The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-05-11
OUT " EST.
Life in the Western Points of tho Lone
Star-Au Interesting and Instructive
rnununicatiOD

Life in the Western Points oil tho Lone
Star-Au Interesting and Instructive
Communication.
Correspondence of the Herald.
yellow HOUSE CANON, April 15.-We
left Albany March Goth, moved north
seyenty-three miles to Seymour, and lett
there on the 3lst due west for Hockey and
Cochran count s, or as nearly SO as serpen-
tine roads through valleys and hills would
permit, and arrived here on the Eth at
noon. We are encamped in the valley OF
the beautiful Yellow House creek, at the
mouth of Alamo creek, coming from the
northeast, and about the center OF Lub-
book county. From Seymour Tor forty
miles our route was along the divide be,
tween the main BraZos on the south ana
the Big Wichita on the north, covering the
caapped, barren red bluffs known as the
NaIrows, SO narrow at three short places
that two wagons could not pass.
Knox county is generally poor and bro
ken, but fair for. grazing. The water
in some creeks bears the suggestive
name of Croton, but we found no ill effects
from its free use. King county, next west,
is very fair. In its west part we lett tne
south fork of Big Wichita, with its beauti-
full valley, in which is Gardeners rancho,
crossed divide and fell into the fine valley
of Duck creek, tributary OF the Brazos at
Browning Bros. rancho, thence west 10
thirty miles below this camp, where we en-,
tered the Yellow House valley, on the ola
| Griffin and Fort Sumner road. We followed
valleys and crossed secondary ridges, I'M
der and always neac the foothills or east
ern bluffs of the plains. -Four miles from
Brownlng's is fine stream and spring, and
at nine miles we came TO DOCK
um's store, rancho and pcst-otfce,
in the west part of Dickens county, on
South Duck, noble stream led by springs.
Dickens is IL fine county. From Seymour
to Dockum's the prairie dogs are SO IN
Vulnerable as to seriously injure the grass.
| Seven miles from Dockum's we cross ridge
and enter the valley. of the Rio Blanco or
| Catfish creek, il Crosby county, splendid
stream, Just below its emergence from the
Blanco canon, through which it passes rom
its source on the plains III FLOYD county.
| At this camp, on the afternoon OF the Ith,
we had a two-hours rain-storm, with heavy
falls of hail for an hour. Thence we passed
McDonald's creek, a salt creek, almost
dry, several small streams, and in the
southwest part of Crosby entered the lovely
valley of Yellow House, at the mouth Of
one Of many crystal spring branches run
ming into it throughout its course, pure
cold water everywhere. ALI III all, CROSBY
Splendid grass everywhere, on hill, mount,
ain and valley, plenty OF good water and
sufficient tire-wood and stone.
i Travelling up this valley, generally or
the plains, near the bluff, we soon entered
Lubbock county near its southeast cor
ner and followed its course north
west, first passing the, rahcht
of Gholson, then OF hldnel protherS'
Nine miles below we passed the rancho o.
Williams, an Albanian, with 1850 Cali
fornian sheep. Here we find Robert Fous
sett, a California lrishman, with SUI hnt
sheep from that state. Forty miles above
at the extreme handspring OF this the
Longest tributary of the Brazos, the Broth
ers Cousey have rancho and are also pro-
fessionaI.buflalo hunters.
On the afternoon of the 18th a cold
norther came up and continued till late last
night. From before day till sunset on the
18th snow fell almost continuously, but did
not accumulate much. yesterday
was very cold and this morning
ice was nearly three-iourths Of an inch ~
thickness; but the sun shines cheerily and
we have a charming day. In tins snap we
have virtually had no wood, but iound a
good substitute in buffalo," or vegetable
coal.
Lubbock is is a good county, entirely on
the plains, but scarce of water, except along
this stream and its tributaries. AS the iall
and winter have been unusually dry we
expect much difficulty in finding water on
the plains, where all OF our work will be-
Though game is scarce we have feasted on
turkey, fish, venison and buffalo meat.
In the northwest corner of Crosby is o
Quaker colony of twelve families, from
| Ohio, and a new pOst-OLlCe called LsIao..dV
twenty miles from here. We leave letter.
with Mr. FUssett TO be sent there when
chance offers.
After running line from q monument
here seventeen and half miles south, y
degrees west, our work will actually begir
on the southeast corner mound OF the STATE
cabitol lands, in Hockey county.
! have no word from Dallas later thar
March %. Health splendid.
There is no post-ofiice in the entire fielc
Of our labors, aud our dependence is on thu
cow. boys. Truly, j. II. Il.