The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 76

Texas Historical Association Quarterly.

and complete ampitheatre 6 or 7 miles in diameter, within which
nearly the whole plain is a rich and productive soile and may be
watered at any time of the year by canals of little expense from
the San Antonio river-and certainly there never was a stream
better calculated for the purpose of manufacturing machinery-
but all is in the possession of a people too ignorant and indolent
for enterprise and too poor and dependent were they otherwise
capacitated. Begin to understand the "common parlance" of the
place tolerably well. Landlady and girls most willing to assist
me-am asked all about my country-how far to it-how many
relations I have-what religion they profess-tell them some were
Roman Catholics-greatly delighted. By the by this family are
pretty strict in the observance of their forms-repetitions of "Our
fathers"-"Ave Marias"-"Credos" etc for indeed the religion of
this place is understood by very few if any as a gracious affection
of the heart and soul but a mere requisition of personal mortifi-
cation in form of penances etc. Old lady very anxious to know
when I would visit her country again-tell her perhaps in two or
three years-informs me by that time her prettiest daughter will
be marriageable and wished I would bring her some Jewelry with
me-gives me a brass ring with a blue glass sett as a remembrance
from her daughter whose delicate fingers at the same time were
ornamented with more than one of gold-put it carefully in my
pocket however, seemingly much flattered by the distinguished
compliment.
On the evening of 3rd October leave San Antonio for Sanfelipe
on the Brassos. Mr. Gregg having started some days previous with
a company Father, Doctr. Patrick, Captn. Lindsay Myself and a
traveller forming our Company. As we ascend the hill one mile
from town look back and behold the sun taking his departure
also behind the western hills-not a cloud to hinder the warm
greeting of his farewell beams-the evening was as tranquil and
serene as I ever witnessed-our hearts danced within us and our
mouths spoke the gladness thereof-not even the great distance
the toils and dangers that lay between us and our homes-could
lessen the joyousness of our feelings-for we felt for the first
time that the slow measured steps of our horses were now bearing
us toward the land we loved best. Camp about 8 miles from town
where we overtake a large company with silver and mules for