Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-03-11
CORRESPONDENCE.
A Trip southward.


BAsrRor TEXAS, February 18TH 1860.
MEssRs. EDITORS tin accordance with the
promise made you in my last chronicle my
maps and rnshnps'' while en- route from BRENNAN
to Austin. Imprimis we left BRENNAN al Z, A.
NJ, Tuesday, tho 9th inst, on one Of Sawyer's
coaches. The morning was soft and beautiful,
and the cloudlcss sky contrasted strongly with
the mud and desolation of the recent storm.
Tho vast expanse of prairie, dotted with clumps
oil live oaks and thckets Of brown bushes. was
enchanting In tho extreme Occasional orchards
of Peach trees bushed in the plnken glory of
full boom, and birds sang gleeiully as we slowly
dragged onward through the mud. Throughout
the day we toiled onward, varying an occasional
ride with long walk-a period of comparative
ease, with weary houndcrlng through muddy
lanes, or over wet prairics.
Twice we begged down" as the natives have
it, and were compelled to procure the assistance
OF two yoke of Texas rangers Of the bovine spc-'
cics, ere we could proceed. "Stick to me and
I'll stick to you," the mud said to the traveller.
and believed In the saying Night found us
hopelcssy fast in q slough, but sixteen miles
from our starting point. Here we remained all
night, varying our periods of sleep with visits to
a nelghboring fence where We procured fuel to
Keep "alight our beacon fire." lest other craft
should be cast away US we had been.
This day was but prelude to what was 10
come. We, however, trlumphed over all difficult
ties, aud reached Austin ut l. A. NJ, Fridays the
entire party, numbering seven persons, having
been deprived of sleep, save that obtained by
"snoozng" for the period Of three days and
nearly three nights, and all this to accomplish
distance OF little more than one hundred miles.
The country between Brenham and Austin is
mostly rich, deep, prairie, with stretches of oak
land at intervals. From Bastrop to Austin, being
the last thirty miles of the distance. the county
Is somewhat rocky and poor; cedar for fencing
exists in abundance. The road leads, a portion Of
Me way, up the Colorado Valley, the 'boltoms"
OF which are exceedingly fertile, aud held at high
iigures-irom ten To twenty dollars (gold) per
acre Cotton grows to great perfection through
out this section, being almost entirely unmolcsted
by the 'army" and "boll" worms, those pests
| OF the planter, and whose ravages have so Sc
riously damaged the cotton crop for three years
past
Lagrange is about thirly-fvc miles south of
Brcnhama and Is town of about 1900 Inhabitants
IL was scOurged by the yellow fever in 1867, fully
onc-iourth oi Its inhabitants having persisted
| iroW The disease In the space of three months.
found Austin pleasant little city of 5000 in
habltants. II is located in the Colorado valley,
Is Shut in by magnificent mountain scenery The
prospect from any point within the city is fine,
but from the dome of the State House is beautiful
H. the extreme. The eye traces the course Of the
| winding Colorado, for miles, by the undulating
| lines or mountains clad in the emerald yerdurc
| OF livs oaks and cedar. Below, at ones feet, as
IL were, like maiden In giants grasp, lies the
city wihits meanwhile houses and dreamy streets.
specie is the circulating medium, and the Cease
less clink OF gold and silver falls on the car as the
| cataract of wealth pours ever onward. Uncouth
Iexans IN all the pride of rusty jeans, huge boots,
ana stunning" spurs, stride about in every d.
rcction; while huge wagons roll slowly along in
the wake of four, six, or eight "yokc" teams.
| Everybody, even the children AID negroes, CAR
rlcs six-slooter"-some, more warlikc, "tote"
two; and occasionally you see the hall-hidden
handle OF savage Dowe-knilc. Ready for fun,
irolic or a ilght-particularly the latter, is the
true Texan; and as he is generally good man
that is-a good shot and always full Of whisky
has perhaps shot the top of some mans head
on In the past, II is best, as ruc, To give hin
no cause of offence lest he might Ego for you
phrase which expresses much, in this land o
recklessness.
Having business in Bastrop, purchased d
Spanish horse, in Austin, few days since. ant
"rigged myself out - for travelling. purchased
my stecd OF II tall long-haircd Texan who assure,
me that my dnimRe was "Skiontum, the chic
of TIE Chuckunucks.n | suppose the pedigrc,
OF my horse is fully cstablisied-tle cognomen
OF tile beast, is certainly unique. Downing
suit of course jeans, and buckling on II pair oil
spurs something less than pound in weight,
rode out from Austin to WcODcrve, yes terday
WeDbcivillc Is u +" right smart place. as Texnr
told me-ninc men having been killed there sine
the .wat-but Sulphur Springs, in Hopkins coun
W isa "llyeller" place by iar--twen,y-one me-
having been killed in the town and its immcdiat
vicinity, within little over three years
On my arrival at Webberyillc found the PEG
pie much exercised because some freedmen hat
gone in armed pursuit of some white hors,
thlcVes. can remember when Ii was considered
high old sport" to hunt runaway negroes, bu
now that the " bottom rail is on top, the chang,
is srcvous. 1t much reminds INC oil the anccdot
Of the tiger hunting Frenchman. "When 2
Frcnchman hunt &c tigare ty gar it is one fin
Sport, =" But when 70 tigare, he hunt ~ Frecll
man, zero Is re devil TO pay"
! saunlcrod into store, so-called, at Weber
VILE and asked for some soda crackers. wheieat
The pruprictorlnformed me, with intense dignity
! thal THIS here store arc dry goods store,
are His nose indicated an intimate acQllant
ance WITH " groceries, and his whole stock o
| dry goods, In store could, with case have beef
carried NJ one load, on medium sized wheel
barrow. lie however, totcd n 9 six-shootcr,'
winch renders further comment, unnecessary
arrived at Bastrop this morning, and the iirs
object that attracted my attention was IL sign Il
the door ol Il barber shop. II read. Boot
BACKED inslde' This method of backing buot
struck mt as both unique and original but
didn't take any in mine" The State militar
school located here Is not, learn, in n flourish
Ing condition. More next week. Meanwhile
icninin Yours Revolvingly,
| kAIItnO.yOpE