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16 [crossed out: expected to plant the 'Florida] only wants to plant coffee' & then he should be perfectly independent in case of blockades of the coast. He had flocks of sheep & goats and they were in a thriving condition, but for sheep be observed that the Musqent grasses & clear streams of the West was better than the part of the Colorado he resided on. Spinning cotton & wool was going on & the loom likewise was busy

 The river today has commenced rising rapidly owing to rains in the mountains & a freshet is expected. There are Hills about here averaging from 100 to 200 feet from the prairies, composed of gravel, & founded silicious pebbles, & masses of indurated sands containing much oxide of iron, this is used for building, particularly for chimnies, & walls, the good folks adhere yet to the Frame & log houses; now if they would build entirely with this rock, they would have cool houses in Summer & tight ones during Northers.