The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931 Page: 250
359 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Blackfort which stands at the distance of half a mile from the
town.
30th. We are quartered in the city very comfortably. This
morning I rode out to visit Gen. Aristas residence and garden. It
occupies a square in the western end of the city. The house is
new, large, airy and convenient, but built in the Spanish or Moor-
ish stile of architecture which illy accords with our notions of the
elegant. The garden will be, for it is only commenced, if the pro-
jectors design is carried out, a chif de ouvre of taste, luxury and
art. On either hand as you enter the garden is a fine jet de au of
stone. The basins are cement polished smoothe, and white as
marble. Around these, with admirable taste are arranged flower
vases of different patterns containing a great variety of flowering
and curious plants. In one place a single vase with some rare
plant, crowns a pedestal. In another they are arranged on a low
wall, or form a pyramid of luxry and beauty. A stream of the
clearest water is conveyed through an aqueduct of stone throughout
the garden forming several falls in which thousands of beautiful
little fish are sporting. The sides of the avenues are lined with
orange, lime, lemon, fig, pomagranate, and peach trees, beside
many, the names of which I could not learn. Many beautiful and
singing birds are sporting among the boughs, among them I must
not forget to name our own sweet mocking bird, and the gay plumed
Oriole. As the new years present I send you, Ma, a rose which I
have just plucked from one of the vases. So many are anxious to
secure them that none are allowed to become fully blown.
News Years day - A happy new year to you My Dear Parents !
May the year just commenced be as happy and prosperous as I
wish - as you deserve, as happy as this day has been pleasant and
happy with me. I have just returned from a ride around the
southern and western end of the town. I visited the Bishops
Castle on an eminence at two miles distance from the town. The
Castle has not been inhabited for many years. It has been a place
of much architectural beauty and strength. I climed to the top in
order to survey the surrounding scene. What a panorama, of the
grand, sublime and beautiful! the soft and lovely! At my feet,
the town with its white walls and roofs gleaming in the warm
mellow sun light, of what I could scarce persuade myself was not250
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931, periodical, 1931; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101091/m1/266/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.