The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-06-21


Weather was so windy and disagreeable that
remained in the tent most of the time,
Found few ducks of excellent quality and
had fsh-cat, buffalo and bass in alum
dance.
On the sixth day we were visited by rain,
and there came cold, wet nOrther. had
tent struck at once, wagons reloaded and
set out twelve miles for Belize Pain with
about $50 pounds of fish, the surplus on
hand. There rented house. made my
family and self comfortable, and waited for
the clerk Of the weather to get back to his
post or for spring to open.
Our camp was on Pecan bayou, beauti.
full stream about twelve miles from Bell
Plain. 1t abounds with more FISH than
perhaps any stream in Texas.
So soon as there was an apparent change
for the better in the weather we stated for
Floyd county, via Abilene, and such trip!
1t was nineteen miles from the latter
place to Clear fork of the BraZos. Water
slightly saline. Here we bid farewell to
homes and civilization, crossed Drubb
mountain and Salt fork of the Brazos or
the Saline, and moved up the latter to the
west side Of Duck creek, in Kent county,
where the trip was abandoned.
| We had no water 10 drink, except from
standing holes, which ! found would dry
up before our return. 1t was still eighty
miles to the end of this part of my journey,
thirty.fve miles to the first water, ii had
gone on md could get no directions except
from COW boys, who Travelled no roads and
knew nothing definite of them. Besides
this, the storms of rain and high and furi-
GUS winds were telling on both my wife and
myself Salt or gypsum rene rendered al the
concluded on finding more
genial locality if it could be done. And
here am encamped on Oak creek, about
twenty-five miles south OF Sweetwater, the
county seat of this county; nice place,
plenty of fish, and expect to remain until
some one says move; will by that time
fix upon another camp, May go down the
creek and cross into Runnels or Tom Green
county,
The weather has been the most noted OBJ
ject with me on the entire trip. Such rain
and hail storms they have not had for
years, and yet this has always been spoken
of as dry country. As an instance, and
from credible men, this day four weeks
ago, they had terrible storm on the head
waters of this creek. This day one week
ago, the hail was still lying three feet deep
at point three miles from my camp,
where 1t had drltcd and been covered with
leaves and trash.
Another is the character and productive
qualities of the lands in Callahan, Taylor,
Jones, Fisher and Nolan counties. The soil
on the prairie is a rich red or muatto sandy
loan, extending in most places TO the
banks of the creeks, where saw
standing crops, and as the
are few and far between. The wheat, oats
and millet looked as fine as have seen in
long time. In conversation with settlers
| am led to believe the region mentioned,
and perhaps other counties not visited,
will soon t,ecome the great small grain
granary Of Texas. Attention is being at
traoted to it and considerable investments
are being made, but the great drawback at
present is dry weather in summer, scarcity
Of water, want of timber, and the grazing
for sheep and the inevitable Texas steer.
Another is the heavy business on tie
entire railroad with Dallas. Not in tho
wholesale line alone, but in the retail, and
even In the fruit and vegetable lines also.
This speaks well Tor our business men, and
most of them are almost IS well known out
here as at home.
The whole country was once covered
with luxuriant carpet OF Mesquite grass,
but | found none lit for grazing until
reaching Bell Plain, and il seems to be dis
appearing. Some attribute 1t to the drouth,
and others to some kind of worm that
worked on it last summer.
Not long since this was the homo of
the bison, elk, deer and antelope.
The first and second have en-
tirely disappeared and the others
are so scarce they are rarely met with. We
have seen but one deer and not more than
four small lunches Of antelopes OH the en-
tire trip. Turkeys, Mexican quail, jack
rabbits, curlewos and chapperals or copper
ellis are to be found bat the timber Is
scarce, they are wild and IL Is difficult to
get them. When in Kent county COW boys
told mo ola bunch Of buffalo on the head OF
Blanco canyon, and that they had succeed.
ed in killing several.
We Travelled 100 miles without seeing a
house or perhaps more than dozen per.
sons la all. Families in sparsely settled
parts of the country live in what they call
dugouts. They are excavations made in
bluffs, with southern exposure and COW
cred in with stout, wcl-supported ridge
pole, and timbers laid from II to either side
of the dugout, covered with hay and dirt
These are built to turn water, and appear
internally TO be comfortable and convent
ent.
One thing omitted TO mention is that
all maps OF the state of Texas profess to be
rom survey maps in the general land office.
have half dozen with me- and there is
not one accurate for this.copntry. Streams,
towns aud mountains are some OF them un.
known to the oldest settlers, and others De-
ing very inaccurately dclineated. jill q.
It
Buchupaiba -