Travels Through North America 



time, another lady gets up, and then the first lady 

 must sit down, she being, as they term it, cut out: 

 the second lady acts the same part which the first 

 did, till somebody cuts her out. The gentlemen 

 perform in the same manner. The Virginian ladies, 

 excepting these amusements, and now and then 

 going upon a party of pleasure into the woods to 

 partake of a barbecue,* chiefly spend their time in 

 sewing and taking care of their families: they seldom 

 read, or endeavour to improve their minds; how- 

 ever, they are in general good housewives; and 

 though they have not, I think, quite so much tender- 

 ness and sensibility as the English ladies, yet they 

 make as good wives, and as good mothers, as any in 

 the world. 



It is hard to determine whether this colony can 

 be called flourishing, or not; because though it pro- 

 duces great quantities of tobacco and grain, yet 

 there seem to be very few improvements carrying on 

 in it. Great part of Virginia is a wilderness, and as 



* Mons. de Willd, in his French translation of these travels, 

 makes the following observation upon the word, barbecue: 

 ^ "Cet amusement barbare consiste a fouetter les pores jusqu'a 

 "h mort, pour en rendre la chair plus delicate. Je ne sache pas 

 "que les cannibales meme le pratiquent." 



In justice to the inhabitants of Virginia, I must beg leave to 

 observe, that such a cruel and inhuman act was never, to my 

 knowledge at least, practised in that country. A barbecue is 

 nothing more than a porker, killed in the usual way, stuffed with 

 spices and other rich ingredients, and basted with Madeira wine. 

 It is esteemed a very great delicacy; and is, I believe, a costly dish. 



[58J 



