EXTENT OF TEXAS. 111 by any country in the world; but it is very much out of the way, the first settlers having placed themselves as far from a market as possible; there is, as I am told, no means of conveying their produce, either by land or water, to any place where purchasers are likely to be found, and this is a very serious drawback to prosperity. If they manage to struggle through their difficulties for a year or two, they will, in all probability, after that, enjoy the necessaries of life in abundance; but, in the wilderness in which they have pitched their tents, their labour will never make them rich. There can be no doubt that at some future time Texas will become one of the wealthiest states of the union it has upwards of three hundred miles of coast bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, and it extends in a north-westerly direction for nearly seven hundred miles till it is bounded by the lower ranges of the rocky mountains. From that elevated region down to the Gulf of Mexico, the surface of the country presents a gradually inclined plane, which is watered by several large rivers, running parellel to each other, and about sixty miles apart. The state of Texas covers an area of nearly five hundred thousand square miles, and there is every reason to believe that no other country in the world can surpass it in the productiveness of its soil, and in the salubrity of its climate. It contains three distinct sections of 112 ACCOUNT OF TEXAS. country, each of which differs singularly from the others, in regard to climate, soil, and surface. They are called the low, the rolling, and the hilly countries. The first of these is the country bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, and extending inland to a distance of from fifty to seventy miles: its surface is perfectly level, and its soil generally is a rich alluvial deposit of the most productive nature. The climate of this part of the country is decidedly unhealthy for Europeans, and its lands can be cultivated by slave labour alone. This level tract is succeeded by the rolling prairies, so called from the surface being gently undulating, like the waves of the sea; and this section extends from one hundred and fifty to three hundred miles-in short, as far as the Red River on the north, and on the north-west to the spurs of the rocky mountains, which constitute the third, or hilly region. It is the middle division, or rolling country, which (as I have before said) unites within itself the mighty advantages of richness of soil and healthiness of climate: moreover, the beauty of its scenery is very worthy of remark. The general appearance of the prairies is that of a fine English park, beautifully diversified with wood and pasture land, the latter being embellished by an endless variety of flowering plants. But you will be tired of hearing so much of the wild unsettled state of Texas. The ACCOUNT OF TEXAS. 113 greater part of this interesting and beautiful country is still uninhabited, and it will, doubtless, be many years before the riches which are contained in what is now a wilderness and a desert, shall be brought to light by the hand of man, and properly and duly appreciated. We are now preparing for an excursion into the interior, so I shall send off my letter to New Orleans to be forwarded to you. LETTER XXXII. EXPEDITION TO NEW WASHINGTON-DOMESTIC LIFE A New Washington-January. MONG the many kind invitations which we have received, was one from Colonel Mthe proprietor of a large estate up the country, called New Washington. Our friend has taken an active and distinguished part in the Texan struggle for independence, and is not a little mortified by the turn which affairs have taken, and by the merging of the Lone Star' in the stars and stripes of the Union. Colonel M- was on his way up to his own place, which is situated at the head of the bay of Galveston, and about thirty-five miles from the island, so that our journey was to be performed by water; and we were also to have among our party both the ex-Charge d'Affaires, and the English Minister; the latter of whom was bound for Washington, and had hired a light car EXPEDITION TO NEW WASHINGTON. 115 riage and a pair of horses to convey him across the dreary swamps of the Brazos Bottom.' We We were all on board at sunset, and happily the weather was fine, so that we were enabled to take up our station on the balcony, in the stern of the vessel. A river steamer in Texas is never a very pleasant thing to inhabit, nor were the charms of ours increased by her being forced to contain a good many more passengers than, when originally constructed, she was intended to carry. Still, all we saw was amusing from its novelty, so, as the bright moon shone clearly out on the frosty night, we wrapped ourselves up in our cloaks, and defied discomfort of any kind either to depress our spirits or to affect our tempers. I must admit, however, that on such occasions as these there are some things rather trying to the best constituted minds, and among them I shall mention first the loud breathing (I use a mild term) of the sleeping passengers around us, and, secondly, the evils entailed upon unfortunate travellers by the use of two, and even of one, pronged forks. To the indigenous inhabitants of the country this last evil is a matter of perfect indifference, as they generally use a knife par préference, but to us, who are less ingenious in the art of using the latter article, the inconvenience is very great. Salt spoons were also a luxury as yet unknown in Texas, they having hitherto travelled no further south than New Or |