402
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
after my return I shall go to Herculaneum and probably from there to Kentuc1.-y farewell my Dr Mother May heaven preserve you once more to meet your affectionate Son s. F. AUSTIN I wish you to write me fully all the particulars directed to this place care of D•· J. Sibley and pay the postage, so as not to make it neces- sary for him to do it-the letter will_be here by the time I return- IGss Sisters little Boys for me and love to Aunt Austin and family I should like to receive a letter from Emily or Bryan before I go back
AUSTIN TO [JOSEPH H. HA WK.INS] l
Republic of Texas, Nacogdoches, July ~O, 18111.
DEAR Srn-I wrote you fully from Nachitoches, relative to the confirmation of my father's grant by the governor general, and council of the four internal province, enclosing you copies of the documents delivered me by Don Erasmo, the agent on the part of the Spanish government, and who is authorized to conduct myself and settlers to the lands granted. We a.re thus far on our way to explore the country, and select the most judicious sites for our settlement. We found several families at this place, who held a council upon our arrival, and resolved to remove within the limits of the lands granted my father; the inducements to their removal being the advantages of a situation nigher to the sea, and consequently to the seat of trade. • I have not the boundaries of the grant before me, but understand it will include the harbor of Mata Gorda, and the mouth of the Colorado river. I met here a gentleman who travelled through the grant, and who assures me it is the richest and best watered part of the province. All travellers unite with our much lamented Gen. Pike, in alleging the climate to be one of the most delightful in this, or any other country. I had both verbal and written correspondence with a number of gentlemen who proposed to migrate to Texas, and become settlers • From the Arkan-aaa Gazette, October 6, 1821, quoting trom Lo11i.tri11na Adverllaer, September 3, 1821. The helldlng IK " Extracts from lette1·11 add1·es11ed b1 Stephen F. Austin, Esq., to a gentleman In New Orleans."
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