New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-20


trous and orderly, though far below the Germans ID
intelligence and enterprise
Owing TO the careless manner IN which sa1u'et
nv horse ard fast riding, injured bin so badly ms,
did not deem il prudent TO use hi n al once "u o
him few miles down the river where was good y IS
snd amused mvseIf on the bank Of the river. Large
cvnresses grew aorg the bak Of his river, close 10
he waters edge and erspe vines, whose trunks nea9
urcd six or eight inches IN diameter lOaueu tueH 10
;b ,Lc;r hinge folds the small light green leaves OF
,ba cynress contrasting finely with the large leaves
srs derk masses of the grape After taking pain
seated myself in the SHADE OF pecan on shel'DS
bark where a willow, inclined Almost honZon'e"yl
,rajl,d its branches in the water. The sOilaz, u
briobt.leayed thorny vine. common about New ioIH'
dwarf black alnnt and many stronger shrubs sur
rom ded me- The river at this piece II deep ana thrs
wards wide, and flows suggishls but below me |
heard the xurmuring OF rapid sometimes oenIea
with the sough of the wind among the trees OUT never
with the conn lant of muskeio.
Returning we started late 10 AVOID the heat OF tae
sun ar camped about ten miles ron CaSro'i"e' III
preference TO sleeping in house. My baggage nor
having yet arrived and my horee oeilg .og -
ride camped for three days about four miles down
he river on lands owned bv Mr.. Riot. enjoying my
self much with nv gun. Quails, rabbits ana gray
sorirrels are plenty and milk and eggs were obtained
AZ !. horse in the vicinity and when night came tol-
lowed the instinct of my horse and went upon the
hieh prairie in the muskeet grass to steep:
On tie 2lst of May left San Antonio TOR the sette-
merit north Of this place. The eounr, drained oy Tue
rs one of great interest-presenting variety OF
e,rmatiou from primary TO tertiary-and abouning Ia
valleys of great fertility and beauty. ieit Town III
the evening aud cGmped near san fedro Spr MS
where there was good grass maze iy peu ~ ~"
u.ual manner by spreading blanket on the ground
and ming nv SADDLE for pillow. L woke III tle
night and rose TO tie the horse In better grass Inc
moon had gone down and clouds shut OUT me stars.
For more than hour searched for my boi. moaSn1
had not lot ii a rod but could not ind 1t aud was
forced TO null oil my coat for pillow and renew my
sleep on the grass. From the springs notthwaeu 'ne
country becomes billy, and the muskeet grass anu
trees. Which are almost invariably found together,
Give laee 10 the ooarser grass of the coast country AZ
his ason Of the wear this grass OF DlSh greeh NM
gives charm 10 the landscape Later IN the season i'
6ecomes brown and Is burned over. Inc musAeeh
On the contrary is greeuest in the Winter, ana u
wr n ,.Isbed bv animals even in its dry state.
tboupht should have no difficulty III finding settle
ment at which to breabfa before had Travelled iar
but after leaving the Springs, one mile from 10 'n'
saw TO dwelling place of man untll eleven ciocS'
was ON the road To Fredericksburg, and had ridden
over country which, could one be placed NJ once ia
/, without havns seen any intermediate places "'u~
call out the most eXtravagant admlralon. mere WIS
every variety of surface mat was poSsioie' "inout
tho inf bcip broken. In the dee est valley did see
tle turf broken and white chalk showing where me
torrent had been most violent But now there was
10 water Tor twelve miles, and then only at wen l
rode up TO a cabin where young mah "aS sAiu.ns
a ccer and proceeded without ceremony or invitation
ia uneacdle piece of that venson meant 10 nave
He referred me to the OLD man in the house VINO "nsu
told him had not yet bn aktasted, asked me wheher
! would have breakfast or dinner! tou nun u,I
not care by what name lie called II, If there was ouy
some yeuison in IT, He WAS q mddle-4ged man. rom
Arkcnsas and employed lis time while talkin{ win
me- in striking at the chickens, dogs ana oiach
children who came Unbidden into his presence. JUST
as dinner was announced, Mr.. Tyson, German set
tef on the Upper Guadalupe, rode up aud joined US
There were about us five faxen.haired children, AMI
one sleeping in tie cradle five dogs, and three WOODY
leaCs. beside one of doubtful complexion. Inc
cl nree of twenty-five rents for our me We consul
cred vtrv moderate. JUS we oft, we were reen-
forced bv JUICE Behr Sisierdale, and felt Ourselves
siroI q ihouuh we were ali uua.med. have notice
that The German settlers generally go unarmei ABOUT
tie frontier while Americans uniformly carry rcVoF
ers: many even cary them VIII rcyer they 20, Just
az n gentleman CARES lis watch ana Trey seem 10
think il is indisl oIsabe. saw recently the impro-
pieiy Of carrying istOls 10 evening parties urged ny
Il Tfxas paVcr Soon after leaving this Onse we en-
tered the dry valley Of The Lon. Along the bed OF
the LeOn is much limestone, and clr sometimes rise
ptVenGicuary. The valley Is narrow bounded by
he rising several huudrcd feet aud many OF Them at-
tanning TO tie dignity OF mounts nis. They are mostly
bare or preaching here and there pc hes Of small
bushes, with horz0niGl lodges of limestone cropping
out whore some strata have been less easily broken
down than tile others, as 10 give the appearance OF
terraces Six miles brought 10 tie Leon Spring the
fin good water we had found In eighteen miles and
this is but small spring, whose supply ls drunk up by
lie Thirsty earth in short time. \ German has
OltI0d n mouse OF entertainments M lhlh pit-ef ulu
supplies his table by hi gun. Occasionally the valley
SPREADS ont into charming fields, with groves of post
oak. II his billy region abOuuds everywhere win
tie white bundles Of the flowers OF the IUcca ttamsn
t0sd.
Leaving the Velley of the Leon, we crossed several
small streams of good :er aud rode over allls COW
cred with live and post oak to the Cvoo large and
beautiful stream, which, short distance below the
crossing tumblts down chasm in the rocks aud does
not appear again in forty miles. OF this curious phe
IomeIOn shall have uOre 10 say when speak Of the
general features Of this region. There IS German
settlement at this place; and, It was dark
rival we parsed the night here stqbng the horses for
fear of Indians. Tie following mOrniog | lett the
Fredericksburg Road TO accompany my friends 10
tleir settlement on the GuadaOupe. Inc country for
the most part rough aud the soil thin, ahOug h
there were son pretty valleys with brooks OF clear
wafer. We made way through thiclsets of shrub
berry and grape-y ines OF species that had seen IN
The low country but here in the mountains tpey
numerous though vines and grapes are small.
Mr.. Tyson, with generosity as gratifying as uueI-
pecCd, insisted ufon my spending some weeks at his
house in which he appropriated the best room to my
use. His farm is located on u bend of the rIver
that he requires but fence. He has large corn
field uuCer cultivation, and he has an abundance Of
OAK and cypress. The Guadalu. here runs IN deep
harrow channel cut in The limestone and the cypress
trees grow in the bed Of the channel Just at the
edge, their tops reaching above tie bank. Some Of
Il attain the size Of five feet in diameter and they
form a row on each side Of the water that gives very
unique appeaTaiC TO the river. There are 10 para
site plens growing on the trees here. The water
flows over Iebhy bed and is transparent that you
might find a needle on the bottom. We went down to
tie river TO battle af'Cr arrival and greater
luxury could Lot be furnished la the mountains.
With the exception Of one settlement twelve miles
higher un, Mr. Tyson is he last or he GuadalOupe
II oueh for thirty miles the character of the country
contil ues much the same. The elevation cannot eX-
coed CT eight hun drod feet above the sea- but
tie air Is decidedly cooler, than fifty miles below. The
best lands are held at g per acre. The land on the
bills IS valuable a sheep range, and the bottoms
and fat lands are equal TO any in tie Stale. at
lDse tho nnrllinlil, ruitl u. Elh