TO WASHINGTON. 529 
it, and making far up into the land, is Nueces Bay, 
about ten miles long and five wide, which receives at 
its head the Nueces River. This river has its rise in 
the Guadalupe Mountains about three hundred miles 
distant. The stream, which is deep, narrow, and rapid, 
with very steep banks, is navigable for small boats, 
about forty miles from its mouth; and with some im- 
provement the navigation might be extended to the 
point of confluence with the Rio Frio, its principal 
tributary. The latter has a course of about one hun- 
dred and fifty miles, and has for its tributaries the San 
Miguel, Atascoco, La Parida, and Tordillo rivers. The 
San Miguel is about one hundred and twenty miles in 
length, and runs nearly parallel with the Rio Frio. The 
Laguna, the Leona, the Arroyo Saco, and the Arroyo 
de Uvalde, are also branches of this stream—the last 
named “being formed of nearly a hundred springs of 
erystal water, that gush from the munificent soil of the 
valley, which is headed by a singularly difficult defile, 
named the Cafion de Uvalde.” West of Corpus Christi 
Bay, several small streams enter the Laguna del Madre, 
among them the Agua Dulce, Las Pintas, San Fernando, 
Santa Gertrude, Los Olmos, and Escondida. Most of 
these we passed in crossing from the Rio Grande; but 
the water in them was so low that we hardly recog- 
nised them as running streams, and some were entirely 
dry. 
The land near Corpus Christi is very fertile. Groups 
and belts of timber are found near the coast; but after 
leaving this, a vast undulating prairie extends from the. 
Nueces to within three or four miles of the Rio Grande. 
This plain is covered with the richest grass, and abounds 
VOL. IL—384 
