Virginia, and traded with
the Virginians, &c.;" whereas the head of the bay is in the common route
of the Indians traveling from New York to Virginia, and much about
halfway.
Page 255, he says Sir William Berkeley withdrew himself from his
government; whereas he went not out of it, for the counties of Accomac
and Northampton, to which he retired, when the rebels rose, were two
counties of his government, and only divided from the rest by the bay of
Chesapeake.
Page 266, he says, Dr. Thomas Bray went over to be president of the
college in Virginia; whereas he was sent to Maryland, as the bishop's
commissary there. And Mr. Blair, in the charter to the college, was made
president during life, and is still alive. He also says, that all that
was subscribed for the college came to nothing; whereas all the
subscriptions were in a short time paid in, and expended upon the
college, of which two or three stood suit, and were cast.
Page 269, he tells of camels brought by some Guiana ships to Virginia,
but had not then heard how they throve with us. I don't know how he
should, for there never was any such thing done.
Then his geography of the country is most absurd, notwithstanding the
wonderful care he pretends to have of the maps, and his expert knowledge
of the new surveys, (page 278) making almost as many faults as
descriptions. For instance:
Page 272, Prince George county, which lies all on the southside of James
river, he places on the north, and says that part of James City county,
and four of the parishes of it, lie on the southside of James river;
whereas not one inch of it has so done these sixty years.
Page 273, his account of Williamsburg is most romantic and untrue; and
so is his account of the college, page 302, 303.
Page 274, he makes Elizabeth and Warwick counties to lie upon York
river; whereas both of them lie upon James river, and neither of them
comes near York river.
Page 275, he places King William county above New Kent, and on both
sides Pamunkey river; whereas it lies side by side with New Kent, and
all on the north side Pamunkey river. He places King and Queen county
upon the south of New Kent, at the head of Chickahominy river, which he
says rises in it; whereas that county lies north of New Kent from head
to foot, and two large rivers and two entire counties are between the
head of Chickahominy and King & Queen. Essex, Richmond and Stafford
counties, are as much wrong placed.
He says
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