_Neches river has its sources in the salt. springs, about N. Lat. 32°, and NV. Long. 18° 26', pursues a southeast course for 140 miles, when it is joined by the Angelina, from the north. At the junction, the Neches assumes a south course, flows 80 miles, and enters Sabine lake in N. Lat. 30°. " The navi gation of Neches river," says Colonel Austin, " is good as far up as the Opelousas road," 25 miles above its entrance into Sabine lake. It is 600 yards wide 30 miles from its mouth. Its entire length is 220 miles, and general course southeast.
Trinidad river has its source in the Cross Tim bers, in N. Lat. 33° 45', and IV. Long. 21°, and flows in a southeast direction, 160 miles, to the junction with its eastern branch. thence southeast, 60 miles, to another considerable branch, coming in from the east. Continuing the latter course a further distance of 170 miles, it enters the northeast angle of Galveston bay. The entire length of the Trinidad is 390 miles. General course, south-south east, and it drains an area of 15,500 square miles.
San Jacinto river rises in N. Lat. 45', and W. Long. 18° 50', pursues a southeast course for 100 miles, and falls into Galveston bay about 20 miles southwest from the mouth of Trinidad river. The Buffalo bayou, the largest branch of the San Jacinto, flows towards the east, and enters that river about 23 miles above its mouth. It is about 90 or yards wide ; " and affords," says Colonel Austin, " good schooner navigation to the head of tide at the forks, eight miles above Harrisburg." Area drained by the San Jacinto and its branches, 3,450 square miles.
Brazos river, the Tanpisarahco or main branch of the Brazos, rises in the great prairies, near the western confines of the province, in N. Lat. 33°, and W. Long. 25° 30', and flows eastward, 130 miles, into the Great Saline lake of the Comanches. Saline lake is an expansion of the Brazos, and is formed by the innumerable salt springs which abound in its vicinity. The lake is about 20 miles in length from west to east, and of a mean breadth of four miles ; it presents to the traveller a cheer ing contrast to the monotonous and dreary aspect of the surrounding prairies, whose lengthened and unbroken surface seems to defy the utmost power of vision. Two large streams, the Tosohunova and Keriachehunova, the former coining from the north west, and the latter from the southwest, enter and serve to augment the volume of Saline lake.
Contracting again, at the eastern extremity of the lake, the Brazos resumes its eastern course, which it pursues about thirty miles, to the junction of the Incoqua river, which enters the former from the north. At the mouth of the Incoqua, the Brazos curves towards the northeast, and is joined by the Taray, from the south-west, 4.5 miles below the In coqua. Here the river assumes and maintains a general direction towards the southeast, until it falls into the Gulf of :Mexico, in N. Lat. 28° 53', and W. Long. 18° 22'. Many streams successively enter the Brazos, between its source and final dis charge into the Gulf of Mexico.
The length of Brazos river is 700 miles. General course southeast. Area drained, 50,000 square miles. The Brazos averages 300 yards in width to Brazoria, and 200 yards from thence to the Waco village. It is navigable at all times to the head of tide, a short distance above Brazoria. In high stages of the water, which frequently occur, small steamboats may ascend the river as far as San Felipe de Austin, 118 miles, and keel boats may reach the Waco village, 268 miles from the Gulf of Alexico. There is a bar at the entrance of Brazos river, thirty yards wide, on which six feet water only can be calculated on with certainty, al though it often affords eight and sometimes nine feet. The banks of the Brazos, as well as those of its northern branches, are highly picturesque; and in ascending the mountain region, where the streams precipitate themselves down the rocky cliffs of San Saha, the scenery becomes peculiarly romantic and imposing.
Little Brazos rises a few miles to the east of, and flows nearly parallel with, its recipient. It pre sents a remarkable feature in the hydrography of this part of the country; its distance from the Bra zos does not exceed five miles at any place, some times approaching within one mile of that river, and then receding as if unwilling to unite its wa ters with those of its great rival. Pursuing, thus, its southeastern course of 45 miles, it ultimately enters the left side of the Brazos, 206 miles from its discharge into the Gulf of Mexico.