The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-05
WESTERN TEXAS.
A correspondent writes from Western Texas
to the Whining ton Dispatch as follows:

correspondent writes from Western Iexas
to the Wilmington Dispatch as follows:
The main peculiarities of the. character of
Western Texas are the sterility of its SOIL the
dryness of it's climate, its want OF water, ana
the sanguine pugnacity of its Inhabitants. The
entire country, West and South of the river
San Antonio, is almost desert; the only differ
ence between it and the sandy wastes OF Arabia
being that the region of the Nueces possesses
little water and plenty of grass. On the
streams, the San Antonio for instance, the soil
is good enough; yielding when there Is good
season, from thirty to fifty bushels corn to the
acre; but out on the great prairies, and away
from the rivers, it is very poor In some places
it lie light and sandy, as that of Sampson or
Cumberland counties, North Carolina. But the
climate is most salubriously and delightfully."-
dry 1t very seldom rains in Western Texas;
and when it does, i. Is a mere drizzle. Cloudy
days are unfrequent; yet is foggy occasionally;
and when the sky is overcast, it is, in majority
of cases, with what are known to Texans as the
"Gulf Clouds" which have great velocity and
usually pass off the face of the sky entirely by
ten or eleven o'clock in the forenoon. The
skies of Western Texas, owing to the absence
of atnos pheric humidity, exceedingly and
beautifully bright, clear and serene; nor could
they lack much Of comparing favorably with
those of Italy The winters here mild; and
the Nerthers, SO fierce in other parts of Texas,
are not only of less frequency, but less severity.
This is because the region is westward Of the
meridian Of the western shore Of the Gulf. At
Christmas great Norther occurred, with snow,
in which poultry aud birds persisted; but during
the whole month of January following, it was
not cold enough to sit to a fire but one or two
| days, when there was slight Norther. The
entire month has been very much like May with
you. To day, the first of February, | am in my
shirt sleeves; whilst the farmers are planting
corn, and ladies attending to their gardens
Western Texas is not an agricultural district,
FOR the want Of rain principally; and SO little is
the land valued for farming purposes that the
best of it can be had for one dollar per acre.
The chief business in Western Texas is stock
raising and there are instances where persons
from the old States have in few years and
with very little capital, accumulated large
amounts Of property. All you have to do is to
Nueces; buy up few hundred head; steal as
many as possible from your next neighbor; put
your brand and mark on all cattle you find with
out these evidences of ownership, and you will
get along. This is the fashion in Texas If
your are stock raiser, and steal dozen head
or so from your bosom friend, even your daddy,
it is deemed capital joke. 1t will do to tell at
your favorite drinking or gambling ''saloon"
| repeat it you must steal A profitable branch
of the stock-raising business is the breeding of
horses, large numbers of which are driven every
year into the old States for sale. But, although
SO many raised, I have never real
fine horse in Texas. Those not of pure Next
can blood are mostly half-breeds, and, though
superior to the Mexican pony, are still inferior
to tn, American horse You can buy the best
of Spanish ponies in Western Texas at fifteen
specie dollars per head; and, having bought, if
prudent, you will look out for your neck. Near
ly all Spanish ponies addicted to ''pitching,"
and have special contempt for timid or mex
perienced riders. No Spanish horse is fit for
the cart or wagon. He is only suited for hunt
ing cattle, and cantering around your rancho.
This is hut of upright oaken posts driven into
the ground, and covered with cowhides,
away out in the prairie; located, when practical
Bile, in clump of trees aud near some watering
place. The rancho is headquarters for the
stock-raiser. Here his provisions; and
hence are despatched bis orders to the employees
having care of the cattle
In Western Texas, your wealth is estimated
according to the number of cattle you Own; just
as, before the late revolution, man having no
slaves, was considered poor.