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1 Texas in 1842 Cruze of the "Lafitte" My object in going to Texas, I was to assist in the survey & examination of a large track of country about 4 ½ Millions of acres situated west of San Antonio, with a view to colonize it with Emigrants from Europe; moreover what I had heard & read of Texas, gave me a strange inkling to see the New Republic. At that period, I need hardly mention that to people in Europe, Texas was an almost unknown country. There were vague ideas as to its locality being somewhere in the gulf of Mexico that Galveston island had formerly been the abode of Pirates, that latterly a handful of American backwoodsmen & a few foreigners had rescued from the ignorant, debased & bigotted [sic] Mexicans a considerable portion of fine territory, that many sanguinary conflicts had in consequence occured, [sic] but, that the Battle of San Jacinto fought the 21 April 1830 under General Sam Houston and where Santa Ana became a prisoner had settled for ever the question of seperation [sic] of Texas from Mexico.

  I made arrangements to go from London to Galveston direct; this is not recommended if speed be object;  but rather by New York, then down the Mississippi to New Orleans, from Whence Galveston may be reached by Steamer in 30 to 36 hours.  I may mention here that I have received letters from London when in

Very faint, not very legible notes pencilled in left margin

Act I U.S. M. August 1846

Captain of the ? going from New Orleans to Tabasco ? Captain