Later from Texas.
Texas papers of the 29th ult. contain some interesting intelligence.
A Monterey letter to the Galveston
News, dated May 3d, says:
‘
Major Harness, from
California, is here on his way to
Texas, whither he goes to join the Confederate army.
Both the
Major and
Col. Jack Hays, well known in
Texas as one of the leaders of our Rangers during the
Mexican war, were arrested on the 24th of March last, at the
port of San Francisco, where they had embarked for
Mazatlan, in the
State of Sinalia.
They were brought before
General Wright, in command of the
California Department, and released after having been interrogated about the object of the trip, their intentions, etc.
Gen. Wright threatened to confiscate
Jack Hays's property, which I believe to have since been sold by
Hays, as he is now in
Mazatlan.
There are nearly five hundred Southern families in
Mazatlan, who have fled from
California to escape their being insulted and persecuted by the cowardly Yankee caravan who have overrun that State.
Many of these families intended to settle on certain lands in
Lower California; but as no water can be obtained in that dry region, where it sometimes does not rain for three and even four years, and there are no houses built to protect them from the burning sun, they have decided to make their present abode in Sinaloa.
The
Mexicans in that State are kind hearted and hospitable.
The climate is healthy.
The wealth of the country consists in agriculture, grazing; and minerals.
It is stated that ten thousand hands could find employment in harvesting the wheat crop of
Texas, and that they would be paid two bushels of wheat per day.
On the morning of the 23d
Colonel Tom Green, who was camped at
Mermentau, with his command, was ordered by
Gen. Morton to pursue the enemy's trains by forced marches.
The trains were then between Grand Cauteau and
Opelousas — trains six miles long, accompanied by two thousand cavalry and fifteen hundred negroes.
A soldier from
Niblett's Bluff reports that
Col. Tom Green succeeded in capturing sixty wagons on the 24th, and five hundred negroes.
The Brownsville
Flag, of the 15th ult., published a report that a French man-of-war had made her appearance off the bar at the mouth of the
Rio Grande, and that she was examining vessels arriving to ascertain if they carried articles contraband of war. If this be so, the
Rio Grande is doubly blockaded, but while
Lincoln excludes everything, (except, perhaps, munitions and supplies for the Mexicans under
Adams's pass,) the
French only shut out articles contraband.
There was a surplus of merchandize at
Brownsville, (on the
Texas side of the
Rio Grande,) and goods could be had at very low rates, especially by the cargo, and even by the package.
Cotton was declining on account of the scarcity of specie to pay the export duty and other charges.
But it was arriving freely, and could be bartered to advantage for goods.
’
