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ance of the EPIDEMIC it was checked, by a fall of the mercury to 6710, and there was no new case for nearly three days. The (epidemic) disease was at that time confined within very narrow limits. As the temperature became again elevated, new cases appeared, and the limits of the infected district were gradually much extended, and extending, when a fall of the mercury to 45 degrees occurred. But the epidemic influences were now become so inveterate, as not to be wholly destroyed by this low temperature, until a norther' settingin, on the 20th of November, depressed the mercury to forty, which it is believed wholly arrested the disease."

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The northers mentioned by Dr. Smith are thus described by Mr. Kennedy.

"The northers, which are peculiar to Texas and the eastern coast of Mexico, generally follow a few days of rain and southerly winds: they burst forth suddenly, with a great gust of wind which almost checks respiration, and seems to dry up all moisture of the skin; severe cold immediately succeeds, and the thermometer falls ten or twelve degrees [105 to 40°] within half an hour: their average duration is three days. Coming from a point west by north, they depress the mercury in the thermometer lower than easterly winds, but they are regarded as less prejudicial to health. During the summer months northers' are of rare occurrence, and their rude

visits are not an unmixed evil, as they tend much to purify the air."

This paragraph Mr. Kennedy winds up with the following significant hint.

"The shelter of the groves and woods affords sufficient protection to cattle from these assaults." This is an important fact; for Mr. Kennedy states (page 66), that "an occasional norther," of two or three days' continuance, WILL OCCUR during the summer months, and this, which is more sensibly felt upon the land than upon the sea in the immediate vicinity of the coast, is generally accompanied by heavy rain and thunder, and sometimes by a peppering hail-storm." But notwithstanding these and other marvellous and frequent convulsive revolutions of the atmosphere, Mr. Kennedy informs us, from "The Emigrant's Guide," that "the trees retain their foliage, and the plains their verdure, and that, estimated by their combined effects on a bountiful soil, the climate of Texas may fairly claim to be entitled a perpetual summer, admitting, as it does, of two and three crops a year of fruits and vegetables, in great abundance and perfection."

Again, says Mr. Kennedy, "the sweet southwesterly breeze, which is so accessory to health and comfort on the level region of the coast, may be almost termed an unmingled luxury among the cool springs, translucent streams, wooded bottoms,' islands of timber, and flower-spangled prairies of the

rolling country. The greater portion of this beautiful region, which has obtained for Texas the name of the Italy of America," or rather the Bog of Allen of America, which Mr. Kennedy, with all the spirit of an Irishman, thus describes :— "Blessed with a temperature delightful to the sense and favourable to life, and to most of the products which render life agreeable." Amongst which he mentions "sweet potatoes of gigantic growth;" that are to expand the dimensions and to give to the stunted, depressed and hopeless Briton, strength and symmetry of beauty. Mr. O'Connell could scarcely say more of the virtue of a big potato or the beauties of a newly discovered bog. But our author says, "the drought that pervades the season from the close of April to September, is often modified by copious and refreshing showers, which sometimes distribute their favours very unequally. The unequal distribution of rain is indeed," he adds, "considered by the husbandman the chief defect in the climate of Texas. One section of the country is frequently saturated by teeming showers, while, at the disstance of only a few miles, the ground is gaping for moisture." However, he informs us, that it is "not so at other periods of the year." Then wet weather is general, and in the early spring [this season he recommends to emigrants] predominates, especially on the coast, where it breaks up the roads, swells the streams, which [occur at every ten or fifteen

miles throughout the country] become unfordable torrents, and sometimes injures the stock and retards the preparations of the agriculturist." Nevertheless, Mr. Kennedy states, (page 137, vol. i.) "If the native of a southern clime, devoted to tropical agriculture, and anxious to obtain quick and large returns from capital, he will find a suitable field of operation on the alluvial lands of the coast, or the rich bottoms' of the Red River. If accustomed to a more temperate clime, and the mixed pursuit of farming and stock raising, he will be quite at home on the rolling prairies."

I must here apologize to my reader for dwelling so long on this subject, but I deem it one of great importance to my countrymen, who may, by false representations, be induced to emigrate to the inhospitable swamps of Texas, and therefore I beg to direct attention to a few more of Mr. Kennedy's observations on the climate of his young republic.

"The vernal season of Texas Proper, which is [a continuous swamp] slightly elevated towards the north and north-west, begins to shed its cheering influences about the end of February; then [mark!] the weather, though variable, is often delightful, and the Texans boast that March in the young republic equals in amenity the glad green month of May' in New York and the adjacent states. To persons of northern habits, April and October are the most pleasant and attractive periods of the year, both with respect to climate and scenery.

The stranger who journeys along the low lands of the Brazos [the heart of Texas Proper] during the drenching days of the short winter of Texas, when the natural roads over the rich alluvial soil are broken into sloughs, and the creeks swollen into unfordable torrents, will probably anathematise the country and its eulogists, and perhaps, as some have done, abandon it altogether in disgust. But were the same person to arrive in spring or autumn, and mounting a good horse [which unfortunately it is quite out of the power of the poor, depressed, and hopeless Briton to obtaian] ascend from the coast to the interior, where the path winds along limpid brooks and gentle vales, through a wilderness of flowers, varied by clustering evergreens and fairy groves, his heart could hardly fail to dilate with motions of grateful joyousness, and to ejaculate in the silent temple of nature, Methinks it is good to be here.""

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Here our author might have added, particularly if caught in summer deshabille, in a "norther, which bursts forth suddenly with a gust of wind, that almost checks respiration, and seems to dry up all moisture of the skin," while the thermometer runs down from 105 to 40 degrees in less than half an hour. However, with one more quotation from Mr. Kennedy I shall close this chapter:

"The healthiness of the climate, I conceive,

There are no other roads in Texas.

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