Texas: the rise, progress, and prospects of the Republic of Texas, Vol.1 Page: 88 of 432

36

TEXAS.

[BOOK I.

and communicates to the north with Oyster Creek,
a stream that runs near the western part of Galveston
Bay, and opens to the gulf by an independent
mouth, less than two miles from Velasco.
The bar of the creek is covered with water, from
three to five feet in depth, according to the operation
of the wind.
So early as the year 1834 a small steam-boat
plied from the mouth of the Brazos to San Felipe
de Austin, the head-quarters of the first colony
from the United States, 150 miles from the sea by
the course of the river. Since that time the enterprise
of the settlers from the north has produced a
great comparative increase in the number of riversteamers.
The navigation of the Brazos requires
and is susceptible of much improvement; at present,
it presents obstacles to the ascent of steamers of
moderate size as high as Richmond, except during
the rise of the waters in the winter season.
The following minor tributaries enter the Brazos
from the east:-Marsh, Fish Pond, Clear, Ten Mile,
Bowman's, Peyton's, Fresh, Tahuacono, Bear, and
Aguila creeks; and from the west, Crow, Big, Mill,
Caney, New Year's, Elm, Pond, Davis, Cow,
Lake, and Towacaney creeks. The branches of
greater note are,-the Navosota, from the east, to
which there are four small tributary streams; the
Yagua, on the west, having a like number of
branches; the Little Brazos, with which four creeks
unite, from the east; the San Andres (or Little
River) from the west, of which, Sandy, Brushy,
San Gabriel, Clay's, Salado, Lampaces, and San
Leon creeks, are branches; the Bosque, from the