San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-08-30
Letter from a kussicalIng Ty.
P0SraPher.

CAMP ON SAN MARCOS, Aug IL, 70.
Editors Austin Statesman:
That ancient sore. head, Naamau,
boasted with justice Of the beauty OF
ALBANIA and Pharpar, but, though they
surpassed the Jordan, surely they
could not have been more charming
than the beautiful stream which bursts
forth from the bases Of these hills in
hundred bright, clear, bubbling
springs, aud boils upward in great
liquid column in the middle of the
river. This must have been the Fouu.
tain Of Youth. in search Of which that
Llase old adventurer, Ponce deLeon,
sacrificed 90 much money and life.
Its waters are iuvigoratiug to the body
and pleasing to the eye, and in its pei.
lueid depths, under the "bonrets" and
water eress and mess, are the finest
trout*'in Texas. This thick growth Of
aquatic plants is favorable to the pro-
pasation Of fish. because shelter is
afforded the smaller ones when pur.
sued, and at the same time food, in
the shape Of orawfsh, is found 10
abundance among tile roots. It is i'm.
possible, too. for that enemy Of man,
the seiuer, to ply his deadly vocation
here. and the result is the best natu-
raj fish preserve to be found anywhere.
One great drawback. however. to their
capture is the cleatuess' Of the water,
which cannot be rendered turbid for
any length Of time, no matter how
great the rainfall. We have seen six
and eight pound trout investigating
curiously' the silk lines we used,
though Aattering ourselves that they
were almost colorless in the water.
But perseverance, has enabled us to
keep supplied with this finest Of feb,
and rabbits and birds abound at short
distances from our tent. q q Ut
The country round about here is
ct setting for the transparent gem
spoken of above; Lofty hills. here
rugged, there softened by verdant
glades from the point Of observation.
To the right lies the town of San
Marcos. about mile distant, its bust.
ness, houses fronting on the court
house square, with that uniformity Of
plan 50, COMMON and SO exasperating.
To the left, wooded heights and un.
broken forests greet the eye, while in
front OF the spectator lie green fields
and plains, stretching out to the hori.
son. The land will produce half
bale Of cotton to the acre in this valley,
so the farmers say. The steady rain
of Sunday and the favorable weather
since, have literally been the salvation
Of this crop. The upland cotton will
hardly pay for the picking and ginning.
The springs property now belongs to
Mr.. Jemison OF Galveston, who pur-
chased it Of Mr.. Noble, and in charge
Of Mr.. Z. w. Baker. a very clever
gentleman, who voluntarily extended
us much.appreciated courtesies. We
have fished, hunted, bathed and climb,
ed these hills with heartless forget
iulness of everything except the xiv.
ing present." We have taken no
thought Of the morrow, most literally.
But sooD, obedient to the calls Of
duty, we must relinquish epicurianism
and return to our vocations. thankful
to our good genii for directing US to
this land of flowing streams-not like
those soft. slow dripping, mist wreath
ed rivers that lulled the travellers to
forgetfulness OF home of tho land Of
the Lotus. eaters-but fresh, leoninc
(whence St. Mark, } vigorous, inspiring
the pilgrim to this shrine with renew
ed determination and strength.
TYPO.
[*Black bass.-ED. FREE PRESS.