Travels through the middle settlements in North America Chapter 1
Travels through the middle settlements in North America Chapter 1 is in Travels through the middle settlements in North America.
27 Apr 1759. On Friday the 27th of April 1759, I embarked, in company with several North American gentlemen, on board the Dispatch, captain Necks, for Virginia; and the next day we set sail from Spithead, Solent, under convoy of his majesty's ship the Lynn, captain Sterling, commander, with thirty-three fail of trading vessels. We came to an anchor in the evening in Yarmouth Road, and the next day sailed with a fresh easterly wind through the Needles.
30 Apr 1759. April 30. We passed by the Lizard, and in the evening discovered a sail, which proved to be an English Hoop laden with corn. She had been taken by a French privateer, and was steering for France: there were three Frenchmen and one Englishman on board. The commodore sent some hands to her, with orders to carry her to Penzance, Cornwall.
01 May 1759. May I. Thick, hazy weather with a fair wind. A large ship passed through the fleet about four o'clock in the afternoon: and in the evening another vessel bore down upon the sternmost ships, and spoke with them.
02 May 1759. May 2. Fair, pleasant weather. The next day we found by our reckoning that we had made a hundred leagues from the Land's End, Cornwall.
04 May 1759. May 4. Strong, violent gales at north-and-by-west. In the evening the Molly, captain Chew, had her main-top-mast carried away, and hoisted a signal of distress.
05 May 1759. May 5. From this time to the 14th, nothing remarkable happened: the wind was seldom fair; but the weather being moderate, we made frequent visits, and passed our time very agreeably.
14 May 1759. May 14. Captain Necks fell ill of a fever, and continued indisposed feveral days: he began to mend about the 17th.
19 May 1759. May 19. In the afternoon, a sudden and violent squall from the north-west obliged us to lye-to under our reefed main-sail: it continued to increase, and blew a storm for about thirty-six hours, when it began to moderate.
21 May 1759. May 21. We made fail in the afternoon, with four ships in company; and the next day in the evening were joined by eighteen more. From that time to the 28th, nothing remarkable happened: we had generally pleasant weather, but adverse winds. We frequently visited; and were much entertained with seeing grampuses, turtles, bonetas, porpoises, flying and other full, common in the Atlantic1.
Note 1. See Appendix, N° 1
28 May 1759. May 28. We difcovered a large sail; she directed her course towards the east. We supposed her to be an English man of war going express. She carried three top-gallant sails.
31 May 1759. May 31. We spoke with a sloop bound from Antigua to London. She acquainted the commodore with the agreeable news of his majesty's forces at Guadaloupe having reduced that whole island under subjedtion to the British government. The wind still continued unfavourable.
05 Jun 1759. June 5. We spoke with a snow from Carolina, which informed the commodore, that a French frigate was cruising off the capes of Virginia. From that time to the 11th, we had nothing remarkable. The wind was generally from west to north-weft, and there were frequent squalls with lightning. We saw several bonetas, grampuses, albicores, and fish of different kinds.
11 Jun 1759. June 11. The water appeared discoloured; and we concluded that we were upon the Banks of Newfoundland: we cast the lead, but found no ground. The weather was thick and hazy. Nothing remarkable happened from this time to the 3d of July: we had pleasant weather, though now and then squalls with lightning. We fell in with feveral currents and had variable winds.
03 Jul 1759. July 3. We had fine weather, with a gentle breeze at N. W. We were now, according to the commodore's reckoning (which we afterward found to be true) about sixty leagues from land. The air was richly scented with the fragrance of the pine-trees.
04 Jul 1759. July 4. We saw a great many sloops, from whence we imagined that we were near the coast. The wind was at east-by-north.
05 Jul 1759. July 5. About six in the morning we caught some green fish: upon this we founded, and found eighteen fathom water. At ten we discovered land, which proved to be Cape Charles; and about three hours afterward sailed through the capes into Chesapeak Bay. The commodore took his leave to go upon a cruise; and at eight in the evening we came to an anchor in York river, after a tedious and disagreeable voyage of almost ten weeks.
The next morning, having hired a chaise at York, a small inconsiderable town, I went to Williamsburg, about twelve miles distant. The road is exceedingly pleasant, through some of the finest tobacco plantations1 in North-America, with a beautiful view of the river and woods of great extent.
Williamsburg is the capital of Virginia: it is situated between two creeks; one falling into James, the other into York river; and is built nearly due east and west. The distance of each landing-place is something more than a mile from the town; which, with the disadvantage of not being able to bring up large vessels, is the reason of its not having increased so fast as might have been expected. It consists of about two hundred houses, does not contain more than one thousand fouls, whites and negroes; and is far from being a place of any consequence. It is regularly laid out in parallel streets, interfered by others at right angles; has a handsome square in the center, through which runs the principal street, one of the most spacious in North America, three quarters of a mile in length, and above a hundred feet wide. At the opposite ends of this street are two public buildings, the college and the capitol: and although the houses are of wood, covered with shingles2, and but indifferently built, the whole makes a handsome appearance. There are few public edifices that deserve to be taken notice of; those, which I have mentioned, are the principal; and they are far from being magnificent. The governor's palace is tolerably good, one of the best upon the continent; but the church, the prison, and the other buildings, are all of them extremely indifferent. The streets are not paved, and are consequently very dusty, the soil hereabout confining chiefly of sand: however, the situation of Williamsburg has one advantage, which few or no places in these lower parts have; that of being free from mosquitoes. Upon the whole, it is an agreeable residence; there are ten or twelve gentlemen's families constantly residing in it, besides merchants and tradesmen: and at the times of the assemblies, and general courts, it is crowded with the gentry of the country: on those occasions there are balls and other amusements; but as soon as the business is finished, they return to their plantations; and the town is in a manner deferted3.
Note 1. The tobacco growing upon York river, is esteemed superior to any other in North America; particularly that which is raised upon the plantations belonging to colonel Edward Diggs, which is said to have a flavour excelling all others. Of the growth of one plantation, distinguished from the rest, the tobacco is in such high estimation, that colonel Diggs puts upon every hogfnead in which it is packed, the initial of his name; and it is from thence called the E. D. tobacco, and sells for a propnrtronab'y higher pr'rce. Some time ago, colonel Diggs having a tract of land, seemingly of the same quality, and under the same exposure and aspect as the plantation producing the E. D. tobacco, from which it was separated only by a small rill of water, he directed it to be planted; and as the produce was apparently similar in quality, colour, flavour, and every other particular, he thought himself warranted to delineate E. D. upon the hogsheads in which it was packed. Accordingly, it was sent to market with this recommendatory mark or token. But some time after, he received a letter from his factor or merchant in London, informing him that his inspector or agent, had been guilty of some great oversight or error, as the tobacco contained in certain casks, which he specified, though marked with E. D. was of a different and very inferior quality to that commodity; and that if the same fault shoald be again committed, it would ruin the reputation and sale of the E D. tobacco. It is to be observed, that the soil or mould had been carefully analised and examined previous to its being planted: and that not the smallest difference could be perceived between that of the old and new plantation. The experiment, it will easily be believed, was not repeated.
Note 2. These are formed in the shape of tiles, and are generally made of white cedar or of cypress.
Note 3. Since the revolution, the seat of government has been removed to Richmond, a town situated just below the falls of James river.
The situation of Virginia (according to Evans's map) is between the 36th and 40th degree of north lat. and about 76 degrees west long, from London1. It is bounded on the north by the river Potowmac, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, by Carolina on the fouth, and, to include only what is inhabited, by the great Alleghenny on the west.
Note 1. Mr. Ebeling, of Hamburgh, in a note to the German translation of this work, says, "Virginia is situated between 37 and 40 degrees of north latitude, and extends from 77 to 81 degrees west longiude from London;" but I believe he is mistaken, for the latest and best maps generally agree with Mr. Evans in regard to the situation he has given to this country; at ieast, they approximate nearer to the account here given than to that of Mr. Ebeling.
The climate is extremely fine, though subject to violent heats in the summer: Farenheit's thermometer being generally for three months from 85 to 95 degrees high. The other seasons, however, make ample amends for this inconvenience: for the autumns and springs are delightful; and the winters are so mild and serene (though there are now and then excessively cold days) as scarcely to require a fire. The only complaint that a person can reasonably make, is, of the very sudden changes to which the weather is liable; for this being intirely regulated by the winds, is exceedingly variable. Southerly winds are productive of heat, northerly of cold, and easterly of rain; whence it is no uncommon thing for the thermometer to fall many degrees in a very few hours; and, after a warm day, to have such severe cold, as to freeze over a river a mile broad in one night's time1. In summer there are frequent and violent gusts, with thunder and lightning; but as the country is very thinly inhabited, and most of the gentry have electrical rods to their houses, they are not attended with many fatal accidents. Now and then, indeed, some of the negroes lose their lives; and it is not uncommon in the woods, to see trees torn and riven to pieces by their fury and violence. A remarkable circumstance happened fome years ago at York, which is well attested: a person standing at his door during a thunder gust, was unfortunately killed; there was an intermediate tree at some distance, which was struck at the fame time; and when they came to examine the body, they found the tree delineated upon it in miniature. Part of the body was livid, but that which was covered by the tree was of its natural colour2.
Note 1. On the 19th of December, 1759, being upon a visit to colonel Washington, at Mount-Vernon, upon the river Potowmac, where the river is two miles broad, I was greatly surprised to find it intirely frozenover in the space of one night, when the preceding day had been mild and temperate.
Note 2. I have related this circumstance upon the authority of the honourable John Blair, President of the Council of Virginia, who mentioned it as a well-known fact: but it appears fo improbable and unphilosophical, that I do not pledge myself for the truth of it.
