completed his explorations, and having observed the soil, its
productions, the lake and its altitude, he returned home, convinced
that the immense morass might be easily drained, for it lay
considerably higher than the surrounding country. Through his
influence the Virginia Legislature gave a charter to an association
of gentlemen who constituted the 'Dismal Swamp Company.' Some, less
sanguine of success than Washington, withheld their co-operation,
and the project was abandoned for the time.

"It was reserved for the enterprise of a later day to open the
Dismal Swamp to the hand of industry. A canal now passes through it
from north to south, upon the bosom of which immense quantities of
shingles and lumber are floated to accessible deposits. By that
canal the swamp might be easily drained, and converted into fine
tillable land. To every visitor there, the wisdom and forecast of
Washington, in suggesting such improvement a hundred years ago, is
most remarkably manifest."

Friday, September 16, 1864.--The Valley City left Newbern at 4 o'clock
p.m., with Paymaster Louis Sands of the United States steamer Shamrock
aboard, and arrived at Roanoke Island on the 17th, at 11 a.m., and at
2-1/2 p.m. left Roanoke Island. At 9 p.m. arrived at the fleet, and put
stores, which the Valley City had conveyed from Newbern, aboard the
Shamrock. On the 18th, at 6-1/2 p.m., left the mouth of Roanoke Island
to go on an expedition up the Chowan river, and arrived at Winton, on
the right bank of the river, at the junction of Meherrin river, at 8
o'clock a.m. of the 19th. Winton was entirely destroyed in the early
part of the war, leaving nothing but here and there a wall, a chimney,
or foundation wall standing. An armed party went ashore and captured
some cotton, and came in contact with some Confederate pickets, with
whom they had a little skirmish, or exchange of shots. We left Winton
at 4 o'clock p.m., and arrived off Edenton at 9 o'clock p.m., where we
anchored for the night. At 7 o'clock a.m. of the 20th we got under
weigh, and proceeded to the fleet, where we arrived at 9 o'clock a.m.
At 1 p.m. we steamed to the mouth of Roanoke river, where we anchored.
On the 22d we got under weigh, and at 1:35 p.m. arrived at Edenton.
Captain J. A. J. Brooks, Acting Assistant Paymaster J. W. Sands and
myself went ashore, and called on Mr. Samuel B.'s family, and spent a
very pleasant ti