Texas: the rise, progress, and prospects of the Republic of Texas, Vol.1 Page: 90 of 432

38

TEXAS.

[BOOK I.

the Cedar Lake Creek, extends from the gulf in a
north-westerly direction.
MATAGORDA BAY AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
From the mouth of the Brazos River to the Matagorda
Pass is about eighty miles, the coast trending
to the south-west.
The Bay of Matagorda, which is about sixty
miles in length, and from six to ten in breadth, is
separated from the Gulf of Mexico by a peninsula,
varying in breadth from one to two miles. Paso
Ca.vallo, the entrance into the bay, is situated in
latitude 28 lS north, and longitude 97 14r west,
about forty-five miles below the town. It is always
safe for vessels drawing from eight to nine feet
water, which, once within the bay, are as secure
as if they were in a dock, being completely landlocked,
with from eight to twenty feet depth of
water, and a soft muddy bottom.
The annexed chart by Mr. Douglas Wallach,
civil engineer from the United States, affords directions
for vessels entering the bay of Matagorda.
The report which accompanies the chart is also
useful for the explanation it conveys, and is extremely
curious as well as instructive, in regard to
the evidence it supplies of the rapid changes produced
by the combined action of the winds and
waters upon the coast of Texas: I therefore publish
it at length.