138 DELAWARE CREEK 
A few general remarks on the country we have 
passed over seem proper here. From Indianola to 
San Antonio there is an excellent road, with wood, 
water, and grass in abundance, except between India- 
nola and Victoria, where there is but little wood.  Par- 
ties should therefore provide themselves with fuel 
before starting. The soil here is admirably adapted 
to agriculture. From San Antonio to Fredericksburg, 
the road is very stony a portion of the way, the 
remainder good. The soil is excellent. Wood, water, 
and grass are always found at convenient distances, 
and in abundance. The soil continues of a good 
quality until the San Saba is reached ; from that river 
to the north fork of Brady’s Creek it is not so good. 
The grass is generally light to the latter place, with 
less wood and water, though enough for parties travel 
ling. We now begin to get on the great table-land 
of Texas, where there is little rain and a poor soil. 
Several small streams emptying into the Colorado of 
the Concho here intersect the road, on the immediate 
banks of which there are a few trees. But the inter- 
mediate country is destitute of timber, save a very few 
small oaks or mezquit. The grass too is poor, except 
near the water courses. On leaving the head waters 
of the Concho, nature assumes a new aspect. Here 
trees and shrubs disappear, except the thorny chapporal 
of the deserts; the water courses all cease, nor 40€5 
any stream intervene until the Rio Grande is reached, 
350 miles distant, except the muddy Pecos, which, 
rising in the Rocky Mountains near Santa Fé, crosses 
the great desert plain west of the Llano Estacado, 
Staked Plain. From the Rio Grande to the waters of 
