The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 54

Tiexas Historical Association Quarterly.

I go ashore and kill two fine fat turkies-catch a fish weighing
about 20 lbs-live well while these last-fourth day we have sunk
so that half our deck is under water-meet a canoe bound for
Harrisburg send word for speedy assistance-same day meet the
Schr. Pomona from Orleans for the same Port Send further in-
telligence of our distress.
Sunday-floating along. Sun beaming down upon us with
almost intolerable violence land-our dog discovers a large rattle
snake in the high grass-set fire to it-the wind rises and very
soon the prairie for a considerable distance is one conflagration
forming a truly appalling spectacle! in about half an hour great
numbers of crows daws hawks and other carnivorous birds are
hovering over this scene of destruction ready to devour the various
animals found, ready roasted-a large alligator swims close up to
the raft lands among the rushes-attacks our dog which escapes-
fire two guns at him without any other effect than to drive him
off-the fifth night after a day of toilsome labours land and lie
down to rest-about midnight are roused by human voices-are
boarded by Captn. Lindsay and Edward who had left Harrisburg
that same evening at 8 o'clock and paddled a canoe 19 miles our
whole distance in a voyage of five days--by this time our whole
raft is under water except the two ends where boards were piled
next day by hard labour against a strong wind reach the San
Jacinto-1 mile from where we were overtaken-at this place is
kept a ferry by Mr. Lynch-very hospitable and kind Yankees1
acquaintances of Mr. Loring of Cin: here the surrounding coun-
try is very flat and void of timber immediately on the waters-
we make our raft fast to a drifted tree and get into a yawl make
for the landing and go to cooking supper-a heavy S. E. gale
springs up-the tide rises several feet in a very short time and
carries away our raft waves are rolling 3 or 4 ft in height-
we all 5 in number man our boat and come up with the raft
driving rapidly before the wind we jump on board waves dash-
ing 2 or 3 feet over it a number of our logs are torn loose-
are unable to get her ashore-our oars become unmanageable but
one-are driven into old river-succeed in getting her behind a
:Perhaps the writer of the diary is thinking of Mr. and Mrs. Lynch. Cf.
p. 57, below.