Part 4 (1/2)

Near this is a large Octogon Tower, which is the _Magazine_ or Repository of Arms and Ammunition, landing far from any House except _James Town Court-House_; for the Town is half in _James Town County_, and half in _York County_.

Not far from hence is a large _Area_ for a _Market Place_; near which is a _Play House_ and good _Bowling Green_.

From the _Church_ runs a Street Northward called _Palace Street_; at the other End of which stands the _Palace or Governor's House_, a magnificent Structure, built at the publick Expence, finished and beautified with Gates, fine Gardens, Offices, Walks, a fine Ca.n.a.l, Orchards, _&c._ with a great Number of the best Arms nicely posited, by the ingenious Contrivance of the most accomplished _Colonel Spotswood_.

This likewise has the ornamental Addition of a good _Cupola_ or _Lanthorn_, illuminated with most of the Town, upon _Birth-Nights_, and other Nights of occasional Rejoicings.

At the _Capitol_, at publick Times, may be seen a great Number of handsom, well-dress'd, compleat Gentlemen. And at the _Governor's_ House upon _Birth-Nights_, and at _b.a.l.l.s_ and _a.s.semblies_, I have seen as fine an Appearance, as good Diversion, and as splendid Entertainments in _Governor Spotswood's Time_, as I have seen any where else.

These Buildings here described are justly reputed the best in all the _English America_, and are exceeded by few of their Kind in _England_.

In every Part of this Town are excellent Springs of good Water, or else may be made good Wells; and the Ground falling on both Sides, conveys the Water and Rain by small Channels into the Creeks; but to make the main Street exactly level, the a.s.sembly lately gave a considerable Sum, which was expended in removing Earth in some Places, and building a Bridge over a low Channel; so that it is now a pleasant, long dry Walk, broad, and almost level from the _College_ to the _Capitol_.

_Williamsburgh_ is now incorporated and made a _Market Town_, and governed by a _Mayor and Aldermen_; and is well stock'd with rich _Stores_, of all Sorts of Goods, and well furnished with the best Provisions and Liquors.

Here dwell several very good Families, and more reside here in their own Houses at publick Times.

They live in the same neat Manner, dress after the same Modes, and behave themselves exactly as the _Gentry in London_; most Families of any Note having a _Coach_, _Chariot_, _Berlin_, _or Chaise_.

The Number of Artificers is here daily augmented; as are the convenient _Ordinaries_ or Inns for Accommodation of Strangers.

The Servants here, as in other Parts of the Country, are _English_, _Scotch_, _Irish_, _or Negroes_.

The Town is laid out regularly in _Lots_ or square Portions, sufficient each for a House and Garden; so that they don't build contiguous, whereby may be prevented the spreading Danger of Fire; and this also affords a free Pa.s.sage for the Air, which is very grateful in violent hot Weather.

Here, as in other Parts, they build with Brick, but most commonly with Timber lined with Cieling, and cased with feather-edged Plank, painted with white Lead and Oil, covered with s.h.i.+ngles of _Cedar_, &c. tarr'd over at first; with a Pa.s.sage generally through the Middle of the House for an Air-Draught in Summer.

Thus their Houses are lasting, dry, and warm in Winter, and cool in Summer; especially if there be Windows enough to draw the Air.

Thus they dwell comfortably, genteely, pleasantly, and plentifully in this delightful, healthful, and (I hope) thriving _City of Williamsburgh_.

CHAP. III.

_Of the Situation and Nature of the Country of_ Virginia, _and its Coasts_, &c.

Under the Meridian is extended the Expanse _Bay of Chesapeak_, esteemed one of the n.o.blest and safest Bays in the World.

The Land on the _East_ Side of it is called the _Eastern Sh.o.r.e_, the Northern Part of it belonging to _Maryland_, and the Southern containing _Accomack_ and _Northampton Counties_ belonging to _Virginia_; at the extreme Point of which lies one of the _Capes of Virginia_, the other being opposite to it, one called _Cape Henry_, and the other _Cape Charles_; _without_ these runs a bold Sh.o.r.e Southward, being the Coast of _North Carolina_.

After s.h.i.+ps are clear of _England_, they need go near neither Land, Rocks, nor Shoals, but in a direct Course might cross the vast _Atlantick Ocean_ about a thousand Leagues nearly _W. S. W._ till they make Land somewhat to the Southward of the Capes; then knowing (by their Lat.i.tude, or Landmarks, or by certain Trees) what Land they are near, they may easily get within the Capes, unless they happen to be kept off to Sea for some Time by bl.u.s.tering _Northwesters_; or unless they carelessly fall upon _Cape Hatteras_, or other Shoals on that Coast, in known Lat.i.tudes; so that this may be esteemed as easy a Voyage as any.

There are belonging to _Virginia_ four princ.i.p.al Rivers (neither of them inferior upon many Accounts to the _Thames_ or _Severn_) that empty themselves into the Bay after they have glided some Hundreds of Miles fromwards the Mountains, the Western Bounds of _Virginia_.

The most Southerly of these Rivers is called _James River_, and the next _York River_, the Land in the Lat.i.tude between these Rivers seeming most nicely adapted for _sweet scented_, or the finest _Tobacco_; for 'tis observed that the goodness decreaseth the farther you go to the Northward of the one, and the Southward of the other; but this may be (I believe) attributed in some Measure to the Seed and Management, as well as to the Land and Lat.i.tude: For on _York River_ in a small Tract of Land called _Digges's Neck_, which is poorer than a great deal of other Land in the same Lat.i.tude, by a particular Seed and Management, is made the famous Crop known by the Name of the _E Dees_, remarkable for its mild taste and fine Smell.

The next great River is _Rappahannock_, and the fourth is _Potowmack_, which divides _Virginia_ from the _Province_ of _Maryland_.