XViii INTRODUCTION. 
the day before were still, now rushed at a rapid rate toward. 
the Gulf. About two o’clock in the afternoon, we reached 
Houston, completely drenched, and were soon afterwards in- 
troduced to the President General Houston, who received us 
kindly, and offered us horses and men to assist us in our re- 
searches. The town was crowded with hundreds of Indians, 
only a few of whom were sober. Although here and there 
eroups of great interest to the painter might be seen, their 
howlings and gesticulations were by no means pleasing. The 
beautiful level plain on the margin of which Houston is situ- 
ated, was covered with water ankle deep. Having seen all 
that was thought interesting, and offered the President as well 
as all the officers of his Staff my best thanks, we returned to 
our yawl, and floating on the accumulated waters, flew as it 
were down the stream. Several days were afterwards spent 
in rambling as much as possible over the country, and among 
other places, we visited the battle-ground of San Jacinto, where 
we saw scattered the remains of numerous individuals de- 
stroyed in that bloody fray. 
On our way towards “ Red-Fish Bar,” we stopped two days 
at the hospitable mansion of Colonel James Morean, who re- 
ceived us in the most friendly manner. This spot, possessing 
a fine extent of woodland, surrounded by vast prairies, orna- 
mented with numerous detached groves, reminded us of some 
of the beautiful parks of England. There, among other rari- 
ties, we procured a fine specimen of the climbing Rattle-snake 
with recurved fangs, which, along with several others of the 
same kind, is now in my possession. 
On the 18th of May, we bade adieu to the Texas, amid the 
salutes of the several armed Texian vessels at Galveston, and 
