no instance in which specific rewards have been offered for specific acts of good conduct. In this respect they are treated much like soldiers and sailors.

"As to their punishments, they are rare, and seldom disproportioned to the offence. Our laws are mild, and make little discrimination between slaves and free whites, except in a few political offences. The punishments inflicted by the master partake of the same character. The moral sense of the community would not tolerate cruelty in a master. I know of nothing that would bring him more surely into disgrace. On a farm where there may be one hundred slaves, there will not, perhaps, be one punished on account of his work during the year, although it is often done in a careless, slovenly manner, and not half as much as a white laborer would do. For insolent and unruly conduct to their overseers, for quarrelling and fighting with each other, for theft and other offences, which would send the white man to the whipping-post or penitentiary, they are punished more frequently, but always with moderation. Very often they escape altogether, when the white man would certainly be punished. I have lived in different parts of Virginia for more than 30 years, since my attention has been directed to such subjects; and I do not recollect half a dozen instances in which I ever saw a grown slave stripped and whipped. Such a spectacle is almost as rare as to see a similar punishment inflicted on a white man. When it is considered that, except for the highest grade of crimes, the punishment of the slave is left pretty much (practically) to his master's discretion, I am persuaded it will be found that they are in this respect in no worse condition than laborers elsewhere. No other punishment is inflicted except stripes or blows. They are not imprisoned, or placed upon short allowance, or condemned to any cruel or unusual punishments from which white persons are exempted.

"The worst feature in our society, and the most revolting, is the purchase and sale of slaves; and it is this which renders their situations precarious and uncomfortable, and occasions them more uneasiness than all other causes combined. On this subject I will submit a few observations before I close this letter. So far as the traffic is confined to the neighborhood, it is of little consequence, and is often done for the accommodation of the slave. It breaks no ties of kindred, and occasions only a momentary pang, by transferring the slave from the master who, perhaps, is no longer able to keep him, to one as good, who is able, or who purchases because he owns his wife or child, &c. It is the sale to negro-buyers by profession, which is in general so odious to the slave, although there are instances in which these artful men prevail with them to apply to their owners to be sold. Such sales, except in the rare instance just alluded to, are never voluntarily made of slaves whose conduct and character are good. Masters will not part with their slaves but from sheer necessity, or for flagrant delinquencies, which in other countries would be punished by deportation at least. Thousands retain them when they know full well that their pecuniary condition would be greatly improved by selling, or even giving them away. It is the last property the master can be induced to part with. Nothing but the dread of a jail will prevail with him. Negro-traders, although there are many among us, are universally despised by the master, and detested by the body of the slaves. Their trade is supported by the misfortunes of the master, and the crimes or misconduct of the slave, and not by the will of either party, except in a few instances. Sometimes the slave, after committing a theft or other crime, will abscond, for fear of detection; or will be enticed away from his master's service by holding out to him false hopes; and perhaps the negro-buyer himself is the decoy. If caught, he is generally sold, for the sake of the example to other slaves. From these sources the negro-buyers are supplied; but it does not happen, in one case out of a thousand, that the master willingly sells an honest, faithful slave. The man doing so would be looked upon as a sordid, inhuman wretch; and be shunned by his neighbors and countrymen of respectable standing.

"I believe, if any plan could be fallen upon to remove our slaves to a place where they would be willing to go, and where their condition would be probably improved, that many, very many masters would be ready to manumit them. An opinion is entertained by increasing numbers, that slave labor is too expensive to be continued in a grain-growing state, if its place can be supplied by freemen. In other words, that the free laborer would cost less, and work harder, than the slave. But the slaves themselves are unwilling to go to Liberia, and very few would accept their freedom on that condition. Some, already emancipated, remain in the state, incurring the constant risk of being sold as slaves. To send them to any part of our own country without worldly knowledge or capital, is deemed by most masters false humanity; and to retain them here in the condition of free negroes is impossible.

"Until some plan can be suggested to remove these difficulties, under the guidance and direction of the constituted authorities, we are averse to all agitation of the subject. We know it will be attended with danger to one class, and will increase the burdens and privations of the other. Hence our indignation at the movements of the Northern abolitionists, who are meddling with a subject they know nothing about. Let them come among us, and see the actual condition of the slaves, as well as of the whites, and I am persuaded that all whose intentions are really good, would, on their return, advise their de luded co-operators to desist from agitation."

STATISTICS AND CENSUS OF THE COUNTIES OF VIRGINIA.

THE subjoined statistical table of the various counties of Virginia, is from the U. S. statistics and census of 1840. It presents a view of the relative agricultural, manufacturing, and mercantile wealth of the various counties.

Explanation of the Table.-The columns of neat cattle, sheep, and swine, show the number of thousands of those animals. The columns of wheat, rye, Indian corn, oats, and potatoes, give the number of thousand bushels annually produced. The columns of tobacco and cotton, give the number of thousand pounds produced. The columns of capital in stores, and in manufactures, give the number of thousand dollars thus invested. The column of scholars in schools and academies, as well as those of the slaves and population, are carried out in full.

It will be observed there are some blanks. These are left so, either from the fact that there are no statistics of sufficient amount for record, or that the marshals employed to take them, made no returns to the general government.

ACCOMAC COUNTY.

THIS is the northernmost of the two counties forming the "eastern shore of Virginia," which is cut off from the rest of the state by Chesapeake Bay. Accomac was formed from Northampton co., in 1672. The term Accawmacke-as it was anciently speltis derived from a tribe of Indians who once inhabited this region. It is about 48 miles long, and 10 wide; its surface is level, and the soil, though generally light, is in many parts fertile. It produces well, wheat, corn, cotton, oats, &c., and an abundance of table vegetables. Pop. 1830, 19,656; 1840, whites 9,518, slaves 4,630, free colored 2,848; total 17,096.

Horn

Accomac C. H., or Drummondstown, in the heart of the county, 212 miles E. of Richmond, contains about 40 dwellings. town, Modest-town, and Pungoteague, are small villages.

Upon the Atlantic coast are numerous islands, stretching along the whole length of the "eastern shore." The two northernmost are Chincoteague and Assateague. The first is about 8 miles long, and contains nearly a hundred families. About one-third of their bread-corn is raised upon the island; the sea and wrecks furnish the remainder of their subsistence. Assateague, though many times larger, has but few inhabitants, and is unfit for the cultivation of corn. Its rich bent-growing lands are subject to inundation from the spring tides. The scenery around Chincoteague is in many places inexpressibly sublime, and the view of the ocean and the surrounding cluster of islands, from the elevated sand-hills of Assateague, is enchanting. The Farmer's Register, from which this article is abridged, says that the Hebrides of Scotland, so profitable to their proprietors, do not possess a hundredth part of the advantages of these Atlantic islands for all the purposes of comfortable living and extensive stock-raising; yet, for want of enterprise, they are neglected. These islands are flat, sandy, and soft, producing abundance of excellent grass.

Some thirty years since, an immense number of wild horses were raised upon these islands, with no other care than to brand and castrate the colts. Their winter subsistence was supplied abundantly by nature. The tall, heavy rich grass of the flatlands affording them green food nearly the whole of the winter, the tops of which alone were killed by the frosts, mild as usual so near the ocean. It was customary to have annual gatherings in June, to drive these wild horses into pens, where they were seized by islanders accustomed to such adventures, who pushed fearlessly in among them. On being broken, more docile and tractable animals could not be found. The horses have been gradually diminishing, until on one island they are nearly extinct, and the rustic splendor, the crowds, and the wild festivity of the Assateague horse-pennings, are among the things that were.

The multitudes of both sexes that formerly attended these occasions of festal mirth were astonishing. The adjoining islands were literally emptied of their simple and frolic-loving inhabitants, and the peninsula itself contributed to swell the crowd. For fifty miles above and below the point of meeting, all the beauty and fashion of a certain order of the female population, who had funds or favorites to command a passage, were sure to be there. All who loved wild adventure, whose hearts danced at the prospect of a distant water excursion, and a scene of no ordinary revel, where the ocean rolled his billows almost to their feet; all who had a new gown to show, or a pretty face to exhibit, who could dance well or sing; belles that sighed for beaux, or beaux that wanted

sweethearts; all who loved to kiss or be kissed, to caress or be caressed; all, in shor whose hearts delighted in romance without knowing its name, hurried away to this anxiously-expected scene of extravagant jollity, on the narrow thread of beach that the ocean seemed every moment to usurp. The imagination can scarcely conceive the extravagant enthusiasm with which this exciting sport was anticipated and enjoyed. It was a frantic carnival, without its debauchery. The young of both sexes had their imaginations inflamed by the poetical narratives of their mothers and maiden aunts, who in their more juvenile days were wont to grace those sylvan fetes of the mad flight of wild horses careering away along a narrow, naked, level sand-beach, at the top of their speed, with manes and tails waving in the wind, before a company of mounted men upon the fleetest steeds, shouting and hallooing in the wildest notes of triumph, and forcing the animals into the angular pen of pine logs prepared to enclose them. And then the deafening peals of loud huzzas from the thousand half-frenzied spectators, crowding into a solid mass around the enclosure, to behold the beautiful wild horse in all his native vigor, subdued by man, panting in the toils, and furious with heat, rage, and fright; or hear the clamorous triumphs of the adventurous riders, each of whoi had performed more than one miracle of equestrian skill on that day of glorious daring; and the less discordant neighing of colts that had lost their mothers, and mothers that had lost their colts, in the mêlée of the sweeping drive, with the maddened snorts and whinnying of the whole gang-all, all together formed a scene of unrivalled noise, uproar, and excitement, which few can imagine who had not witnessed it, and none can adequately describe.

But the play of spirits ended not here. The booths were soon filled, and loads of substantial provision were opened, and fish and water-fowl, secured for the occasion, were fried and barbecued by hundreds, for appetites whetted to marvellous keenness by early rising, a scanty breakfast, exercise, and sea air. The runlets of water, and the jugs of more exhilarating liquor, were lightened of their burdens. Then softer joys succeeded; and music and dance, and love and courtship, held their undisputed empire until deep in the night, when all sought shelter and repose on board of their boats, moored by the shore, or among their island friends, who gladly entertained them with characteristic hospitality. Many a winter's evening tale did the incidents of those merry-making occasions supply, and many a peaceful young bosom, of retired rural beauty, was assailed with other emotions than the rough sports of an Assateague horse-penning inspired; and from one anniversary of this half-savage festivity to another, all was talk of the joy and transports of the past, and anticipations of the future.

ALBEMARLE was formed, in 1744, from Goochland. Its length, from sw. to NE., is 35 miles, and its mean width 20 miles. The northern part is drained by the Rivanna and its branches; the southern by the Hardware and its branches. The surface is generally hilly or mountainous, the scenery picturesque, and much of the soil highly productive in corn and tobacco. Pop. 1830, 22,618; 1840, whites 10,512, slaves 13,809; total 22,924.

Scottsville is on the N. bank of the James River canal, 20 miles from Charlottesville, and 79 from Richmond. It is the largest and most flourishing village on the canal, between Richmond and Lynchburg, and does a heavy business; it contains 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, and 1 Reformed Baptist church, and about 160 houses.

Charlottesville, the county seat, is 121 miles from Washington City, and 85 northwesterly from Richmond. It is beautifully situated in a fertile and well-watered valley, on the right bank of the Rivanna River. It contains many mercantile and mechanical estab