Two page letter sent from Mexican Texas by John L. Sleight to his uncle, Cornelius Sleight, of Sag Harbor, New York, dated December 25, 1830. On large bifold sheet, two pages of text along with address panel, approximately 600 words. The letter describes Sleight's initial arrival in Brazoria, providing details as to both the physical landscape surrounding the Colony, the effort required to arrive there, and his becoming a Mexican citizen. John Sleight (1810-1873) came from New York and settled in Texas for the duration of his life, initially opening a store in Brazoria with Charles D. Sayre, before partnering with Philip Gildersleeve and brothers Joseph and William Hendley to form the commercial house of William Hendley & Co. at Galveston which, in connection with John H. Brower, of New York, established the New York and Texas line of packet ships. The letter reads in part:
Having arrived at my place of destination after a tedious passage of thirty eight days I raise my pen for the purpose of writing to you... Probably you would like to hear something about this country. It is almost impossible for me to give a correct Idea of it however I shall attempt but let me assure you that I am totally inadequate. It beggars all description the pen of a Scott could not delineate its romantic beauties nor the pencil of a Hogarth imitate its variegated Landscape, but I shall begin and commence at the mouth of the River and proceed up the apperance there is not altogether prepossessing in consequence of there being a bar which impedes Navigation in general there is not more than four feet water on the bar and we are under the necessity of laying off ten days before it was smooth enough for us to come over and then drew 5 1/2 feet water coming inch by inch all the way and striking hear...
We at length found our way into deep water and floating upon the bosom of the River Brassos. We were about one mile above the bar and came to anchor with a head wind and lay 41 hours, and got under weight and proceed up the river for about seven miles extensive pararies from both sides and then grows narrow. At once you find yourself surrounded as it wer by an inaccessible forest of live oak and other timber. The banks of the River are high and very bald and like others Rivers is crooked. After a passage of 5 days we found ourselvs in sight of the town it did not awaken any particular sensations of wonder supprise or astonishment. On my just beholding it no spires no steeples nor georgeous palaces burst upon my view it is not a modern Rome nor an Ancient Herculaneum. However the town is pleasantly situated on the west bank of the River the proprietors have displayed taste and judgement in laying it out the streets cross at right angles. There is about thirty houses the inhabitants are friendly and principally Americans...
I have made my calculations to settle in this country and of course have become a naturalised citzen of Mexico and have a valuable tract of Land which I shall settle before long.
Letters from the early settlement period of the Austins' colony in Brazoria are scarce, both in auction records and in institutional collections, and especially so those recording the initial impressions of the landscape and physical surroundings, in this case made all the more unique by Sleight's attempts to use the literary style of the Romantics to describe the earliest years of Texas settlement.
