this land of N0wora