later times, mighty armies crossed and recrossed the Rapidan at Germanna, and the thunders of Chancellorsville and the Wilderness shook its ruins to their foundations. Ichabod! The glory of Israel is departed; let the memory of it remain forever! CHAPTER XI. Progress to the Mines. The following sketch of a visit to Colonel Spotswood and his mines in 1732 by Col. William Byrd is inserted with full knowledge of the proverb that "comparisons are odious." A just consideration of the rights of the readers of this book impels its insertion, the cost of the Westover Manuscripts, from which it is extracted, rendering them practically inaccessible to the average reader. Colonel Byrd was one of the commissioners to run the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina, and also a commissioner on the part of the colony to define the southwestern limit of Lord Fairfax's grant, reporting strenuously and conclusively that the modern Rappahannock River was the true boundary; which report, however, did not finally prevail. He held many positions of dignity and trust in the colony and, it is said, was the friend of Addison, and an occasional contributor to the "Spectator. " He amassed the finest private library which had then been seen in America. Born March 28, 1674. Died August 26, 1744. I took my leave about ten, and drove over a spacious level road ten miles, to a bridge built over the river Po, which is one of the four branches of Matapony, about forty yards wide. Two miles beyond that we passed by a plantation belonging to the company of about five hundred acres, where they keep a great number of oxen to relieve those that have dragged their loaded carts thus far. Three miles farther we came to Germanna road, where I quitted the chair, and continued my journey on horseback. I rode eight miles together over a stony road, and had on either side continual poisoned fields, with nothing but saplings growing on them. Then I came into the main county road, that leads from Fredericksburg to Germanna, which last place I reached in ten miles more. This famous town consists of Colonel Spotswood's enchanted castle on one side of the street, and a baker's dozen of ruinous tenements on the other, where so many German families had dwelt some years ago; but are now removed ten miles higher in the fork of Rappahannock, to land of their own. There had also been a chapel about a bowshot from the Colonel's house at the end of an avenue of cherry trees, but some pious people had lately burnt it down, with intent to get another built nearer to their own homes. Here I arrived about three o'clock, and found only Mrs. Spotswood at home, who received her old acquaintance with many a gracious smile. I was carried into a room elegantly set off with pier glasses, the largest of which came soon after to an odd misfortune. Amongst other favorite animals that cheered this lady's solitude, a brace of tame deer ran familiarly about the house, and one of them came to stare at me as a stranger. But unluckily spying his own figure in the glass, he made a spring over the tea table that stood under it, and shattered the glass to pieces, and falling back upon the tea table, made a terrible fracas among the china. This exploit was so sudden, and accompanied with such a noise, that it surprised me and perfectly frightened Mrs. Spotswood. But it was worth all the damage to show the moderation |