Friday, February 12, 1836

Rose at daylight, wishing to reach Boatwright's to breakfast, fourteen miles, the only place where we could get food for our horses.  A gloomy, drizzling morning, threatening rain.  Five miles from Mr. Anderson's, reached the Uagalote, or Turkey Creek, which was so much swollen as to be past fording.  We found a log by which we could cross, but our horses must swim.  While preparing to do this, a very heavy storm of thunder and rain came on, which wet all our baggage and clothes.  We passed our baggage over with difficulty in the midst of the storm.  The foot traveller came up at the instant and assisted us.  The log was difficult, and we took stations on it, and passed the baggage from one to the other.  In driving the horses over, one of my overshoes was pulled off by the mud, but for which I should have preserved dry feet.  Reached Boatwright's at 11 o'clock, where we breakfasted, and got corn for our horses.  At half past 12 remounted and set out, but found the Cany Creek so much swollen that it could not be passed without swimming.  The log was under water, and to cross we could not avoid getting wet, and no chance of entertainment short of Washington, seventeen miles.  So we resolved to return and wait for the creek to subside, which we were assured would be the case by morning, if it did not rain again.  In the evening another heavy thunder cloud came up. 

Whitely today informed me that he knew a salt spring, about six miles from the Trinity, and thirty miles above Robbins' ferry, which he says is better than Hotchkiss' Salines.  It was surveyed for a headright by a man named Anderson, who died without making a settlement.  Whitely says he is a creditor, and means to take out administration on Anderson's estate, he having no relations in Texas, and if the title has not been cleared out, he will clear it out as administrator, or I may clear it out, and he as administrator will convey me one-half, and he will hold the other half for the heirs of Anderson, should they ever come forward.  Query, can he do so?  This must be looked to.

Saturday, February 13, 1836

The Caney Creek did not subside sufficiently to ford until 10 o'clock, when we ventured.  I got both of my overshoes full of water, which made my feet damp and uncomfortable.  The day was very cold and raw.  We stopt once to warm at a cabin, where they complained bitterly of the conduct of a Troop of Horse that passed through here last November; they not only took what was necessary, but turned their horses, into the field and destroyed nearly all their crop.  They are now obliged to go off to a great distance and buy corn at ----- per barrel of ears.

The country through which we passed yesterday and today consisted of high, black prairie and black mud swamps alternately.  The soil has generally a mixture of sand, and bears evident marks of richness.  Very few settlements visible.