and the almost constant cool and bracing breezes of the summer months, with the entire absence of anything like marshes or stagnant water, remove all sources of noxious malaria, with its attendant evils of autumnal fevers.—­Marcy’s Exploration of the Red River, p. 11.

Our camp is upon the creek last occupied by the Witchitas before they left the mountains.  The soil, in point of fertility, surpasses anything we have before seen, and the vegetation in the old corn-fields is so dense that it was with great difficulty I could force my horse through it.  It consisted of rank weeds growing to the height of twelve feet.  Soil of this character must have produced an enormous yield of corn.  The timber is sufficiently abundant for all purposes of the agriculturist, and of a superior quality.

    We have now reached the eastern extremity of the Witchita chain
    of mountains, and shall to-morrow strike our course for Fort
    Asbuekl.

The more we have seen of the country about these mountains, the more pleased we have been with it.  Bounteous nature seems here to have strewed her favors with a lavish hand, and to have held out every inducement for civilized man to occupy it.  The numerous tributaries of Cache Creek, flowing from granite fountains, and winding like net-work through the valleys, with the advantages of good timber, soil and grass, the pure, elastic and delicious climate, with a bracing atmosphere, all unite in presenting rare inducements to the husbandman.—­Marcy’s Red River Exploration.

This section of country is in latitude 34 deg., longitude 99 deg.; the latitude the same as the central part of South Carolina and the southern part of Arkansas.

We will now give statements from the Texas Almanac.

The south winds are the source of comfort and positive luxury to the inhabitants of Texas during the hot weather of summer.  The nearer the sea-coast, the cooler and more brisk the current; but the entire area of prairie, and a large portion of the timbered country, feel it as a pleasant, healthful breeze, rendering our highest temperature tolerable.—­Prof.  Forshey, of the Texas Military Institute.

    TRINITY RIVER AND ITS VALLEY.

So far as I have described the river, the climate is pleasant and salubrious, and favorable for planting.  The forests and cane-brakes mitigate the cold of the northers in winter, and the south breezes temper the heat of summer.  Contrary to the usual opinion, plantations, when once cleared of decaying timber, are found to be remarkably healthy.  In fact, there are no causes of sickness.  The river in summer is only a deep, sandy ravine, with a clear and rapid stream of water running at its bottom, and in the rear of the plantations, instead of swamps, are high rolling cane-brakes.

    The paradox, that there is more good land on the Trinity than on
    the Mississippi, is one which will be readily sustained by those
    who are acquainted with the subject.—­Texas Almanac, 1861.