CHAPTER IV. 



LOWER RIO BRAVO. 



BEAZOS SAKTIAGO AXD JIOUTH OF EIO BEAVO AS POETS OF LNTRT.— POLNT ISABEL.— PALO ALTO.— BESACA DE LA P VUIA.— C0.V8T 

 HUEEICAXES.- TIJIBERED BELT.-COraTEY ATEST OF EIO NUECES— MUSTANGS. -BUREITA.-BEOW.NSVILLE.-FILLIBUSTEEiNa! 



S-OSA.— EIXGCOLD BAEEACKS.— E03IA.— POPULATIOX.- ISLANDS.— RIO SALADO AXD BELLEVILLE.— LOEEDO.—UAPIDS.—FOnT 



BUKCAN.— SPAXISII RULE A2iD JIISSIO.NS. AMALGAJIATIOX OF RACES.— DEVIL's RITEU.— NAVIGATIO.N. CAjIOSd. 



STATISTICS . mSTAXCES. 



SIDE 



The general view wlncli I have attempted to sketch of the region traversed bj the boundary, 

 will prepare the reader for the more minute description of the different sections of the country, 

 and the individual reports of the assistants. It will not be convenient to arrann-e these sections 

 in the order in which the work was pursued, nor to follow th'e order in which the general view 

 .was presented, commencing on the Pacific, and ending on the Gulf of Mexico. The order has 

 been reversed. The first section embraces the lower Rio Bravo, from its mouth up to its junction 

 with Devil's river ; the second, the Rio Bravo, from the mouth of Devil's river to the initial 

 point of the treaty of 1853, in the parallel of 31° 47' ; the third, the line west to the intersec- 

 tion of the 111th meridian; the fourth, the line thence to the Pacific. 



It will be remembered that I stated in the Personal Account, that in the year 1852 while 

 engaged under the old commission^ I found it necessary to suspend the work after brinf^-inff it 

 as far down the river as Loredo. The following year/ under a new appropriation by Congress 

 and a new organization, I sailed from New Orleans in the month of May, in a miserable steamer 

 for the mouth of the Eio Bravo, accompanied by a well organized party, with a complete set of 

 instruments, camp equipage, &c. In crossing the Gulf, the sea was happily smooth, and it was 

 not until we neared the coast and encountered the trade winds, which blow there almost cease- 

 lessly from the southeast, that it became very rough. The steamer did not enter the mouth of 

 the Rio Bravo, but steered her course towards the Brazos Santiago, eight miles up the coast. 

 It was a long time before a pilot could be got on board, and then we were informed the sea was 

 running so high on the bar, it was impossible to cross, and we were reduced to the necessity of 

 lying ^^ off and on'' until the sea ran down. The captain gave orders to the mate to put the 

 vessel's head to sea and stand out until day-break, under easy steam, and, w^ith the pilot, went 

 to sleep. The mate, a silly young man, addicted to intemperance, had made several remarks 

 which destroyed my confidence in him, and having much at stake in the safety of the vessel I 

 did not go to bed. It was fortunate I did not, for, while dozing on the upper deck, I was 

 gradually aroused by a roaring, seething sound, and on looking forward, saw that we were goin^ 

 head on to the breakers. There was no time to wake the captain, and I gave the alarm to the 

 man at the wheel, and ran to the engineer to make him put on all steam. For many moments 

 it was doubtful if the vessel could be got round. By great exertion, however, the steam was 

 raised, and she barely escaped what appeared to be inevitable destruction. 



