TRIP

TO THE

WEST AND TEXAS.

COMPRISING

A JOURNEY OF EIGHT THOUSAND MILES,

THROUGH

NEW-YORK, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, LOUISIANA ANDTEXAS, IN THE AUTUMN AND WINTER OF1834-5.

INTERSPERSED WITH ANECDOTES, INCIDENTSAND OBSERVATIONS.

WITH A BRIEF SKETCH
OF THE
TEXIAN WAR.

BY A.A. PARKER, ESQ.

Second Edition.

CONCORD, N.H.:
PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM WHITE.
BOSTON:
BENJAMIN B. MUSSEY.
1836.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1835,
By White & Fisher,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of New-Hampshire.

[Pg iii]

PREFACE.

The author of this work, unknown to fame, and unacquainted with theart of book-making, has endeavored, in the following pages, to givesome account of the great Western and Southern Country. Inperforming this task, he has not attempted the regions of fancy andfiction; but has told his own story—"a plain unvarnished tale," in hisown way. And although it may not indicate much depth of research, orpossess all the graces of polished diction and charms of novelty, yethe hopes it may be found to contain information sufficient to repay aperusal.

He spent five months on his journey, and examined the country throughwhich he passed, as much as time would permit:—Its soil, climate andproductions—the manners, customs and health of the inhabitants—theanimals, reptiles and insects—in short, all things favorable andunfavorable in the New World. He has freely spoken of thecountry just as it appeared to him; and he believes the informationthis work purports to give, may be safely relied upon. But if it shouldbe found to contain errors of fact, or of opinion, he is confidentthey will be deemed unintentional.

It would have been quite easy to make a much larger book of theauthor's travels; and had he followed the example set him by some ofthe journalists of the day, he should have done so. But his object wasnot to make a large and expensive volume. He has given in a conciseform, such descriptions, incidents and anecdotes only, as he believesmay instruct and amuse, and enable the public to form a correct opinionof the country. How he has succeeded in his undertaking, others, ofcourse, will judge for themselves; he hopes this little work may befound not entirely destitute of useful and entertaining matter, andprove an acceptable offering to his friends and fellow-citizens.

In the appendix, will be found a particular description ofMichigan, and a Brief Sketch of the TexianRevolutionary War.

In this sketch, the author has consulted all the accounts given of thissanguinary war, and he believes it will be found correct in all itsessential particulars: but he does not wish to conceal the fact, thatamidst the hurry and bustle of a Revolution perfect accuracy is hardlyattainable.

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CONTENTS.