Chap. I. ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG GERMAN. 439 
My friend added the following observations : — This coun- 
try was once covered with forest, which was destroyed by 
fires in the prairie, with the exception of those trees which 
had already reached a very considerable size, and therefore 
resisted the effects of the fire. Thus, the driftsands of the 
adjacent sandy regions had free access, and overflowed the 
humus on the surface. The woodlands were changed into 
a sandy desert, with some old scattered trees. The prairie- 
fires have ceased, since the increasing white population has 
driven back and partly exterminated the Indians, and a 
new growth of young wood has been formed, in addition to 
the old trees that remained after the fire. I learned, at 
the same time, that thick trunks of old trees are found 
everywhere in the large sandy Cactus region, between the 
Nueces and the Rio Grande ; that there, likewise, a strip 
„of humus is found under the sand layer on the surface, 
and that latterly there, too, a young vegetation of trees 
has begun to spring up, — phenomena which are explained 
in the same manner. 
I made several excursions in the neighbourhood with a 
young architect, whose wanderings during the space of four 
or five years border on the incredible. Mr. K. was a pupil 
of the Berlin Industrial School (Gewerbeschule), when the 
events of 1848 broke in upon his studies. He took part 
in several events at Berlin, left Prussia, passed through 
Austria to Hungary, and by way of Turkey to Rome. On 
his flight thence he went to Sicily, and thence to Tunis. 
He then crossed to Spain, travelled on foot through the 
Pyrensean peninsula and to France, embarked at Havre to 
Hamburgh, but deeming it not the most prudent course to 
remain there, he sailed for America. He landed at New 
York, took part in the expedition of General Lopez to 
Cuba, fled to Texas, and there joined the expedition of 
