“I feel almost as though I were in a foreign country,” said Roy after a time. “It is all so different from the north.”
“In a sense you are in a foreign land,” replied the purser, “for Galveston hasn’t been a part of the United States nearly as long as your native Pennsylvania.”
“I didn’t realize that,” said Roy. “How did that happen?”
“You’ve evidently forgotten your history, Roy. Galveston Island, and all of Texas, for that matter, once belonged to Mexico, and Mexico was ruled by Spain.”
“Of course,” said Roy, somewhat mortified.
“This island,” continued the purser, “was named after the Count de Galvez, the Spanish viceroy of Mexico. In 1836 Colonel Michael Menard organized the Galveston Company and bought the island from the Republic of Texas for $50,000, but the company didn’t prosper very well. Later we fought Mexico and in 1848 acquired all of Texas and other border states in the southwest. After that date Galveston was a sure enough part of the nation, but you see Uncle Sam was a hale old gentleman of nearly seventy years by that time. So Galveston has been a part of the country only about half as long as the territory in the original thirteen states.”
“It’s mighty interesting to think of the Spaniards being here,” said Roy. “Reminds you of pirates.”
“There were pirates here all right, but I do not believe they were Spanish. Jean Lafitte was a very notorious pirate, and in 1816 he made this island his headquarters. Later he was driven out by the United States government. What an ideal place this was for him, with this fine bay to hide in until unsuspecting ships came near. He could probably get fresh meat here, too, for this island was once a favorite hunting ground of the Caronkawas, a powerful and warlike tribe of Indians that lived along the Texas coast.”