72 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



more considerable trading-town is Petersbourgh, on 

 the south side of the James River and at the falls of the 

 Appamatox, which a few miles below the town flows 

 into the James. Petersbourgh exports a great quantity 

 of tobacco and other produce, supplied not only by the 

 Virginia plantations round-about, but brought in even 

 from North Carolina. This town has a very unhealthy 

 situation ; its inhabitants seldom reach a great age, 

 and have always to contend with intermittent fevers 

 and their grievous sequelae; but notwithstanding the 

 place is larger than Richmond, the number of houses 

 being reckoned at 300. New settlers, however, are 

 continually coming in, tempted by the advantages of 

 the trade and shipping there, even if they must look 

 to exchange health for profits. Near to Petersbourgh, 

 and therefore on the south side of the James River 

 also, there are two other small towns, namely, Bland- 

 ford and Pocahunta. + But chiefly along the northern 

 and southern banks of the splendid James there lie 

 a great number of the finest and most fertile estates, 

 the sight of which we missed; for the common land- 

 road from Richmond to Williamsburg, past Bottom- 

 bridge, New Kent Court-house, Bird's &c, was mainly 

 through gloomy forest, only here and there tilled land 

 or a wretched cabin. And so, whoever will see Vir- 

 ginia in its greatest pomp must travel by stream. 



The weather was propitious. Cool indeed, even 

 cold, in the morning and evening, but once the sun got 

 high there was summer, although it was the latter half 

 of December. But really the weather in Virginia is 

 quite as changeable as along the rest of the coast of 

 America. In the summer months, June, July, and 

 August the Fahrenheit thermometer often stands at 



