e chiefly of brick, and have a neat appearance. Several of
them were built before the streets were formed, which gave rise to an
observation by a French lady, that "George Town had houses without
streets; Washington, streets without houses."

_Alexandria_, formerly called Belhaven, is a small, but peculiarly neat
town, on the western side of the Potomac, and about six miles south of
Washington. Its streets, like those of Philadelphia, run in straight
lines, and intersect each other at right angles. The houses are of neat
construction. The public buildings are an episcopal church, an academy,
a court-house, a bank, and gaol. This place carries on a considerable
trade; and the warehouses and wharfs are very commodious. The distance
from Alexandria to George Town is about ten miles; and there is a daily
communication between the two places, by means of a packet-boat.

Nine miles below Alexandria, and also on the bank of the Potomac, stands
_Mount Vernon_, formerly the country-seat of general Washington. The
house is of wood, but cut and painted so as to resemble stone. It has a
lawn in front; and, when Mr. Weld was here, the garden had the
appearance of a nursery-ground.

_Narrative of Mr._ WELD'S _Journey from Washington to Richmond
in Virginia_.

In proceeding from Washington southward, Mr. Weld passed through a part
of the country which was flat, sandy, and had a most dreary aspect. For
many successive miles nothing was to be seen but extensive plains, that
had been worn out by the culture of tobacco, and were overgrown with
yellow sedge, and interspersed with groves of pine and cedar-trees, the
dark green colour of which formed a singular contrast with the yellow of
the sedge. In the midst of these plains there were, however, the remains
of several good houses, which showed that the country had once been in a
flourishing state.

Mr. Weld crossed the Potomac at a place called _Hoe's Ferry_, The
ferry-man told him that, in the river, was a bank of oysters, and that,
if he wished it, the men should take up some. The singularity of
obtaining oysters from fresh water induced Mr. Weld to stop at the bank;
and the men, in a few minutes, collected as many as would have filled a
bushel. The oysters were extremely good when cooked, but were
disagreeable when eaten raw. The Potomac, as well as the other rivers in
Virginia, abounds with excellent fish of various kinds. At the ferry it
is about three miles wide.

Mr. Weld