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ADAPTATION OF THE COUNTRY FOR A RAILWAY. 565 
ADAPTATION OF THE COUNTRY FOR A RAILWAY. 
Brief remarks on the Geography of the countries traversed by the Boun- 
dary Commission, and upon their adaptation Jor a Railroad connecting 
the Atlantic with the Pacific. 
From the Rio Grande eastward, between the parallels of 30 
and 34 north latitude, lies the great plateau of Texas,* extend- 
ing more than three hundred miles. Further north it is known 
as the Llano Estacado, or Staked Plain. This broad district 
is destitute of forest trees and shrubbery, except along the 
immediate margin of the water-courses. The belt of forest 
even here is exceedingly limited, being often confined to the 
very banks, and never extending a hundred yards from the 
Stream. In this region the Red River, the Brazos, and the 
Colorado have their rise ; but it is not until they have coursed 
for some hundreds of miles that their banks present any con- 
siderable extent of bottom land with its accompanying forests. 
As they descend from the high table, the valleys expand, the 
land becomes more fertile, luxuriant valleys appear, and for- 
ests of oaks extend for miles, : 
The plateau bears but little grass, and this a short stunted 
variety, which, after rains, shoots rapidly up, and as speedily | 
becomes dry, affording but little sustenance. Without water 
and grass this arid belt is an effectual barrier to the progress 
of the buffalo, which otherwise would cover in myriads the 
plains of Lower Texas. 
* A large portion of this desert plateau is now included within the territory 
of New Mexico, having been transferred to the United States by purchase. 
