Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-05-06
CORRESPONDENCE.


RErueIo, TKxAs, April IA, 1869.
MEssRs. EpIroRs AT last the wandering foot |
steps of your correspondent brought him TO
Corpus Chnsti-literally translated-body Of
Christ. The old Spanish cavaliers who settled
America, certainly bestowed singular names
upon their cities aud towns, and one Of the most
singular Of ALL Is the one have just mentioned,
Not, however, more. singular than. Its location,
which Is principally on level plat some sixty or
eighty acres In STRAIGHTFORWARD on the land
side by an abrupt slope of perhaps fifty feet rise.
From this popularity, although your approach
is from the interior over level prairie, you do
not perceive the city until you are almost upon IT.
The flag of the custou-house waved gleefully
| In the strong freeze as halted on the verge oil
| the slope above the town, and gazcd away out
over the rushing white-capped waves OF the
gulf, and ionged for home. Twas then realized
that there was great gulf (Mexico) between us.
Corpus Christi is city Of about 1000 inhabit-
ants, is well built, and enjoys good trade with
Northern Mexico, and the rancho men between
| the Nueces and the Rio Grande. Tho country
between San Antonio and Corpus, a distance OF
| 100 miles is very sparsely settled; there being
thirty miles on one portion Of the road, where
| neither house nor rancho greets the travellers
eye. Between the Nueces and the Rio Grande, is
a vast tract comprising some 10000 square
miles, inhabited only by wandering ranchemen
end Mexicans, who own immense herds of horses
and cattle. The vegetation Of this region Is
pecuar-uearly every bush, shrub or tree bear
ing thorns or prickles. Flowers grow In many
colored parterressof large extent and perfume
floats upon the breeze of carly Spring. more in-
toxicatlng than the breath of woman. Wild
turkeys and deer meet the eye continually, aud
mule-eared rabbits " skit " through the mesquit
bushes from morn till night Bear and tiger
cats are by no means rare-I shot one OF the
latter, recently, near San Ratuco on the Nueces,
and he measured four feet five Inches from tip to
: tip.
From Corpus Christi to Refuglo the road leads
over a wet, boggy country, mixed with chapparal
and NOTES of live oak. There is reef extending
from Corpus across the neck of Nueces bay, q
distance Of nearly three miles, and to cross this
reef Is to gain twenty miles on the road TO the
Norhward. The water averages two feet in
depth, and the route Is followed by m ans Of
stakes, which serve us guides. II you miss the
road-'tis scarce q score Of yards in width-you
will plunge into such depth of mud as will
render your extrication matter of no small
difficulty. The stakes wind In and out endlessy,
anu llc TOdu Is u ptTltct iuuyTlutu W ioHOW,
It's singular sensation to find ones self at sea
on horseback. with the blue lmitless horizon ia
the right and lett as a boundary, and the land
ahead dim TO the eye, while the waves are dash
ing In breakers around. Such sensation can be
/ enjoyed by crossing the reef l have mentioned
This Southwest border may certainly boast o.
strange characters of men whose ever-changinp
fortunes excel in vivid interest the widest crca
: tiuns of romance met man of twenty-sx,-
| q New Yorker, who came here ten years ago
y | axyoy hpme He has bppn twice In
possession of large fortune, has been ranch'
D man, o stock dealer and drover, n smugglcr,
scout, guide, county Judge, an Interpreter.
merchant, planter, ship captains Confederate
II l met him he was on his way TO the Rio Grandc
for drove of mules Among his adventures h
i. has killed three Indians, several Mexicans. and
y white man has fought two dncls, been kicke
II by horse and gored by bull. With all this h
is almost gentle in his dcmeanor, and converse
with spirit and ease, and, more than this, doe
:, not swear. His appetite for whisky, however,
c prodgious.
If you ever travel in Texas you will find tn
people very genereus-they always give goo
M measure on their roads-a traveller fluids the mile
W average sixteen to the dozen, owing, suppose
to the cheapness of land. house just owe
% thar" is elk or eight miles away. The mud
"a profound, nay, more; it is deep, and of the wor
y quaty-the motto Of the soil is ''stick to n
re and I'll stick to you"
The people of the North imagine that the pei
v pie OF Texas are ban bdrOus, nothing could /
more erroneous-I Lever knew one Of them
Of patronze barber to shave or have his hair Gu
I'd and they rarely (at least in this section)
they mostly go it strong
Crops are somewhat late, corn being but q
Us inches in height, and cotton just out of Il
&c ground Corn is usually knee high at this sease
ce Of the year. The forests in full leaf and y
the spring is cold and rainy, still there is 60,
prospect for heavy cotton crop in the State IL
phi season, every planter having planted largely.
us go hence to Austin. Your Own
KALEIDOsCoPE,