528 CORPUS CHRISTI 
CHAPTER XLY. 
CORPUS CHRISTI TO WASHINGTON. 
Corpus Christi—Its fine position—Geographical features of the country— 
Nueces Bay and River—A norther—Its effects on the fish in the lagu- 
nas—Leave Corpus Christi in an open boat—Shallow bays and lagunas 
of the Gulf—Vast numbers of water-fowl—Bays of Aransas and Espiri- 
tu Santo—Reach Decrow’s Point—Matagorda Bay and its commerce— 
‘Embark for New Orleans—Galveston—Arrival at New Orleans—YV oy- 
age up the Mississippi, and by way of Louisville, Cincinnati, Cleveland, 
Buffalo, and Albany to Providence—Arrival at home—Proceed te 
Washington. 
THE town of Corpus Christi is more pleasantly situated 
than any place I had yet seen on the Gulf of Mexico, 
having the advantage of a bluff from eighty to one 
hundred feet high above the shores of the Gulf. The 
‘business portion of the town stands chiefly on the 
beach below ; but the bluff is now being covered with 
dwelling houses, and is by far the most pleasant situa- 
tion. Like other places on the northern shores of the 
Gulf, it is separated from the sea by a broad bay. 
Here there is plenty of water; but on the bar which 
connects it with the Gulf there is only about six feet. 
Corpus Christi Bay is about forty miles from north to 
south, and twenty from east to west. Connected with 
