Alva Review-Courier -

COMSTOCK, Texas (AP) — Exactly how the Devils River got its forbidding name is lost to history, but there is little doubt the harsh terrain and fierce natives who once reigned here played a role.

"It is far from any habitation, in a barren waste surrounded by hostile Comanches, but it is a beautiful place," noted one early visitor.

A century and a half later, the natural beauty remains and the rushing, spring-fed Devils owns the reputation as the last unspoiled river in Texas.

It's milky-green currents slide through a wilderness unmarred by settlements or commerce. The only disturbance is the...