The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 69
341 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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J. C. Clopper's Journal and Book of Memoranda for 1828. 69
ing with deer bear mustang etc--we then traverse a barren broken
country for five or six miles, when we enter upon what is here
called Musquite prairie-this is a very thin soil producing a short
delicate nutritious grass-the Musquite tree seems to be a species
of the honey locust, bearing a resemblance in the leaf and produc-
ing a long delicate thorn-also a sweet pod, in shape like that of
the small black-eyed pea-the trunk and growth of the branches
are more after the form and appearance of the peach-and indeed
at a distance the whole prairie or country seems like one immense
peach orchard-now on the decline having outlived Earth's giant
race who strode over this region dropping a seed at every 10-
yard-stride. The first appearance of this tree in travelling west-
ward from the States is at Peach Creek near Gonzales-we cross
the Salou1 a small stream within five miles of San Antonio-
Musquite prairie continues the earth here is covered with small
smooth grey flint stones from an ounce to two or three pounds in
size-the land is ascending for a couple of miles when we are on
an exceeding high country-two miles further and we come to a
Spanish fort and magazine commenced some years since and left
unfinished-this stands on the summit of the circular ridge within
one mile of San Antonio commanding a view of the town and the
vast plain on which it stands-from this spot San Antonio has a
very striking resemblance to one of Uncle Sam's handsomest and
largest country villages-the curious traveller feels stimulated to
urge on his jaded steed satisfied from this first blush that he shall
be transported with a nearer view of its proportions its lofty
domes-its elegant simplicity and natural beauties-he hurriedly
descends the eminence in a fever of body and mind-comes to a
little canal which he beholds with rapture extending itself abroad
o'er the thirsty land and watering beautifully verdant and flour-
ishing fields of corn-enters a regular avenue of huge cotton wood
trees-thinks of the grand Avenue leading to U. Sam's house-
asks who it was who so slandered this people by saying that they
are but little superior to the lowest grade of the human family-
surely the labour and utility of these canals-the beauty and taste
displayed in the planting of this avenue is a flat contradiction to
it all-he passes on-thro' the midst of this friendly shade--on
the right stands a massy pile of ruins-for what purpose were
'Salado.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910, periodical, 1910; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101051/m1/77/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.