The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1857-02-14
letter Erom Arifonia.
RIO GRANpE. IrxAs, !
Ntctmbeg 81, 1886. ,


November lasi, s,nce which time, oor Jour.
nry hss not been 50 pleasant ss u was
tom Marshall TO that place 10 give :"
detail all OF our ups. aud downs, would
he not oni, tedious task, but an useless
oue. The nap accompanying this letter
wlli show the ioat we Travelled from Mar
shall 10 thi. place. We passed much good
laud aud beautiful county IN the aggfe.
gate, and some that is not. nor never VIII
be OF any practical use. On the Colorado
River, the soil "a generally good timber IA
abundance. chiefly Pecan u large size, with
ocr~s onal groves OF Live Oak and Hacks
bury. lhis stream ls remarkably clear,
and shouuds with a variety OF excellent
h.h the ked-hor.e, Trout. both white aud
speckled. Cat ash OF many species, are
found also ia it, waters. BESIDES the fisu,
have enumerated wild t.eese aud Ducks
frequent IT. water, Deer aud turkeys
were found IA abundance, aud served 10
furnish our daily fare. Hot these good
things we're hound to have 40 end. W hen
We stuck the Colorado We louud It n nos
bic stream, ulndiug AMID s,erp bills aud
busht valleys We followed us toftuous
course until, It's feeble waters could scarce
mutmuf as they gi.ded softly over lspeb,ed
bed. SSH higher We a. ended the cham
uei to It's bidder source. where u breaks
out from the eastern loot OF III l.lauo rs
tacado, presenting 80 marked difference
from the many avoyas that lose themselves
IA THIS region ~ the porous sou over which
the, ran. After leaving the waters OF the
Colorado River, our hat night was spen!
without, any water. and none was found an
q, fifteen miles more wAs made on the
plain, the water hero is found IA slight de
preston il the plain. l Ia, spuug, or pool,
having 40 name on any OF Ile nap, oi the
county. We give II the nbme OF Lanes
Spring, IA honor to our Captain, he beng
also the person who found IT, he water
Of these spdags or ponds, Is slightly aka
ine. but plentiful, From the opilngs, We
Travelled seven aud "a halt miles - n \ 0fth
Western direction, When we struck The
Fort smith aud Donna Anna road. aud lis
teen miles east oi the Mustang Springs, or
ponds. which we found very low IN water.
The bed Of this pond iUr several mhes was
covered over with white ciieIyesceut
substance showing elsafly the properties
Of soda, generated from The vast amount
ol gypsum, on which the extensive plain OF
ri Llano Estacado appears to be based.
As you proceed west. the PLAN gradually
ascruds Tor about forty miles, to be percep>
ub.e To the eye, vide valley then opeus
sor thift, tive miles, IA which are uuumef,
able sand hills at the foot al which water
Of the finest quality Is found IA the greatest
abundance. FOR the next seventy miles we
were without water, this tefflhie Journey
was made with great labor on our part, aud
suffering to our teams We were without
water tor eighty hours, and we Ae2an Sc
fiously Ia think that We should be compel
ed To abandon our wagons aud teams
shoulder our kuapsacks aud foot 1t TO ~
raso We lett three OF our oxen dead on
these hond sand his. and tie balanee nev
er recovered from tue effects Of THIS long
dive without water. These sand halls 10
the distance present curious appearance.
Glistcuing ia the rays OF the sun they seem
to bee SNOW lifts IN the distance so white
aud fine are the particles OF sand, that the
lightest breeze puts II in motion, aud drln>
ing from one hill TO another, is continually
changing the appearance OF Localities, and
forming now ones. These hills are ot
u couical shape, aud from ten to iih, feet
high, aud stretch away To the South East
for many miles. found oak tees three
feet IN diameter, growing out Of the pure
sand, lllle oak shfubs from 20 to 80 IN
cbes IN belgih. were bent down with
ncofns aud the roots OF these shrubs APP
pear to increase IN size the greater depth
they go This is certainly the trying place
Tor Nil travellers on this road, Judging
from our experience, aud the wrecks OF
wsgonsrs, boxes, aud old clothing, and
plumber generally scattered op tue road.
While we were encamped at the foot 81
these sand hills, Mai Lane and myself pen
ttraled the interior OF these bills TO the
North, thanking the true route might b. ia
that direction and covered up by drifting
sand But finding It impossible for way
on road, we struck across the country 10
our emcampt,ueut; at the base OF the bill
ou the North side, We found the road which
turned at night angle from our general
course IL the mean time. ono OF those
Norikcrs, ior which the LlaHos is noted
lof came on u' jthout moments notice
with all OF It's Wild aH4 freezing fury, near>
" pafalytug all Of our eilous To reach the
csup he snow fell to the depth OF one
inches on the 2Olh Of November; pretty
well Tor Texas, aud the sunny south.
The region have been describing con.
stitutes about one sixth OF tho distance
nom fort thadbourn To II paso, from
the Sand hill. to the peeo. river, a distance