400 V I R G 
exist near Richmond. Manganese is found in the county of 
Albemarle, and also of Shenandoah, on the north mountain. 
Lead ore abounds on the banks of the Kenhawa, in Wythe 
county, and opposite the mouth of Cripple creek. The mines 
are worked by twenty or thirty hands; and their average pro¬ 
duce is jabout sixty per cent. Marble, of a variegated ap¬ 
pearance, is found on James river, at the mouth of Rock 
Fish stream. Limestone is procured everywhere west of 
the Blue Ridge. Slate has been worked to advantage. 
Talc, or soapstone, used for chimneys, tobacco pipes, and 
other uses, is found; also ochre in different places; one 
kind, of a yellow colour, on the Appomatox river, is em¬ 
ployed in its natural state to colour the brick hearths; when 
calcined, it forms a valuable red paint. Coal is found in the 
western parts, and is in great abundance above Richmond, 
and on the Appomatox branch of James river, where it ex¬ 
tends in veins of twenty miles in length, and ten in breadth, 
which are nearly 200 feet above the level of the river. It 
now forms an article of export, and more than 5000 men are 
employed in this branch of commerce. Saltpetre is found 
in subterraneous places in considerable quantity. 
The principal rivers are the Potomac, Shenandoah, Rap- 
pahanock, Mattapony, Pamunky, York, James, Rivanna, 
Appomatox, Elizabeth, Nottaway, Meherrin, Staunton, Ken¬ 
hawa, Ohio, Sandy, Monongahela, and Cheat. The bay of 
Chesapeak extends inland 200 miles, to its termination in 
Maryland. Between the capes, its width is twelve miles; a 
little above, it increases to thirty, then gradually diminishes 
to five, at its northern extremity. 
The principal forest trees are apple, wild or sweet-scented 
crab, ash, aspen, beech, black and white birch, catalpa, 
cherry, chesnut, horse-chesnut, cucumber tree, cypress, dog¬ 
wood, elder, elm, fir, hemlock, spruce, fringe or snow-drop 
tree, sweet gum, hawthorn, hickery, Indus red-bud; juniper, 
or red or Virginia cedar, laurel swamp; linden, or American 
lime; locust, sugar and red flowering maple, red mulberry; 
black, chesnut, live, red, and white oak; paean, or Illinois 
nut; persimon; black, spruce, white, and yellow pine; plane 
tree, poplar, black ditto, sassafras, spindle tree, black and 
white walnut. The forests of Virginia have little underwood; 
and it is easy to travel through them on foot or on horseback, 
except on the lowlands in the eastern parts, which are covered 
with cedars, pines, and cypresses. Of shrubs, there is a great 
variety. Sassafras exists in great abundance; wild indigo 
throughout the state: the gooseberry, which grows naturally 
near the white sulphur springs, is smaller than the European, 
and more bearded; but the fruit is very agreeable: raspberries, 
black and red, and strawberries, grow naturally. The vine 
grows luxuriantly. The wild animals are still numerous in 
the western parts, namely, the wolf, the bear, the deer, the 
racoon, the squirrel, and the oppossum. At the approach of 
winter, the bear descends from the mountains in search of the 
fruits of the persimon tree, when it is pursued and taken by 
dogs. On the eastern side of the mountains, animals have 
become rare, and peltries are no longer an article of exporta¬ 
tion, the whole being consumed by the hatters and saddlers of 
the country. Among the bird kind is the wild turkey, which 
is yet common on the branches of the Kenhawa and other 
streams, where they weigh when full grown, from 12 to 30 
pounds. They go in large flocks, and are easily shot; when 
pursued, they run a considerable distance before they can take 
wing, and so swiftly, that they are seldom overtaken by a 
horse at full gallop. Partridges are numerous. The shell 
drake, or canvas black duck, is found in James river, and is 
much esteemed for its flavour. The sora, or American orto¬ 
lan, appears with the first white frost, early in September, and 
disappears with the first black or hard frost, an interval which 
varies from one to nine weeks. They frequent the borders of 
the waters, and are so numerous, that one person, seated in a 
canoe, with a lantern, will sometimes knock down from six 
to eighteen dozen in a night, which are sold from one-fourth 
to three-fourths of a dollar per dozen. The turkey buzzard, 
so called from its red gills, resembling those of a turkey, is 
nearly of the size of the eagle. It feeds on carrion. The 
I N I A 
Virginia nightingale, or mocking-bird, derives its name from 
its extraordinary imitation of all other songsters. The red 
bird and the humming-bird are admired lor their beautiful 
plumage. The rivers abound with excellent fish. 
Societies have been established at different places, for the 
encouragement of manufactures of wool, flax, and hemp, 
which are making rapid progress. Here are manufactures of 
gunpowder, salt, and saltpetre. 
The chief exports are tobacco, wheat, Indian corn, lumber, 
tar, pitch, turpentine, beef, pork, &c. From the southern 
parts are sent to Europe tobacco, wheat, flour, Indian corn, 
cotton, peas, white oak, staves, tar, pitch, turpentine, pork, 
bacon, ginseng, rattle and black snake root, indigo, oak bark, 
charcoal, lamp-black, peltries, deer, bear, racoon, musk-rat, 
wild-cat, or panther, wolf, and squirrel skins. From the 
northern parts, hemp, saltpetre, gunpowder, lead, coals, 
cypress, and pine shingles, to the north of Europe and West 
India islands. 
Richmond is the metropolis of the state. The other most 
considerable towns are Norfolk, Petersburg, Lynchburg, 
Fredericksburg, Winchester, Portsmouth, Williamsburg, 
Staunton, and Wheeling. There are four banks, with 
branches in different parts. Four colleges have been estab¬ 
lished in this state; William and Mary college, at Williams¬ 
burg ; Washington college, at Lexington ; Hampden Sidney 
college, in Prince Edward county; and Central college, at 
Charlottesville. There are 16 academies in different parts of 
the state. 
The denominations of Christians in Virginia are—Baptists, 
who, according to the Baptist report, in 1817, had 314 con¬ 
gregations; Presbyterians, who had, in 1818, 41 ordained 
ministers, and several licentiates; Episcopalians,who had, in 
1817, 34 ministers; Friends, who had, in 1812, 33 meetings. 
There are also many Methodists, some Lutherans, Roman 
Catholics, Jews, &c. 
VIRGINIA, a town of Ireland, in the county of Cavan, 
It is a smart neat town, pleasantly situated on a river of the 
same name; 40j miles north-west of Dublin. 
VIRGI'NITY, s. [virginitas , Latin.] Maidenhead; 
unacquaintance with man. 
You do impeach your modesty too much. 
To trust the opportunity of night. 
And the ill counsel of a desart place. 
With the rich worth of your virginity. Shahspeare. 
VIRGINSTOWE, a parish of England, in Devonshire; 
6 miles north-north-east of Launceston. 
VIRGO, s. [Latin.] The sixth sign in the zodiac; the 
Virgin : which see.— Virgo hath twenty-six stars. Moxon. 
VIRFDITY, s [yiriditas, Lat.] Greenness. Coclceram. 
—This deification of their trees for their age and perennial 
viridity, says Diodorus, might spring from the manifold use 
which they afforded. Evelyn. 
VIRIEU, a town of France, department of the Isere, con¬ 
taining, with its parish, about 4000 inhabitants; 25 miles 
north-west of Grenoble. 
VIRILE, adj. [virilis, Lat.] Belonging to man; not 
puerile; not feminine.—If there be any charm to overcome 
man and all his virile virtues, ’tis woman that does effect it. 
Feltkam. —Procreative.—The knot which debilitated, and 
enfeebled, his virile inclinations. Ricaut. 
VIRI'LITY, s. [ virilitas , Latin.] Manhood; character 
of man.—The lady made generous advances to the borders 
of virility. Rambler. —Power of procreation.—The great 
climacterical was past, before they begat children, or gave 
any testimony of their virility; for none begat children be¬ 
fore the age of sixty-five. Brown. 
VIRIVILLE, a town of France, department of the Isere, 
on the Peronne. Population 1500; 14 miles north-west of 
St. Marcellin. 
VIRLE, a town of Italy, in the Piedmontese province of 
Pinerolo. Population 1500. 
VIRMI'LION, s. [Properly vermilion.'] A red colour. 
iEgle, the fairest Nais of the flood, 
With a virmilion dye his temples stain’d. Roscommon. 
VIRREIES, 
