LOWER RIO BRAYO 



55 



subo 



^t flt rulut. OT*»OU 



<) 



rderi 



with the precision of a fiehl tlaj exercise, showinj:^ horond all quo<5t5nn tlie utilify of niilifary 



education and discipline, and putting to rc<?t 



tt^icks on the Military Academr, 



possible to sustain 



longer. 



The general description of tliis part of the country will Apply er][ually to all the coast of 



mouth 



Matag*»rda bay 



It is well known to he a low, flat coast, with soundings diminishing regularly in dci>th as yon 

 approach the shore. The first shore-line is that of an island rnrying from sorac hundred yards 

 to several miles in width^ and penetrated at various points by inlets with shifting bars, few of 

 which are practicable for tlie entrance of evcii the HnmlloRt p^^a-^^ 'Ing craft. Srparaling this 

 from the main land are shallow lagoons, as variable in buadfh a^ the island which separafcfl 



them from the ocean. 



^Vhcn the army marched from Corpus Cliristi to Point Isabel, General Taylor attempted to 



transport his suj»p]ies by the lagoon s« parating the two jilaccs, but found it im]iract 

 with small boats. These lagoons abound in drlicions fish and f*>\vL 



Proceeding inward, the land bnrdering the lagoons is, in the fir^t ton or tuirify mib*« 

 usually a flat prairie, composed of nlluvial soil and F<^dimentary depnsilos of tlir *K*an 



cable ryon 



) 



in alternate layers, showing how 



G 



been 



^ 



y 



V 



X«s^Da below Lomita, fHteen miles above mouUi ot Rio Oravo del None. 



of the land upon the sea. The rivers taking their rise in the cretaceous formations, both 

 the sedimentary and alluvial deposites are heavily charged with lime, making the soil rich, 



y — oft 



as to destroy some descriptions of vegetation. Within 



of 



«K 



