New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-06
Up THE RIO GRANDE.
Notes from Brownsville to Rio Grande
Gity-The Robbers Baunts.

FROM the New York Herald
BROWNSVILLE, September I4.-Your cor
respondent, ayailing himself of the polite
invitation of. Captain Metiin KenedT. the
owner of the Rio Grande STEAMBOATS,, Sailed
on September from this port bound for
the Upper Rio Grande. The short notice
| given compelled hasty gathering of note
book, pencil pipe and pouch, and the inf
Intestinal allowance Of linen popularity sun
| posed to be the due of ye Bohemian. A
| pleasant party was gathered on the deck of
| the San Juan, and the trip, which lasted q
| week, was one of pleasure, heightened nv
incidents of some little interest to YOUR
readers. The United States commissioners
to Texas were on board, going north in Dur-
suance of their plan of investigation, and a
number OF leading civilians. For one week
| we were guests of the jo7ial Kennedy, and
| the trip was voted success.
The Rio Grande occupies nroroioent
| place as boundary, and in nv childish
| days the name brought up visions of q
broad, slIyery flood, gliding noiselessIv
J past banks fringed with the lnxuriant
| tohage OF the tropics. Alas I am com
| pteteIy deSlAuSjoue Length it has. without
| other remarkable dimension The actnaI
| Rio Grande is muddy, turbid river of the
most refractory regimen. The ODa0ue dirt
solution covers snags, bars, and on the IN
per line rapids and reefs of cruel rock. This
refractory stream rises like the tide in tbe
pay OF Fundy. On one occasion it rose sly
feet IN tour hours. On no day can The most
experienced pilot hint at the probable dentb
OF Ghannel, as the great region drained bv
1t furnishes frequent freshets and tbe
stream IS fretfully chatting up and
9 e1}3 IN IT'S course it rivals the entangled
1oids OF the serpents which bind old
LAGOON The average distances from roint
70 point .Sr5 three time longer than bv
land. Dull banks, tringed with fbornT
ousnes, scfuboy trees and impenetrable
jungle, are only worthy of mention from fine
historic associations of old and the bIoodv
reign OF terror OF to-day. In ascending the
q eno If&gelef fecedes from point only
10 fetufE alter several hours of deviors
naVlganGn. The cutting action. which i
continual, presents many neat little nrob-
lens to the residents and land owners The
river trets at bend until it cufs off in
Texas few hundred acres Of Mexico IN
another year the same action a mile or two
below returns to- Mexico what had haen
taken. Although the balance of gain ana
loss IS preserved, private parties are sub.
leeted to infinite yexation.
AGRICULTURE ALONG THE RIVER.
The fats near the river. thougb contain
ing a preponderence of silica, are neyertbe
less fertile, and good cotton, corn and smear
ane arctic be met with. The usual return
u Two crops OF corn in the same season. A
titful, variable climate is the curse of the
/ trmer here. For years the rainfall is be-
low the minimum, and suddenly, in some
season Of recklessness on the part of the
weather clerk, double the amount of rain
needed drenches tie crops out of existence,
From Brownsville to Rio Grande Citv the |
river is lined with wretehed ranches an fiji |
Texan side, where a few sheds of branches |
keep the lazy inmates from the burning I
syn. Cattle .4 are to be seen, anda strugs
gaze listlessly at the energetic little steam
er putting away, while babies, IN pulis nd
lHf9tt6H8, roll around in the sun. Cutting
and selling wood 10 the steamboats, are the
only means Of ready money. The fear of
attack from the Mexican side is continual
and 4 even the horses and mules which drag
-he rude stick (called plow by courtesy
nay be stolen any night. Compelled ID
witness, day by day, the crossing of stolen
property into Mexico, the river rancheros
zee no hope in the future if thew fGht
they are oyerpowered; IF they inform t6ey
are assassinated. Many of these Deon1e
are well.meaning, but fear closes their IiDs,
Much has been said of the settlement Of