PROGRESS TO THE MINES, 



IN THE YEAR 1732. 



September 18th. For the pleasure of the good company of Mrs. Byrd, 

 and her little governor, my son, I went about half way to the falls in the 

 chariot. There we halted, not for from a purling stream, and upon the 

 stump of a propagate oak picked the bones of a piece of roast beef By 

 the spirit which that gave me, 1 was the better able to part with the dear 

 companions of my travels, and to perform the rest of my journey on horse- 

 back by myself I reached Shacco's before two o'clock, and crossed the 

 river to the mills. I had the grief to find them both stand as still, for the want 

 of water, as a dead woman's tongue, for want of breath. It had rained 

 so little for many weeks above the falls, that the Naiades had hardly water 

 enough left to wash their faces. However, as we ought to turn all our mis- 

 fortunes to the best advantage, I directed Mr. Booker, my first minister 

 there, to make use of the lowness of the w-^+.er for blowing up the rocks at 

 the mouth of the canal. For that purpo^'^' v^ ordered iron drills to be made 

 about two feet long, pointed with stee/ '''• .aisel fashion, in order to make 

 holes, into which we put our cartridges of j^'Vder, containing each about three 

 ounces. There wanted skill among my engineers to choose the best parts of 

 the stone for boring, that we might blow to the most advantage. They 

 made all their holes quite perpendicular, whereas they should have humoured 

 the grain of the stone for the more eflfectual execution. I ordered the points 

 of the drills to be made chisel way, rather than the diamond, that they might 

 need to be seldomer repaired, though in stone the diamond points would 

 make the most despatch. The water now flowed out of the river so slowly, 

 that the miller was obliged to pond it up in the canal, by setting open the 

 flood-gates at the mouth, and shutting those close at the mill. By this con- 

 trivance, he was able at any time to grind two or three bushels, either for his 

 choice customers, or for the use of my plantations. Then I walked to the 

 place wiiere they broke the flax, which is wrought with much greater ease 

 than the hemp, and is much better for spinning. From thence I paid a visit 

 to the weaver, who needed a little of Minerva's inspiration to make the most 

 of a piece of cloth. Then I looked in upon my Caledonian spinster, who was 

 mended more in her looks than in her humour. However, she promised 

 much, though at the same time intended to perform little. She is too high- 

 spirited for Mr. Booker, who hates to have his sweet temper ruflrled, and will 

 rather suffer matters to go a little wrong sometimes, than give his 

 righteous spirit any uneasiness. He is very honest, and would make an 

 admirable overseer where servants will do as they are bid. But eye-servants, 

 who want abundance of overlooking, are not so proper to be committed to 

 his care. I found myself out of order, and for that reason retired early ; yet 

 with all this precaution had a gentle fever in the night, but towards morning 

 nature set open all her gates, and drove it out in a plentiful perspiration. 



