PROGRESS TO THE MINKS. I35 



acres. Rappahannock forks about fourteen niDes beloMr this place, the northern 

 branch being the larger, and consequently must be the river that bounds nay 

 lord Fairfax's grant of the Northern Neck. 



30th. The sun rose clear this morning, and so did I, and finished all nay 

 little affairs by breakfast. It was then resolved to wait on the ladies on 

 horseback, since the bright sun, the fine air, and the wholesome exercise, all 

 invited us toft. We forded the river a little above the ferry, and rode six 

 miles up the neck to a fine level piece of rich land, where we found about 

 twenty plants of ginseng, with the scarlet berries growing on the top of the 

 middle stalk. The root of this is of wonderful virtue in many cases, par- 

 ticwlarly to raise the spirits and promote perspiration, which makes it a spe- 

 cific in colds and coughs. The colonel complimented me with all we found, 

 in return for my telling him tl^e virtues of it. We were all pleased to find 

 so much of this king of plants so near the colonel's habitation, and growing 

 too upon his own land; but were, however, surprised to find it upon level 

 ground, after we had been told it grew only upon the north side of stony 

 mountains. I carried home this treasure, with as much joy, as if every root 

 had been a graft of the tree of life, and washed and dried it carefully. This 

 airing made us as hungry as so many hawks, so that between appetite and 

 a very good dinner, it was ditficult to eat like a philosopher. In the 

 afternoon the ladies walked me about amongst all their little animals, with 

 which they amuse themselves, and furnish the table; the worst of it is, they 

 are so tender-hearted, they shed a silent tear every time any of them are 

 killed. At night the colonel and I quitted the threadbare subject of iron, 

 and changed the scene to politics. He told me the ministry had receded 

 from their demand upon New England, to raise a standing salary for all 

 succeeding governors, for fear some curious members of the house of com- 

 mons should inquire how the money was disposed of, that had been raised 

 in the other American colonies for the support of their governors. And 

 particularly what becomes of the four and a half per cent., paid in the sugar 

 colonies for that purpose. That duty produces near twenty thousand pounds 

 a year, but being remitted into the exchequer, not one of the West India 

 governors is paid out of it; but they, like falcoals, are let loose upon 

 the people, who are complaisant enough to settle other revenues upon 

 them, to the great impoverishing of these colonies. In the mean time, 

 it is certain the money raised by the four and a half per cent, moulders away 

 between the minister's fingers, no body knows how, like the quitrents of 

 Virginia. And it is for this reason that the instructions, forbidding all govern- 

 ors to accept of any presents from their assemblies, are dispensed with in the 

 sugar islands, while it is strictly insisted upon every where else, where the as- 

 semblies were so wise as to keep their revenues among themselves. He said 

 further, that if the assembly in New England would stand bluff, he did not 

 see how they could be forced to raise money against their will, for if they 

 should direct it to be done by act of parliament, which they have threatened 

 to do, (though it be against the right of Englishmen to be taxed, but by their 

 representatives,) yet they would find it no easy matter to put such an act 

 in execution. Then the colonel read me a lecture upon tar, affirming that |t 

 cannot be made in this warm climate, after the manner they make it in Swe- 

 den and Muscovy, by barking the tree tv/o yards fi-om the ground, whereby 

 the turpentine descends all into the stump in a year's time, which is then split 

 in pieces in order for the kiln. But here the sun fries out the turpentine in 

 the branches of the tree, when the leaves are dried, and hinders it from 

 descending. But. on the contrary, those who burn tar of lightwood tn the 

 common way, and are careful about it, make as good as that whioh •omes 

 from the east country, nor will it burn the cordage more than that does. 



