The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-03-27
The Lone Star Slate.
BY BISHOP SIMPSON.

BY BISHOP SIMPSON.
Having been detained in Gavelson al
unusually long time, waiting for ,
steamer, | have had an opportunity t.
make number of general observations
The island on which Galveston is sit
uated is from two to three miles wide
by about twenty-eight miles long
Much Of it lies very low, and is often
times over-howed and, when in the
time of very high tide, great storm
occurs, almost the entire city is liable
to be submerged. This, however, ha.
very seldom occurred. The city con
tains about twenty-five thousand inhab
itants, and has grown quite rapidly
though the buildings are generally
small frames. There are a few large
and substantial buildings, but the bricks
of which some are formed seem tc
dccompose gradually. The harbor is 6
capacious and excellent one, were it not
for the bar, which forms at it's mouth
and over which large ships cannot pass
During the storm by which l have beer
detained, with great difficulty have the
ordinary steamers crossed over it, anC
yesterday one drawing, as | am told
only five feet of water, lay by some two
hours, hesitatins to cross it.
In one respect, its situation for trade
is much preferable to that of New
Orleans. 1t lies directly upon the
ocean, while New Orleans is nearly q
hundred miles inland, upon the river
which sail ships find great difficulty in
navigating. Could the channel in the
harbor be kept clear, there is no doubt
that vast commerce would centre at
this place, as thence it could easily be
distributed over the Southwest. The
people of Houston, some fifty miles up
the bay and river, hope, by widening
and dredging their channel, to compete
with Galveston for the trade of Texas
and hope, by direct railroad communi.
cation to New Orleans, to secure almost
the entire travel
In reference to internal improvements
quite rivalry has sprung up between
these places. AT present, however
Galveston is far in advance, and if her
harbor could be perfectly improved and
guarded, it must ever remain So
CLIMATE AND PRODUCTS.
While Texas boasts of the immense
variety of her products, she has some
inconveniencies incident to warmer lat.
itudes. Though the country is gener-
ally healthful, it is sometimes visited
by yellow fever. This, year OF two
since, was very fatal in Galveston, and
it spread into the interior as far as
Brennan and La Grange, from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred per-
sons dying in each of these small vii
lagos.
| am told that sharks are known to
be in the harbor, though | did not see
any. Along the bayous, alligators of
large size are found, and was told
that in fresh-water bayou, in the sub
urbs of Galveston, year since, q child
of six or seven years was devoured by
one of these animals They oftentimes
chase the boys who go down to the
edge of the bayous, and who, to escape,
are compelled to flee in zig-zag direc-
ton, which the alligators are too clumsy
to follow The tarantula, which is
exceedingly venomous, is occasionally
found, as also the centipede There is,
throughout Texas, species of frog,
covered with barbed or horny coat,
having projections upon its head and a
number of smaller ones, or little spikes,
upon its back On the seaside of Gal
weston, | am told, there is peculiar
animal found in the water which thew
call the Stingaree. l never saw any of
them, but they were described to me as
of jelly-like substance when thrown
up after storm, about the size of two
tin quarts, the body perfectly white,
turning to purple as it decays; with a
kind of sting or rat-like tail, possibly a
foot or foot and half long If those
who go into the ocean to battle chance
to be struck by one of them, it is said
to be certain death, so poisonous are
they.
The temperature here is strongly in
contrast with your Northern winters
You walk out and sec families sitting
upon their porches. which are here
termed galleries, a name applied to
either a veranda or an ordinary porch,
protected by a roof Orange-trees are
dressed in their rich foliage, and the
pavements are skirted with oleanders,
growing luxurIantly from six to twelve
feet high. You look into the garden,
and the early roses are beginning to
bloom; flowers of different hues are
occasionally seen; lettuce, radishes,
onions and cabbages arc growing, and
the air has a balmy breath of spring.
The weather is subject to very sud-
den changes. Immediately following
this balmy breath of spring, or almost
the oppressive heat of summer, in an
hour or less the wind changes to the
north, and there blows what is termed
a norther, exceedingly chilly, and pierre
ing with its cold, vet seldom accompa-
MED by frost
l saw here, an evening or two since,
the zodiacal light, which is almost
unknown in your latitude. / have
never seen it so distinctly marked since
nv last voyage to California.
The rate of travelling on railroads,
in this State, differs greatly from that
in the North The line connecting Gal
weston and Houston, the two chief cities
of tho State, fifty miles apart, is run
in about four hours. The Texas Cen
trail, from Houston to Hampstead, fifty
miles further, runs its express train in
ABBOTT three hours; while from Hemp
sted to Brennan, twenty-five miles,
requires about three hours This ! had
thought to be the slowest possible rail
road travelling, but learn that so
dlapidated are some of the railroad
braches, that they are travelled only by
hand-cars. A sail is put up on one of
these, and, with favorable wind, q
speed of from four to eight miles may
be made. When the wind is contrary,
the hand-car is propelled partly by
poles, after the old hatboat fashion.
ROMAN CATHOLIC ENTERPRISE.