The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-12-11

A few miles makes a great difference in
the face of tho country. Striking out from
where / slept last night, some ten miles
from Bremond, and taking careful direc-
tions to avoid 0wensvillc, the late county
scat of Robertson county, at which place
there was some few cases of yellow fever.
l travelled over a post oak, black jack and
hickory fiat country, aiming TO cross the
long bridge over the Navasota, and enter
Madison county; and right here let me
warn all who travel in Texas never take a
''short cut or cross road unles very well
acquainted with the neighborhood, for If in
timber portion, you will surely come on
well used roads that apparently run in the
required direction, and after following them
for piece find yourself suddenly brought
upby coming TO the end of that road-per
haps in a place where it is almost impossi-
bic to turn your buggy aud retTace your
steps If on the prairie, half dozen roads
to different settlements will suddenly pre-
sent themselves before you, and then which
to takel Aye-therc' the rub-no house in
sight; ten to one you take the wrong one
and do think 4 regular Texan can bewilder
you when he endeavOrs to put you right.
1t is not only the road you arc to take that lie
tells You. but he will also explain where ali
take them and when they tell you, SEQ to
such house; take course and distance
20 east, for instance; / generally reply,
''Yes, friend. / will take the ,coursc: and
have no doubtI shall find the distance
very long, Stick to the main road If it is
thirty miles, in preference to the cross road
or short cut, which may be only twenty.
But enough Of this depression. Ihave trav-
eled to-day thirty miles and it is certainly
the poorest portion Of Texas that have
Nseen, although the people say they make
half a bale Of cotton and twenty-five bush
els Of corn to the acre. May be so; but l
am afraid the bushel tubs are small, and the
cotton bales smaller in proportion.
IrecOllect once, on board Of one Of Nor
gan's steamers, Twas expatiating rather for
cibly on the advantages Of Texas, and
boasting Of her rich lands, etc, very much
to my satisfaction, il not 70 the edIicatiOn
of nv listeners. when an old Georgian rose: !:
ssSav. Mister. haint YOU got nO,,poOr land in
Texas" Taken rather aback by the sud-
denness Of the question, after but q mo-
ment's hesitation replied. well, stranger,
can't say that we have; but / tell you what we
have got, pleHfg ef ehoap LaRd." " But con
fess, II / had had my Georgian with me to-
day, would have acknowledged the corn.
and confessed that we did have some poor
land IN Texas, and mighty poor il a. IN my
opinIOn, though travelling 20 much for
the last week over the rich bottom lands
Of the BrazOs may hayc made this
appear really wOrsc than Il really Is. II has
the advantage Of being within easy reach of
the railroad, and Il Is the mission Of these
roads 20 develop the resources Of the country.
Rich lands viii bear 70 have their prodnc-
tons carried further than poor lands, be-
cause double can Be raised on the former
xith the same labor Supposing the Inter
national 70 be q sOri of missionary, / would
say, from my last two days experience, that