124 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



selves for a boxing-match, which took place on the 

 spot, in front of the house and in the presence of the 

 Justice of the Peace. Women, children, and blacks 

 gathered around, the women exclaiming at the con- 

 tempt shown for the officer's house. The Justice him- 

 self stepped forward with folded arms and tranquil 

 demeanor, and once, twice, three times bade the com- 

 batants keep the peace. The boxers paid no attention, 

 and the Justice having fulfilled his duty by thrice com- 

 manding the peace, withdrew with the same measured 

 step, and looked on in cold blood. Outraged at the dis- 

 obedience, the Justice's wife appeared and repeated the 

 commands of her husband, but was received with de- 

 rision. Finally the antagonists cooled, shook hands by 

 the fighting code, and each rode on his way. " By the 

 " law, must they not give obedience to your commands, 

 " I asked the Squire, and abstain from their squab- 

 " bling in your presence ? " " They should," was the 

 answer. " Well ! and could you not bring them into 

 "court for their behavior, and have them punished? 

 " I could," was the second laconic answer of the good- 

 natured Justice, who seemed to make far less of the 

 matter than his indignant wife, and was of the opinion 

 that it was more in keeping with his official worth to 

 pass over an apparent slight, instead of taking the 

 proud revenge which an injured self-love might de- 

 mand. 33 miles farther, through desolate woods 

 again, and we arrived at 



Washington on the Tar river, a new-settled little 

 place of perhaps 30 houses. The Tar river * comes 



* Higher up this river are several other small towns, as 

 Martinsburg, Tarburg &c. The latter is an inconsiderable 

 place of itself, but before the war there was every year brought 



