The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-06-24

| Oh Terry DoatS oiluSe VI my description,
over a considerable stream, being rarely met
with
These ferry boats are seldom rowcfl or push.
cd across the stream, but propelled by the
power of the current. \ large cable is stretch
ell across the river, fastened TO tree on either
bank, high enough to be out of reach of the
! greatest floods. smaller rope is then at
tacllod to this cable BY means Of a pulley and
passing along one side of the boat, from bow
and Stern is secured TO wheel in the centre
| BY winding the rope on this reel the ferry
man, at pleasure can throw his boat quarterly
acioss the stream. and being held in this po-
sition, the current in few moments drives it
across. These ferries are usually among the
most profitable investments III Texas the
rivers being narrow, and smooth, they are
easily attended by a man or boy. The fare
for man and horse. generally ranges from
ten to twenty five cents.
! Bastrop is pleasant and hourishing town
has hcalthful situation, population of about
one thousand, and bids fair at some future
day. to become place of considerable trade
and importance.
| Leaving Bastrop in the morning, our road
lay down the Colorado, crossing the stream
several times to avoid the circ,tous course of
the river. Mar the stream Tic land was very
fertile but when we touched the uplandS VIC
came i'll contact with miscrably barren.
sandy, and gravclly soil. As we nca,ci the
coast, groves live oaks were frequently met
with. The live oak is 4 broad spreading tree
with short trunk and of medium hcaht
When seen in the distance, spreading their
evergreen heads about the planters houses
they very much resemble large apple trees,
and the scene forcibly reminded me of the
plantations i'll the middle States, with their
orchards in summer, growing green and beau
tiful about the mansions. The first livco oaks
met with in Texas were in the ncighborhood
of Austin.
On the second evening after our departure
from Austin, our hack reached La Grange,
the county scat of Faycttc county, situated
on the cast side of the Colorado about half
mile from the river. and one hundred and
thirty miles from the Gulf of Mexico. La
Grange is handsome town, has public
square of several acres ION which stands the
court llouse,) and population of about lif-
teen hundred. 1t has many handsome brick
buildings, which, together with its public
square. and the ncatncss and taste displayed
by its citizens, gives La Grange quite com
Portable and preposscssing appearance, not
discoverablc in Bastrop.
The rain, which had been threatening for
several days-the rain, that great terror to all
prairie travelcrs-and in fact to travellers in
gcncral-and the most welcome friend to all
planters, at length made its appearance, ac-
companicd by a blow from the north, which
the Texans sworc-thc people swear most
terribly in that country-was Northcr''-
a ret "Northcr."
About o'clock in the afternoon, having
exchanged our four horse hack for Il two horse
one. four Of us climbed into the vehicle, over
trunks Of baggage for we had added to our
little party. at the latter place, lady. This
latter incident proved quite an interesting
chapter of romance to nc, for it turned out
that our lady was Il Pennsylvania by birth,
had been raised and educated in the city of
Lancaster, and had many relatives in Lam
caster county, number ofwhom happened
to be well acquainted with. Madam had been
married at the age of fifteen to a Texan, and
had in consequence been for several years
resident of Texas. That's the country for
early marriages; maiden at eighteen, is
snubbcd as secdu specimen of the feminine
gender.
A lady i'll company was quite an agreeable
episode, but the other side of the picture was
rather hard featured. Our poor old horses
being unable to draw the heavy load they were
tashed with, stuck fast in the muddy, sticky
road on every hill-and our way, this day,
lei through very rough billy country. We
were compelled to walk through the rain and
push our wagon up, altho' this part of the
performance hadn't been mentioned in our
contract.
After night-fall we arrived, despite rain
and mud at Fayetteville, which is a place of
no consequence. The hotel, as usual, was
double cabin, and being several travellers stop
ping there, beside permanent boardcrs, it was
pretty well crowded. A belle of the place was
receiving homage from some of her courtiers,
which was quite interesting to us, who were
pectators-courtships are always interesting
to foreign parties, and they appear to be
doubly so to those Immediately connected
with them. These log-cahins are lily con-
structcd for such sentimental meetings, hay
ing no withdrawing rooms, and conversations
that, privately, are the very pith of wi;chery,
become, publicly, the very essence of non
sense.
leaving Fayetteville carly in the morning,
with change of team we pushed along brisk
ly through very barren, prairie country, and
the next morning we crossed the Brazos bot
tom. five miles in width here, as above, and
heavily, or rather thickly timbercd and / may