and a stiff blueish clay, interlaid at intervals of three or four feet, to the depth of thirty, and finally resting on a substratum of rock sand; the prairies a black, greasy clay, interlaid at intervals of about ten feet with a very stiff blueish marl. The latter are the true characteristics of the substrata of what is called "the alluvial country," which extends along the sea-coast, from the Sabine river to the Rio Grande, and to about eighty miles, on an average, towards the interior, whence the land begins to rise, and at once assumes the character here given to that portion of the country; and finally, the peculiar construction of the still more elevated soil, both sub and surface, present themselves to view, as also described.

The physical construction of the atmosphere, and other natural causes, render the prairies in the lower parts of Texas, along the sea coast, worse than useless for two-thirds of the year; year; and the prospective productiveness of the upper sections of the country, somewhat problematical. The rivers and water courses of Texas are remarkably numerous, occurring at almost every ten miles throughout the country; but relying as they do on the rains of winter, spring, and autumn, and on solar influence in summer, for their waters, they afford but few facilities for navigation, assuming during the first-named seasons the character of impetuous torrents, overflowing their banks, frequently forsaking their old, and taking an entire fresh course

during the general inundation; while in summer the largest rivers seldom exceed three feet in depth, and their tributaries become quite dry, so that in the latter season the traveller is obliged to carry a supply of water for himself and horse from river to river: whereas in winter, spring, and autumn, he meets an "unfordable torrent" at every ten miles.

The streams east of the Brazos river rise in the "immense levels in the north," stretching from east to west for two or three hundred miles; but these streams do not assume the ordinary character of rivers of the fourth magnitude, until they reach the southern confines of the levels, whence they are vastly augmented by the natural drainage of these plains, that are elevated considerably above the marshes, through which the eastern rivers of Texas flow.

The surface strata of the earth, in this section of the country, consist chiefly of red clay, as I have already described, and a substratum of rock sand, from which issue the clearest waters. They, however, in the earliest stage of their meanderings through the swamps, lose their native purity, and borrowing from the vast variety of the strata of the marshes much gross and earthy matter, they assume a variety of colours, and towards the latter part of their career become almost pestilential.

The Sabine river, the extreme eastern boundary of Texas, rises in latitude 33° north, and di

vides Texas from the United States. The waters of this stream, after meandering through a vast region of swamp, assume a greyish colour, and finally discharge themselves into Sabine Bay. The Sabine river varies in width from 40 to 100 yards, and is unnavigable, owing to the innumerable sandbars, which commence at its mouth, and re-occur at short intervals throughout its course.

The Neches river rises about 80 miles north and 100 west of the source of the Sabine, from which it differs but little in width, depth, and other respects; its navigation being obstructed by similar impediments.

The Trinity or Trinidad river rises in the most elevated part of the "immense levels," lat. 30° 35′ north, and after meandering through a great extent of thickly wooded country, discharges itself into Galveston Bay. The waters of the Trinity are of a blueish colour, and are, if any thing, more gross and earthy than the waters of the Sabine. It is, however, navigable, from its mouth, for nearly 300 miles; but its mouth is almost inaccessible, owing to the prevailing shallowness and sand bars of Galveston Bay; yet its navigation is susceptible of great improvement. Its width varies from 100 to 250 yards, and its depth from three to forty feet, according to the season.

The San Jacinto River is an insignificant stream, famous only among the Texans for the successful

surprise of the Mexican army under Santa Anna by General Houston.

Buffalo Bayou rises in the "immense levels," in about 31° 30′ north. There is no motion visible in the waters of Bayou for nearly two-thirds of the year, which is supposed to render its banks most insalubrious. Its astonishing depth, from its mouth as high as the city of Houston, affords abundant facilities for steam navigation, which is now carried on by three companies; and the constant passing of steam-boats to and fro, by giving motion to its waters, will help to purify them. In its course it forms many acute angles, which renders its navigation very difficult, but not less beautiful and interesting. After a course of about 100 miles, it mingles its waters with those of the San Jacinto, and several other small streams that empty themselves into Galveston Bay on the north.

The Brazos river rises in the Rocky Mountains in the north-west: and after collecting the waters of many tributary streams from the same source, it keeps an easterly course for about 200 miles, when gradually inclining to the south, making innumerable windings and acute angles, it empties itself into the Gulf of Mexico, after a course of about 800 miles. The waters of the Brazos, though originally as pure as the waters of every mountain stream, soon become impregnated with much earthy matter, and taking a reddish colour from the strata

of the earth, that indicates the existence of a portion of oxyde of iron of the most recent formation, and which adds novelty and beauty to the landscape, as seen from its margins; but, notwithstanding that its banks are high and bold, it frequently overflows them, and so inundates the whole country around for many miles.

The Bernard, Cedar, Caney, Live Oak, and Bigboogy rivers, and Oyster Creek, are all perfectly dry during the summer, and being too narrow to afford any facilities for navigation at any other season, they do not require a minute description.

The Colorado river in Western Texas rises in lat. 32° north; pursuing a north-easterly course for upwards of 100 miles, it winds round the foot of the San Saba mountains, and thence takes a south-east course. Passing over a substratum of soft white marl, its waters assume a whitish hue, which they preserve throughout the remainder of their course, of 150 or 200 miles, when they discharge themselves into Matagorda Bay.

The Navidad, and other small rivulets that rise between the Colorado and the San Antonio rivers, together with the tributaries of the latter and Guadalupe river resemble the small streams of Eastern Texas, being totally dry during the summer.

The rivers Guadalupe and San Antonio are at all times very narrow, and particularly shallow in summer, but more impetuous at other seasons than the streams of Eastern Texas of the same magnitude.