38 THE NAUTILUS. 



series of shells were found which are in my cabinet as yet unnamed. 

 They seem to be a perfect connecting link between Q. aurea, hous- 

 toneiisis, and pustulata. We were fortunate enough to find a couple 

 of Q. ckujui, Lea. Tlii« is the river in which the types were 

 obtained and the specimens were typical in every respect. Tliis 

 shell is a very rare species, and one sadly abused. Whenever a 

 uniologist gets a sliell belonging to the group headed by Q. trigona, 

 and about whose name he is in doubt, he at once dubs it Q. chain. 

 I may be rather harsh on nij brother uniologists, but these two shells 

 are my only cininii to date. 



The next day we were at Nacogdoches, Texas. Here we saw the 

 celebrated " Stone Fort," an ancient structure over whose walls the 

 flags of seven governments have floated. How many of my readers 

 must plead guilty, as I did, of never having heard of the Republic of 

 Fredonia?' The full history of this structure was given us by Mr. 



• 'In April, 1825, Hayden Edwards made a contract with the government ot 

 Mexico for the introduction of 800 families into Texas. They were to settle in 

 the neighborhood of Nacogdoches, and be provided with lands under the gen- 

 eral colonization law. The location proved unfortunate. Nacogdoches had 

 been settled many years, partly by Mexicans and partly by a roving class of 

 people who had a prejudice against the Anglo-Americans. When the colonists 

 selected their lands and commenced improving, some older claimant would 

 appear. The courts were appealed to, but would invariably decide in favor of 

 the Mexican constituents. These conditions continued until finally (1826) the 

 Mexican governor of the province decreed the annulment of the contract and 

 the expulsion of Edwards and his brother from the territory. But Edwards 

 had expended several thousand dollars in this enterprise, and his colonists too 

 had expended considerable in building their homes. The Indians (principally 

 Cherokees) also had settled near-by under the provisions of the colonization lav^-s, 

 and being greatly dissatisfied, allied themselves with the Edwards colonists, 

 who, assuming the name of Fredonians, declared their independence of Jlexico. 

 They proceeded at once to organize a legislative committee composed of eight 

 Americans and five Indians. Learning that Col. Bean was preparing to resist 

 their movements, they took possession of the old stone fort. Norris, the de- 

 posed Mexican Alcalde, collected some friends and on Jan. 4, 1827, entered the 

 town ; they were attacked by the Americans and Indians and driven off with a 

 loss of one killed and several -wounded. The Fredonians were sadly disap- 

 pointed in not receiving the co-operation of the Austin colonists, who joined 

 the 200 soldiers sent from San Antonio to suppress the infant republic. Seeing 

 the hopelessness of maintaining the Rejiublie of Fredonia, Major Edwards and 

 his forces retired across the Sabine into the United States and disbanded. 



We are indebted to Mr. Askew for the above notes from Thrall's History of 

 Texas. — Editors. 



