were others of less consideration in the neighbourhood; as the missions
of Conception, of San Juan, San Jose, and La Espada. All these edifices
are most substantially built; the walls are of great thickness, and from
their form and arrangement they could be converted into frontier
fortresses. They had generally, though not always, a church at the side
of the square, formed by the high walls, through which there was but one
entrance. In the interior they had a large granary, and the outside
wall formed the back to a range of buildings, in which the missionaries
and their converts resided. A portion of the surrounding district was
appropriated to agriculture, the land being, as I before observed,
irrigated by small canals, which conducted the water from the river.

The Alamo is now in ruins, only two or three of the houses of the inner
square being inhabited. The gateway of the church was highly ornamented,
and still remains, although the figures which once occupied the niches
have disappeared. But there is still sufficient in the ruins to interest
the inquirer into its former history, even if he could for a moment
forget the scenes which have rendered it celebrated in the history of
Texan independence.

About two miles lower down the San Antonio river is the mission of
Conception. It is a very large stone building, with a fine cupola, and
though a plain building, is magnificent in its proportions and the
durability of its construction. It was here that Bowie fought one of the
first battles with the Mexican forces, and it has not since been
inhabited. Though not so well known to fame as other conflicts, this
battle was that which really committed the Texans, and compelled those
who thought of terms and the maintenance of a Mexican connection to
perceive that the time for both had passed.