Howdy folks,
In regards to this message:


"Mark J" wrote in message ...
I would tend to take those accounts with a grain of salt. Anecdotal.


Well, yes. At the Austin History Center, and other locations
around town that collect historic source material, diaries, personal
papers, old newspapers are by their nature 'Anecdotal'. In contrast,
there are examples of physical evidence like, the time my wife who was
doing museum exhibit work got to aim Sam Houston's gun ( not at me,
thank goodness ). But most of the materials we use to construct the
historical record are by their nature 'anecdotal'
It's the job of the historian to weigh the merits of 'anecdotal'
evidence against other evidence to come up with some sort of
description of the time. Our picture of the changes in the flora in
Central Texas are based on the cumulative descriptive 'anecdotal'
evidence ,of diaries, drawings,letters etc.

Combine that with how it jibes with what we know, about the
processes of soil erosion, grazing stress of live stock and the
movement of invasive plants and we can create a good historic view
within the ever present limits of our knowledge.

Steve Coyle
www.austingardencenter.com