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Texas: the Rise, Progress, and Prospects of the Republic of Texas ...
Texas the Rise Progress and Prospects of the Republic of Texas Author:William Kennedy Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. General character of the Sea-coast on the Gulf of Mexico— The Coast of Texas until lately almost unknown to Navigators —Sand-bars, Islets, and Lag... more »oons— Alluvial Accumulations and Encroachments of the Land on the Gulf—Sabine Bay and its Tributaries—Red River of Natchitoches—Galveston Bay and its Tributaries—San Luis Harbour—Brazos River and its Tributaries—San Bernard and Old Caney—The Bays of Ma- tagorda, La Baca, Espiritu Santo, Aransas and Corpus Christi, with their Tributaries—Laguna del Madre—Rio Grande del Norte—Fresh Water Lakes and Ponds—Sudden Disappearance of small Streams — Average Supply of Water — Difference between the Rivers on the Eastern side and those Westward of the Rocky Mountains. The sea-coast of Texas, until settlers from the United States attracted commerce to the country, was almost unfrequented by mariners. " The In- tendancy of San Luis," says Humboldt, " comprehends more than 230 leagues of sea coast, but without commerce, and without activity, with the exception of a few small vessels which come from the West Indies to lay in provisions, either at the bar of Tampico near Panuco, or at the anchorage of New Santander. That part which extends from the mouth of the Rio Grande del Norte to the River Sabine is almost still unknown, and has never been examined by navigators. It would be of great importance, however, to discover a good port on this northern extremity of the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, the eastern coast of New Spain offers every where the same obstacles—a want of depth for vessels drawing more than twelve feet six inches of water—bars at the mouths of the rivers—necks of land and long islets, of which the direction is parallel to that of the continent. The shore of the provinces of New Santander and Texas, from the 21 to the...« less