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while the corn was too soft to be beaten. It was called a grater. This was a half. circular piece of tin, perforated with a punch from the concave side, and nailed by its edges to a block of wood. The ears of corn were rubbed on the rough edges of the holes, while the meal fell through them on the board or block to which the grater was nailed, which, being in a slanting direction, discharged the meal into a cloth or bowl placed for its reception. This, to be sure, was a slow way of making meal, but necessity has no law.

The hand-inill was better than the mortar and grater. It was made of two circular stones, the lowest of which was called the bed-stone, the upper one the runner. These were placed in a hoop, with a spout for discharging the meal. A staff was let into a hole in the upper surface of the runner, near the outer edge, and its upper end through a hole in a board fastened to a joist above, so that two persons could be employed in turning the mill at the same time. The grain was put into the opening in the runner by hand. These mills are still in use in Palestine, the ancient country of the Jews. To a mill of this sort our Saviour alluded, when, with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, he said: "Two women shall be grinding at a mill, the one shall be taken and the other left." This mill is much preferable to that used at present in Upper Egypt for making the dhoura bread. It is a smooth stone, placed on an inclined plane, upon which the grain is spread, which is made into meal by rubbing another stone up and down upon it.

Our first water-mills were of that description denominated tub-mills. It consists of a perpendicular shaft, to the lower end of which a horizontal wheel of about four or five feet in diameter is attached; the upper end passes through the bed-stone, and carries the runner after the manner of a trundlehead. These mills were built with very little expense, and many of them answered the purpose very well. Instead of bolting cloths, sifters were in general use. They were made of deerskins, in the state of parchment, stretched over a hoop, and perforated with a hot wire.

Our clothing was all of domestic manufacture. We had no other resource for clothing, and this indeed was a poor one. The crops of flax often failed, and the sheep were destroyed by the wolves. Linsey, which is made of flax and wool-the former the chain, and the latter the filling-was the warmest and most substantial cloth we could make. Almost every house contained a loom, and almost every woman was a weaver. Every family tanned their own leather. The tan-vat was a large trough sunk to the upper edge in the ground. A quantity of bark was easily obtained every spring in clearing and fencing land. This, after drying, was brought in, and in wet days was shaved and pounded on a block of wood, with an axe or mallet. Ashes were used in place of lime, for taking off the hair. Bears' oil, hogs' lard, and tallow, answered the place of fish oil. The leather, to be sure, was coarse; but it was substantially good. The operation of currying was performed by a drawing-knife with its edge turned, after the manner of a currying-knife. The blacking for the leather was made of soot and hogs' lard.

Almost every family contained its own tailors and shoemakers. Those who could not make shoes, could make shoepacks. These, like moccasins, were made of a single piece of leather, with the exception of a tongue-piece on the top of the foot. This was about two inches broad, and circular at the lower end. To this the main piece of leather was sewed with a gathering stitch. The seam behind was like that of a moccasin. To the shoepack, a sole was sometimes added. The women did the tailor-work. They could all cut out and make hunting-shirts, leggins, and drawers.

The state of society which existed in our country at an early period of its settlement, is well calculated to call into action every native mechanical genius. This happened in this country. There was in almost every neighborhood some one, whose natural ingenuity enabled him to do many things for himself and his neighbors, far above what could have been reasonably expected. With the few tools which they brought with them into the country, they certainly performed wonders. Their ploughs, harrows with wooden teeth, and sleds, were in many instances well made. Their cooper-ware, which coinprehended every thing for holding milk and water, was generally pretty well executed. The cedar-ware, by having alternately a white and red stave, was then thought beautiful; many of their puncheon floors were very neat, their joints close, and the top even and smooth. Their looms, although heavy, did very well. Those who could not exercise these mechanic arts, were under the necessity of giving labor or barter to their neighbors in exchange for the use of them, so far as their necessities required.

MATHEWS.

MATHEWS was created in 1790, from Gloucester, and named in honor of a meritorious officer of the Virginia troops in the revolution, and subsequently governor of Georgia. This county is a peninsula, extending into Chesapeake Bay, united to the main by a narrow neck of land scarcely a mile wide, and its boundaries are almost entirely of water. It is 20 miles long, and in its widest section not nine miles. The principal streams are the Piankatank, East, and North Rivers. About 60,000 acres of the land are of a medium fertility. Marl exists in some parts. Formerly ship-building was carried on to such an extent, that agriculture was almost entirely neglected. The county is supplied with meal by wind and tide mills. Owing to the land being almost a dead level, there are no streams of fresh water running through the county; hence in long dry seasons every cattle hole, at which the stock water, dry up, and they suffer much from thirst. Pop., in 1840, whites 3,969, slaves 3,309, free colored 174; total, 7,442.

Mathews C. H., or Westville, is near the centre of the county, on a small stream putting up from East River, 100 miles E. of Richmond. It is a port of entry, and contains about 30 dwellings.

Gwyn's Island is on the east side of the county, in Chesapeake Bay, at the mouth of Piankatank River; it contains about 2000 acres, and a population of about 200. There is a tradition that Pocahontas, in attempting to swim across the Piankatank, was near . drowning, but was rescued by an individual, to whom, as a token of her gratitude, she gave this island.

Several months after the burning of Norfolk, Lord Dunmore left Hampton Roads with his whole fleet, landed about the 1st of June at Gwyn's Island, where he fortified himself. His force, consisting of about 500 men, including negroes, whom he had induced by false promises to leave their masters, was attacked by the Virginians under Gen. Lewis, and compelled to abandon the place. Shortly after, Dunmore left the coast of Virginia forever.

The annexed account of the attack upon Dunmore, and his expulsion from Gwyn's Island, is from the Virginia Gazette of July 29th, 1776:—

We got to the island on Monday, the 8th, and next morning, at 8 o'clock, began a furious attack upon the enemy's shipping, camp, and fortifications, from two batteries, one of five, six, and nine-pounders; the other mounting two eighteen-pounders. What forces the enemy had, were encamped on a point of the island nearly opposite to our five-gun battery, covered by a battery of four embrasures, and a breast work of considerable extent. Besides this, they had two other batteries, and a stockade fort higher up the haven, where troops were stationed to prevent our landing. In the haven were three tenders; one a sloop, (the Lady Charlotte,) mounting six carriage-guns; a schooner of two carriages, six swivels and cohorn; and a pilot-boat, badly armed, who had orders from Captain Hammond, of the Roebuck, to prevent our boats passing over to the island, and to annoy the rebels by every means in their power. Gen. Lewis announced his orders for attacking the enemy, by putting a match to the first gun, an eighteenpounder, himself; and the Dunmore being then nearest to us, at the distance of about 500 yards, it passed through her hull, and did considerable damage. Our five-gun bat

tery likewise began playing on the fleet, the enemy's camp, and works; and the fire soon became so hot that the Dunmore was obliged to cut her cables and haul off, after receiving ten shot, some of which raked her fore and aft. The Otter lay next to her, and it was expected would have taken her birth, but the first shot we gave her, took place supposed between wind and water, and she immediately slipped her cable likewise, and hauled out on a careen, without firing a gun. By this time all the fleet any way near the shore, began to slip their cables in the utmost confusion; and had the wind set in with a flood-tide, we must have taken great numbers of them. Our eighteen-pounders did great execution from the upper battery, which raked the whole fleet; and Captain Denny, who commanded the other battery, soon silenced the enemy at the point, knocking down several tents, which put their camp into a great confusion. At half after 9 the firing ceased, which was renewed again at 12, with double vigor, from both batteries; and nothing prevented our pushing to the island, during the cannonade, but the want of vessels.

The general being determined to cross the next day, gave orders for all the small crafts to be collected together from the neighboring creeks that night, and two brass field-pieces, six-pounders, to be carried to a place called Lower Wind Mill Point, to attack the tender that lay there, and facilitate our crossing. Accordingly, in the morning Captain Harrison, who had the direction of those field-pieces, began playing upon the tenders, which he galled so much, that the schooner ran up a small creek which indented the island, where the crew abandoned her, and the sloop got aground in reach of our cannon; upon which the general ordered Captain Smith, of the 7th regiment, with his company, to man the canoes and board her, which was done with alacrity. However, before our men came up with her, the crew got into their boat, and pushed for the island. But Captain Smith, very prudently passing the tender, pursued them so close, that before they could reach the shore, he exchanged a few shot with them, and took part of them prisoners. The enemy's look-outs, perceiving our men close upon the lower part of the island, cried out, "The shirt-men are coming!" and scampered off. The pilot-boat made no resistance.

General Lewis then ordered two hundred men, under Colonel M'Clanahan, to land on the island, which was performed as expeditiously as our small vessels would admit of. On our arrival, we found the enemy had evacuated the place with the greatest precipitation, and were struck with horror at the number of dead bodies, in a state of putrefaction, strewed all the way from their battery to Cherry Point, about two miles in length, with a shovel full of earth upon them; others gasping for life; and some had crawled to the water edge, who could only make known their distress by beckoning to us. By the small-pox, and other malignant disorders which have raged on board the fleet for many months past, it is clear they have lost, since their arrival at Gwyn's Island, near five hundred souls. I myself counted one hundred and thirty graves, or rather holes loosely covered over with earth, close together, many of them large enough to hold a corporal's guard. One in the middle was neatly done up with turf, and is supposed to contain the remains of the late Lord Gosport. Many were burnt alive in brush huts, which, in their confusion, had got on fire. In short, such a scene of misery, distress, and cruelty, my eyes never beheld; for which the authors, one may reasonably conclude, never can make atonement in this world. The enemy left behind them, in their battery, a double fortified nine-pounder, a great part of their baggage, with several tents and marquees, beside the three tenders, with their cannon, small arms, &c. Also the anchors and cables of the Dunmore, Otter, and many others, to the amount, it is supposed, of twelve hundred pounds. On their leaving the island, they burnt some valuable vessels which had got aground. Mr. John Grymes' effects on the island have fallen into our hands, consisting in thirty-five negroes, horses, cattle, and furniture.

Major Byrd, on the approach of our canoes to the island, was huddled into a cart in a very sick and low condition, it is said, and carried down to Cherry Point, where he embarked. The second shot the Dunmore received, cut her boatswain in two, and wounded two or three others; and she had scarcely recovered from the shock, when a nine-pounder from the lower battery entered her quarter, and beat in a large timber, from the splinters of which Lord Dunmore got wounded in the legs, and had all his valuable china smashed about his ears. It is said his lordship was exceedingly alarmed, and roared out, "Good God, that ever I should come to this!"

We had our information from one of his people that came ashore after the engagement, and was taken by our scouts. He likewise said, that many were killed in the fleet, which had sustained some thousand pounds worth of damage. The Fowey and Roebuck were the lowermost ships, besides which there were one hundred and odd sail

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of large vessels, which took their departure on Thursday afternoon, and are supposed to have gone into Potomac.

In this affair, we lost not a man but poor Captain Arundel, who was killed by the bursting of a mortar of his own invention, although the general and all the officers were against his firing it. His zeal for the service cost him his life.

MECKLENBURG.

MECKLENBURG was created in 1764, from Lunenburg. Its length is 36, mean width 18 miles. The Meherrin runs on its northern line, and the Roanoke through its southern portion. On the Roanoke is much extremely fertile land. The soil of the county is generally fertile, and although the ridges are thin and poor, yet it is a free soil, and annually produces about four millions of pounds of tobacco. Pop., whites 7,754, slaves 11,915, free colored 1,055; total, 20,724.

Boydton, the county-seat, is 109 miles sw. of Richmond, and 6 from the Roanoke River, on an elevated and healthy site. It contains 4 mercantile stores, 17 mechanic shops, 1 tannery, 1 jeweller, 1 apothecary, 1 Methodist, 1 Episcopal, and 1 Presbyterian church, and a population of about 400. About a mile from Boydton is RANDOLPH MACON COLLEGE, an institution in high repute, established in 1832, and under the superintendence and patronage of the Methodist Episcopal church. It has 4 professors and about a hundred students. L. C. Garland, A. M., is the president. A preparatory school is attached to the college, under the control and management of the faculty.

Clarksville is 12 miles sw. of Boydton, at the junction of Dan and Staunton Rivers. It has increased more in the last ten years than any other village in Virginia. In 1835 it had but 14 dwellings it now contains 10 mercantile stores, 20 mechanic shops, 2 tobacco inspections and warehouses, 1 tannery, 1 Baptist, 1 Methodist, and 1 Presbyterian church, and about 1000 inhabitants. Over 2000 hogsheads of tobacco are annually inspected here, and a large number of batteaux are constantly plying on the river, loaded with the products of the country.

MERCER.

MERCER was formed in 1837, from Giles and Tazewell, and named from Gen. Hugh Mercer, who fell at Princeton. It is 40 miles long, with a mean breadth of about 15 miles. It is watered by New River and its branches; the main stream being its NE. boundary. It is a wild and thinly settled tract, and much of the surface is mountainous and hilly. It is principally a stock-raising county; the woodlands affording a fine range for cattle. Pop., whites 2,127, slaves 98, free colored 8; total, 2,233.

At the formation of the county there was not a village in it: the erection of the county buildings has formed the nucleus of a small village called Princeton, situated 28 miles from Giles C. H., 35 from Tazewell C. H., and 42 from Monroe C. H., and containing 1 Baptist and 1 Methodist church, 1 store, and about a dozen dwellings.

MIDDLESEX.

MIDDLESEX was formed in 1675, from Lancaster. This county is a long narrow strip of land lying between its two boundary rivers; its greatest length is 39 miles, its mean breadth is 5 miles. The lands immediately on the Rappahannock, Piankatank, and Dragon, are fertile. Many branches of the Rappahannock make up into the county, affording convenience to the farmer in sending his produce to Baltimore and Norfolk, the usual markets for the produce of this section. Pop. in 1840, whites 2,041, slaves 2,209, free colored 142; total, 4,392.

Urbanna, the county-seat, is a sea-port, located about 18 miles above the mouth of the Rappahannock, near the entrance of Urbanna creek into that stream, and 84 miles northeasterly from Richmond. It was established a town by law the same year with Norfolk, 1705. It is a small village, containing several stores and about a dozen dwellings. This village was the residence of the celebrated botanist and physician, JOHN MITCHELL, who emigrated to this country from England in the early part of the last century, and distinguished himself by his philosophical and medical essays, and historical writings.

The prevailing religious denomination of this county is the Baptist: indeed, for the last sixty years, Virginia has been distinguished for containing a larger number of Baptists than any other state in the Union. It is not known that any of the original settlers of Virginia were of this denomination. The first church gathered in the colony was at Burley, in the county of the Isle of Wight, about the year 1714, more than a century after the landing at Jamestown, which church is supposed to have continued 40 or 50 years, when many of its members removed to North Carolina, and soon increased greatly. They were all General Baptists; but in a few years after their removal they began to embrace the Calvinistic sentiments. The next appearance of the Baptists in this state was in the counties of Berkeley, Rockingham, and Loudon, from the year 1743 to 1756. This period dates the origin of the Regular Baptists in Virginia; but they did not flourish to any considerable extent until 1760. "Their first preachers came from the north, and some few arose in the south: all met with opposition from those in power. The ministers (says Leland) were imprisoned, and the disciples buffeted.' This is but too true. No dissenters in Virginia experienced for a time harsher treatment than did the Baptists. They were beaten and imprisoned; and cruelty taxed its ingenuity to devise new modes of punishment and annoyance."

Outrageous mobs disturbed their congregations and preachers. A snake and a hornet's nest were thrown into their meetings, and even in one case fire-arms were brought to disperse them. "When the Baptists first appeared in Virginia and North Carolina they were received by men in power as beneath their notice; and in some places persecution in a legal shape was never resorted to. But in many others, alarmed by their rapid increase, the men in power strained every penal law in the Virginia code to obtain ways and means to put down these disturbers of the public peace, as they were called. It

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