Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-07-22
IOWA: FRIDAY, JULY g2,, 1888 &

he scenes by which / am surrounded. Ii
certainly has more the appearance of en-
chantment than stubborn reality and were
it,not for the busy hum of everyday life
which / sec around me, could fancy | was
the subject of soRe fairy illusion, or under
the influence OF sUfhe Of the popular isms OF
the day.
You remember, when I left, that over
coats and fires were still necessary to tho
animal comfort, and spring had only exerted
her influence so far as TO show few buds
and spears of grass, to indicate that she
would soon robe our forests and fields with
her favorite green. While this scene is
eresh in my recollection, / find myself amidst
gardens and fields that would seem to say
the pictured scenes of winter were but the
tales of romance, drawn from the prolific
imagination of some eastern story teller. !
Here i was RECALLED with green corn and
all the garden vegetables of our oyu cli-
mate, many of which had passed theiif sea-
son-for instance, lettuce, peas, &c. The
rich foliage which surrounds almost every
private residence, makes one soon forget
the bleak winds of the north. -.
Galveston Island is a perfect level, but
little elevated above the sea and the city,
l should Judge from hasty glance, con-
tains a population of 5000 Or 1000. It is
laid out at right angles, with broad streets,
and the buildings mostly of wood. -aelsaze
As my time is limited, will desist from
going into detailed description Of this
place, as L cannot fatter myself it would
possess much interest to your readers, as
most of them, no doubt, have read al that
could be written about this city of the gulf, !,
but will give a, few items about which
rnfy roit, hax, 4
sire to be informed : viz, the travelling ex-
penses necessary to reach this point. In
complying with this request, can only be
governed by what | paid, as the price of
passage may vary somewhat Mt different
fseasons of the year. From Muscatine to
st. Louis, s5; from thence to New Orleans,
Sl2 and from that city, by steamship, to
Galveston, SIS 90: making the amount of
passage S32 so. The outlay for inciden-
tails must be regulated according to the
taste OF the individual. To the economical
traveller, three or four dollars will cover
all contingencies such as stoppages at ST..
NLouis and New Orleans, porterage, &c.
During the business season, steamship
leaves New Orleans .wice week-Sunday
and Wednesday mornings, Mt O'Clock
but during the summer months only Sum
days and wo to the unlucky traveller who
INDUCES in a late morning nap! for if he is
not on board at the hour, ne can await the
next packet. A IS -
l would advise all travellers, Immediately
on their arrival in New Orleans, to proceed
at once to Harrison & Morgan's, on Tchop-
ltoulas street, and secure their passage,
otherwise they may find it somewhat difficult
to procure sleeping place, thc emigration
being so great that the berths are generally
all taken before the day OF sailing. could
say much about these ships, accommoda-
ticns, tables, servants, &c., but time will
not permit and will only add that in As
hours from the time the lines are east'of in
New Orleans, You will find yourself in the
city Of Galveston.
have just taken my passage for Houston,
on board of the steamboat Neptune, small
but new and very neat boat, built at Pitts
burgh, expressly for the packet trade be-
tween this place and Houston. She is ad-
yertised to leave precisely at 4 o clock P. NJ,
and therefore, must close abruptly,
promising to write you again from the lat
ter city. - G.