878 D I $ 
miles, and from eaft to weft, at a medium, about ten 
miles; partly in Virginia, and partly in North Carolina, 
occupying a fpace of about one hundred and fifty thou- 
fand acres. No lefs than five navigable rivers, befides 
creeks, rife out of it; whereof two run into Virginia, 
viz. the fouth branch of Elizabeth, and the fouth branch 
of Nanfemond river, and three into North Carolina, 
namely. North river, North-weft river, and Perquimons. 
All thefe hide their heads, as it were, in the Difmal, 
there being no figns of them above ground. For this 
reafon, there muft be plentiful fubterraneous (lores of 
water to feed fo many rivers, or elfe the foil is fo replete 
with this element, drained from the high lands that fur- 
round it, that it can abundantly afford thefe fupplies. 
This is moft probable, as the fwamp is a mere quagmire, 
trembling under the feet of thofe that walk upon it, and 
every impreflion is inftantly filled with water. The 
fkirts of the fwamp, towards theeaft, are overgrown with 
cane reeds, ten or twelve feet high, interfperfed every 
where with ftrong bamboo briars. Among thefe grow 
luxuriantly the cyprefs and white cedar, which laft is 
commonly miftaken for the juniper. Towards the fouth 
end of the fwamp is a large tradt of reeds, which being 
conftantly green, and waving in the wind, is called the 
Green Sea. In many parts, efpecially on the borders, 
grows an ever-green (firub, very plentifully, called the 
gall buff. It bears a berry, which dies a black colour, 
like the gall of an oak, whence it has its name. Near 
the middle of the Difmal, the trees grow much thicker, 
both cyprefs and cedar. Thefe being always green, and 
loaded with very large tops, are much expofed to the 
w ind, and eafily blown down, the boggy ground affording 
but a (lender hold to the roots. Neither beaft, bird, in- 
feCt, or reptile, approach the heart of this horrible quag¬ 
mire ; perhaps deterred by the everlafting (hade, occa- 
fioned by the thick (limbs and bufties, through which 
the fun can never penetrate to warm the earth : nor in¬ 
deed do any birds care to fly over it, any more than they 
are faid to do over the lake A vernus, for fear of the noi- 
fome exhalations that rife from this vaft body of ftagnant 
filth and water. Thefe noxious vapours infeCt the air 
round about, giving agues and other diftempers to the 
neighbouring inhabitants. On the weftern borders of 
the Difmal is a pine fwamp, above a mile in breadth, a 
great part of which is covered with water knee-deep ; 
the bottom, however, is fo firm, that the pines grow 
very tall, and are not fo eafily blown down. With all 
thefe difadvantages, the Difmal is, in many places, pleaf- 
ing to the eye, and affords, on its borders, abundant paf- 
tu rage for cattle. This dreary moor was judged impaffable, 
till the line, dividing Virginia from North Carolina, was 
carried through it, in N. lat. 36. 28. in the year 1728, by 
order of king George II. Although it happened then to 
be a very dry feafon, the men who were employed in pufti- 
ing the line, were not altogether free from apprehenfions 
of being fwallowed up, or ftarved ; it being ten whole 
days before the w’ork was accompliftied, though they 
proceeded with all poftible diligence and refolution, and 
had no difafter to impede them. 
This fwamp is chiefly owned by two companies. The 
Virginia company owns 100,000 acres; the North Caro¬ 
lina company owns 40,000 acres. In the midft of the 
fwamp is a lake, about feven miles long, called Drummond's 
■pond, whofe waters difeharge themlelves to the fouth 
into Pafquotank river, which empties into Albemarle 
found; on the north, into Elizabethand Nanfemond ri¬ 
vers, which fall into James river. A navigable canal 
connects the waters of the Pafquotank and Elizabeth ri¬ 
vers. The diftance is about fourteen miles. This canal 
pafles about a mile eaft of Drummond’s pond, and re¬ 
ceives water from it. This canal opens an inland navi¬ 
gation from the head of Chefapeak bay, including all the 
rivers in Virginia, to Georgetown in South Carolina ; 
and by another canal, from Elk river to Chriftiana creek. 
D I 8 
the communication extends to Philadelphia, and the 
other ports connected with Delaware river. 
DIS'MALLY, ados. Horribly ; forrowfully ; uncom. 
fortably. 
DIS'MALNESS, f. Horror; forrow. 
Ta DISMAN'TLE, <v. a. To deprive of a drefs; to 
ftrip ; to denude.—He that makes his prince defp’ifed 
and undervalued, and beats him out of his fubje&s hearts, 
may eafily ftrip him of his other garrifons, having alrea¬ 
dy difpoffeffed him of his ftrongeft, by difmantling him of 
his honour, and feizing his reputation. South .—To loofe ; 
to throw off a drefs ; to throw' open: 
lThis is moft ftrange ! 
That (lie, who e’en but now was your bed objedt, 
Deareft and beft, fhould in this trice of time 
Commit a thing fo monftrous, to difmantle 
So many folds of favour. Shakefpeare. 
To ftrip a town of its outworks.—Tt is not fufficient ta 
polfefs our own fort, without the difmantling and demo- 
ljftiing of our enemies. Hakeavill. —To break down any 
thing external: 
His eyeballs, rooted out, are thrown to ground : 
His nofe difmantled in his mouth is found ; 
His jaws, cheeks, front, one undiftinguifh’d wound. Dryd „ 
To DISMA'SK, <v. a. To dived of a mafic; to unco¬ 
ver from concealment. 
Fair ladies malk’d are rofes in the bud, 
Or angels veil’d in clouds ; are rofes blown, 
Difmafk'd, their damafle fweet commixture (hewn. Shakf. 
To DISMA'ST, <z>. a. [a fea term.] To deprive of 
mads.—The (loop, befides being dijmajled , was very 
leaky in her hull. Anjou's Voyage. 
To DISMA'Y, <v. a. \_dfmayar, Spanilh.] To terrify; 
to difeourage ; to affright; to deprefs ; to dejeCt.—He 
w ill not fail thee ; fear not, neither be difmayed. Dent. 
—Nothing can make him remifs in the practice of his 
duty ; no profpedt of intereft can allure him, no fear of 
danger dfmay him. Atterbury. 
DISMA'Y,/. [ dijmayo , Spanifh.] Fall of courage ; 
terror felt; defection of mind ; fear imprelfed : < 
All fate mute, 
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts ; and each 
In other’s countenance read his own dfmay. Milton. 
DISMAY'EDNESS,/ DejeCtion of courage; difpi- 
ritednefs.—The valianteft feels inward dfrnayednefs, and 
yet the fearfulleft is aftiamed fully to (hew it. Sidney. 
DI'SME,/. [French. ] A tenth; the tenth part; 
tithe due to the clergy. It fignifies alfo the tenths of 
all fpiritual livings given to the prince, which is called 
a perpetual difme. i & 3 Edw. III. c. 35.—The pope be¬ 
gan to exercife his new rapines by a compliance with 
king Edward, in granting him two years dfriie from the 
clergy. Ay life. 
Since the firft fword was drawn about this queftion, 
Ev’ry tithe foul ’mongft many thoufand difmes, 
Hath been as dear as Helen. Shakefpeare. 
To DISMEM'BER, as. a. To divide member from 
member ; to dilacerate ; to cut in pieces.—Thofe who 
contemplate only the fragments or pieces of fcience, dif- 
perfed in (hort unconnected difeourfes, can never (urvey 
an entire body of truth, but muft always view it as de¬ 
formed and difniembered. Watts. 
Fowls obfeene dij.member'd his remains, 
And dogs had torn him on the naked plains. Pope. 
DISMEM'BRING,/. The act of cutting oft a limb. 
—Some, though rarely, occafion a mutilation or dij'mem- 
bring, by cutting off the hand or ear. Biackftone. 
To DISMI'SS, as. a. [dimiffus , Lat.] To fend away. 
—He dfmiffed the affembly. Adls } xix. 41.—To give leave 
of departure : 
If 
