The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 67

J. C. Clopper's Journal and Book of Memoranda for 1828. 67
cipally a wild Sandy broken woodland country indifferently
watered, commencing with the Guadaloupe-a narrow but deep
and rapid stream-of great length and pure limpid waters. Gon-
zales stands on its banks-the Capital of Dewitt's Colony com-
posed of 6 or 7 log pens-two leagues westward of the Guadaloupe
runs De Witt's western boundary line-making the whole Colony
between 40 and 50 miles in breadth and 100 in length running
down to within 10 leagues of the sea coast--it contains a great
deal of beautiful country-high rolling and healthy tho but a
comparatively small portion is of great fertility. On the river
St. Marks, which empties into the Guadaloupe 3 miles above Gon-
zales there are many great mill seats the water power being very
great-this Colony contains but few settlers nor can. it be ex-
pected to flourish under its present Empresario-Col. De Witt.
This man has been raised among the pioneers of the western
states-is well acquainted with Indian manners customs and modes
of warfare-his has ever been an unrestrained life with regard
to morals and religion-his situations have necessarily exposed and
as it were compelled him to class and associate with those boll
independent and but too loose and dissipated tho' brave and daunt-
less Sons of Liberty-introductors of civilization. Yet has the
Col. been much in refined society-his education is considerable
and his natural powers of intellect strong and vigorous-suffi-
ciently so to render him well qualified for his station--but alAs
dissipation [and] neglectful indolence have destroyed his energies
and are rendering in a great measure abortive the efforts of his
colonizing assistants-he is tho' much of a gentleman and like his
most excellent Lady is very kind and hospitable to Strangers. To
our journey-we come to no more streams till we reach the
Sewully- (Buffalo river) fifty miles from the Guadaloupe-what
water lies between is only that which is found standing in deep
holes formed by drains or sluices by which the superabundant
waters are carried off in rainy seasons-these holes are 12-13 and
16 miles apart,-and between the two last named rivers the coun-
try is high and mostly sandy and thinly wooded-there is one
stretch of 8 or 9 miles which seems to be one immense hill of the
finest unmixed sand. I could compare our march thro' it to noth-

1Cfbolo.