Part 8 (1/2)
UNITED STATES CONTINUED
_Narrative of_ MR WELD'S _return froinia_
Having continued at _Richmond_ somewhat more than a week, Mr Weld mounted his horse, and, accompanied by his servant, proceeded towards the _South-west_ or _Green Mountains_
The country around Richmond is sandy; but it is not so much so, nor so flat, as on the south side of James River, towards the sea When Mr
Weld was here it wore aaspect The first week in May had arrived; the trees had acquired a considerable part of their foliage; and the air, in the woods, was perfurant s shrubs The htful: the notes of the ale, in particular, were extreular bird, called whipper-will, or whip-poor-will, which has obtained its name from the plaintive noise that itabout dusk, and continues through the greatest part of the night The frogs in Aular noise Some of them absolutely whistle; and others croak so loudly, that it is difficult, at ti Mr Weld, whilst walking in the est kinds are called bull-frogs: they chiefly live in pairs, and are never found but where there is good water; their bodies s are of proportionate length These aniious leaps
In one part of his journey, the road extended alht came on before he reached the end of it; and, as commonly happens with travellers in this part of the world, he soon lost his way A light, however, seen through the trees, seemed to indicate that a house was not far distant His servant eagerly rode up to it, but the poor fellow's consternation was great indeed when he observed itback, and then, with swiftness, departing into the woods Mr Weld was hiular appearance, till, after having proceeded a little further, he observed the sa from his horse to examine a bush, where one of these sparks appeared to have fallen, he found that it proceeded from a fire-fly In the present instance Mr Weld was much surprised; but, as the suht shower in the afternoon, this gentle with theht is e it or not at pleasure
After wandering about till near eleven o'clock, he came at last to a house, where he obtained inforht, he arrived at a reat nu to come forth from their holes
The _South-west Mountains_ run nearly parallel to the _Blue Ridge_, and are the first that are seen in Virginia, on going up the country, froht indeed rather to be called hills than mountains These mountains are not seen till the traveller coradual, that he reaches their top al it
The soil is here a deep clay, particularly well suited to the culture of grain and clover, and it produces abundant crops
The salubrity of the cliinia, is equal also to that of any part of the United States; and the inhabitants have, in consequence, a healthy and ruddy appearance, totally different from that of the residents in the low country
In these e property, who far the number was Mr Jefferson, the vice-president of the United States His house was about three ularly situated, being built on the top of a small mountain, the apex of which had been cut off At this time it was in an unfinished state; but, if carried on, according to a plan which had been laid down, it proant private habitations in Ahbourhood, to bring the manufacture of wine to perfection; none of them, however, have succeeded to the wish of the parties concerned in it
The country between the South-west Mountains and the Blue Ridge is very fertile, and is much inia The cliood, and the people have a healthy and robust appearance Several valuable mines of iron and copper have been discovered here
Having crossed the South-west Mountains, Mr Weld proceeded to _Lynchburgh_, a town on the south side of _Fluvanna River_, and one hundred and fifty miles beyond Richmond This town contained about one hundred houses; and a warehouse for the inspection of tobacco, where about two thousand hogsheads were annually inspected It had been built within the last fifteen years, and, in consequence of its advantageous situation for trade, was rapidly increasing
Between Lynchburgh and the Blue Mountains, the country is rough and hilly, and but thinly inhabited The few inhabitants, however, who are seen here, are uncost thee is thickly covered with large trees, to the very sued and stony; others are not so; and on the latter the soil is rich and fertile It is only in particular places that this ridge can be crossed; and at soaps the ascent is steep and difficult
The _Peaks of Otter_, near which Mr Weld crossed it, are the highest e, and, measured from their bases, they are supposed to be more lofty than any others in North America The principal peak is said to be about four thousand feet in perpendicular height
Beyond the Blue Ridge, Mr Weld observed very few settlements, till he approached _Fincastle_ This town is about twenty miles from the mountains, and fifteen south of _Fluvanna River_ It was only begun about the year 1790; yet, when Mr Weld was there, it contained sixty houses, and was rapidly increasing The inhabitants consisted principally of Germans
On the eastern side of the Blue Mountains, cotton grows extremely well; and, in winter, the snow scarcely ever reround On the opposite side, cotton never comes to perfection; the winters are severe, and the fields are covered with snow for hs or sledges, a kind of carriages that are used for travelling upon the snow
In this part of America, the soil consists chiefly of a rich brown rows spontaneously To have a fertile round to the hand of nature for one year A bed of lih the country
It appeared to Mr Weld that there was no part of Aenial to the constitution of a native of Great Britain or Ireland than this The frost in winter is ular, but is not more severe than what co suht in the year in which a blanket is not found coue are disorders here unknown; and the air is so salubrious, that persons who coet rid of them in a short time
In the western part of the country there are several reat nu the heat in the low country, as for drinking the waters Those that are s_; but there are others in _Jackson's Mountains_, a ridge that runs between the Blue Mountains and the Alleghany One of these is war near them, into which, if the leaves of trees fall, they become thickly incrusted with sulphur, in a very short time; and silver, if put into them, will be turned black al his course in a northerly direction, again crossed the _Fluvanna River_ About tenthe , and, in some places, three hundred feet deep Over one part of this is a natural arch, called _Rockbridge_, which consists of a solid ether that they appear but as one The road extends over this natural bridge On one side of it is a parapet or wall of fixed rocks, but on the other there is a gradual slope, to the very brink of the chase trees, principally cedars and pines The whole width of the bridge is about eighty feet: the road runs nearly along the ons