Post by Stan Bacon on May 9, 2018 9:53:37 GMT -5
So said William Bollaert, an Englishman fascinated with Texas. Bollaert visited Austin in August 1843, the year following George Bonnell’s death on the Mier Expedition. He not only made the connection between George and Mount Bonnell, but he managed to get access to and copy or transcribe portions of George’s diaries.
In the book William Bollaert’s Texas by W. Eugene Hollon and Ruth Lapha, Bollaert describes George’s 1838 visit with Edward Burleson and Simon Mussina to the area. In it he “quotes” George as writing "On leaving the falls, ascended to the summit of A high hill. My companions called it 'Mount Bonnell,' The Colorado appearing but an inconsiderable Stream.”
The quote would seem conclusive except for two major problems. First, the editors’ preface to the book warns readers that Bollaert wrote a "fresh version" of some diaries. And second, there are major key discrepancies between Bollaert’s version of the diary and George’s own diary describing the event published on May 1, 1839 in the Telegraph and Texas Register in Houston. The latter makes no reference to Mount Bonnell. Here is a comparison of key entries between the two versions:
Bonnell – "Ascend to the top of the highest peak"
Bollaert – "On leaving the falls, ascended to the summit of a high hill."
Bonnell – "appearing like an inconsiderable stream"
Bollaert – "appearing but an inconsiderable Stream."
Bonnell – "see its course 12 or 15 miles,"
Bollaert – "see its course some 15 or 20 Miles,"
Bonnell – "... and the broken peaks of the mountains rising one above another, could be seen at the distance of 20 or 25 miles on the north while the one on which we stood over-topped them all."
Bollaert – "Broken peaks Of mountains, rising one above another could be Seen 25 miles northward."
Bonnell – "on our south, the broad, rich prairie, covered with flowers,"
Bollaert – "The prairies covered with Flowers,"
Bonnell – "its thousand groves of timber,"
Bollaert – "the thousand islands of timber"
Bonnell – "the top of the peak on which we stood was composed of coral rock, oyster and other shells."
Bollaert – "The Summit Of 'Mount Bonnell' composed of corraline Looking rock, oyster
& other marine shells."
Clearly, Bollaert made significant alterations to George's original diary entry. Note that Bollaert added the peak’s name as it was called at the time he visited Austin in 1843 instead of copying the original diary entry. Bollaert also added "My companions called it 'Mount Bonnell,'" in his altered copy of the original diary entry. Bollaert’s altered copy inserted the name Mount Bonnell in two instances.
Bonnell's diary reference to "the highest peak" and his description of the greater extent of river course observation, in contrast to limited visibility from Mount Bonnell at 785 feet, strongly implies they actually ascended adjacent Mount Barker at 850 feet. In fact, one can stand on the summit of Mount Bonnell, look up and clearly see Mount Barker’s higher elevation.
In the book William Bollaert’s Texas by W. Eugene Hollon and Ruth Lapha, Bollaert describes George’s 1838 visit with Edward Burleson and Simon Mussina to the area. In it he “quotes” George as writing "On leaving the falls, ascended to the summit of A high hill. My companions called it 'Mount Bonnell,' The Colorado appearing but an inconsiderable Stream.”
The quote would seem conclusive except for two major problems. First, the editors’ preface to the book warns readers that Bollaert wrote a "fresh version" of some diaries. And second, there are major key discrepancies between Bollaert’s version of the diary and George’s own diary describing the event published on May 1, 1839 in the Telegraph and Texas Register in Houston. The latter makes no reference to Mount Bonnell. Here is a comparison of key entries between the two versions:
Bonnell – "Ascend to the top of the highest peak"
Bollaert – "On leaving the falls, ascended to the summit of a high hill."
Bonnell – "appearing like an inconsiderable stream"
Bollaert – "appearing but an inconsiderable Stream."
Bonnell – "see its course 12 or 15 miles,"
Bollaert – "see its course some 15 or 20 Miles,"
Bonnell – "... and the broken peaks of the mountains rising one above another, could be seen at the distance of 20 or 25 miles on the north while the one on which we stood over-topped them all."
Bollaert – "Broken peaks Of mountains, rising one above another could be Seen 25 miles northward."
Bonnell – "on our south, the broad, rich prairie, covered with flowers,"
Bollaert – "The prairies covered with Flowers,"
Bonnell – "its thousand groves of timber,"
Bollaert – "the thousand islands of timber"
Bonnell – "the top of the peak on which we stood was composed of coral rock, oyster and other shells."
Bollaert – "The Summit Of 'Mount Bonnell' composed of corraline Looking rock, oyster
& other marine shells."
Clearly, Bollaert made significant alterations to George's original diary entry. Note that Bollaert added the peak’s name as it was called at the time he visited Austin in 1843 instead of copying the original diary entry. Bollaert also added "My companions called it 'Mount Bonnell,'" in his altered copy of the original diary entry. Bollaert’s altered copy inserted the name Mount Bonnell in two instances.
Bonnell's diary reference to "the highest peak" and his description of the greater extent of river course observation, in contrast to limited visibility from Mount Bonnell at 785 feet, strongly implies they actually ascended adjacent Mount Barker at 850 feet. In fact, one can stand on the summit of Mount Bonnell, look up and clearly see Mount Barker’s higher elevation.