Texas: the rise, progress, and prospects of the Republic of Texas, Vol.1 Page: 92 of 432
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40
TEXAS.
[BOOK I.
with St. Joseph's (as will be seen by inspecting the map),
are so situated as to pass between therm, and to give direction
to the greater part of the current coursing down the
bay, and thereby to lessen its original effect in scouring the
sands forming the bar at the entrance east of Pelican
Island, which bar is made by the action of the south
and south-west winds upon the waters of the gulf. A third
shoal, making out from the extreme west point of the
peninsula, may be adduced as an additional cause operating
to produce the before-mentioned effect. This last shoal is
formed by sands thrown up from the bay by the north and
north-east winds, and by those thrown up from the gulf by
south and south-east winds, as well as by the blowing of
sand left dry at the ebb-tide on the beaches bordering both
the bay and gulf. It is so protected by the peculiar form
and position of the point of the peninsula from violent
abrasions, either by currents or swells, and by the eddy
created over it, during the flow and ebb of the tides, that it
is enlarging much more rapidly than any other obstruction
to navigation affecting the said eastern entrance.
" The growth of these obstructions will probably stop the
passage of the water through that channel entirely. From
a close studcly of the peculiar operation of the currents and
winds, as developed by the perceptible change now takingo
place in the form of the west point of the peninsula, I am
induced to believe that the bay, in former times, entered the
gulf much to the east of its present debouhek, for the action
of all causes of sufficient importance to affect the water may
tend to stretch the peninsula towards the west: indeed, I
have been informed by gentlemen who entered the bay some
seventeen years ago, that at that time the main channel was
situated one-third of the distance from Decrow's house to
the sand hammocks near the present end of the peninsula
above ordinary low water mark. It was furthermore remarked,
that Pelican Island, which at present is large
enough to afford safe and ample protection to all vessels
anchoring under its lee, was then about as large as Red
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Kennedy, William. Texas: the rise, progress, and prospects of the Republic of Texas, Vol.1, book, January 1, 1841; London. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2389/m1/92/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.