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3 passing 'Pine island' 1 & some small settlements the vicinity of the Brazos river is attained. I put up at Mr M's on Marsh creek, at a snug farm but rather low in case of a heavy freshet in the Brazos. The land all about here is very rich, but like many of the 'bottoms' subject to overflows; when those take place stock, plantations & families suffer much; people are lured to this very rich soil, but it would be more judicious of them to settle more towards the prairie or on high land; where they would escape fever from malaria engendered by the almost tropical heat causing decomposition of vegetable matters. My host Mr. M. gave me a graphic & interesting account of the late Capt. Halliday's miracalous escape from the Mexicans, during the massacre of Fannin & his party. His adventures were of the most strange & at times comical nature; he ultimately got to Velasco. He had joined the Santa Fe' expedition had been imprisoned in Mexico some time and died of black vomit on board a vessel a few days _______________ 1 The term 'Island' is often given to clumps of trees in the prairies. 2 "The alluvial soil on the margins of rivers"

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