prevailed with the ferry-man to take him about ten miles down
the river, and land him on the Virginian shore, in a part of the country
which appeared to be a perfect wilderness. No traces of a road or
pathway were visible on the loose white sand; and the cedar and
pine-trees grew so closely together, on all sides, that it was scarcely
possible to see further forward, in any direction, than a hundred yards.
Taking a course, as nearly as he could guess, in a direct line from the
river, at the end of about an hour, he found a narrow road, which led to
a large and ancient brick house. The master of it was from home, and Mr.
Weld was obliged to proceed onward, several miles further, to a wretched
hovel which had the name of a tavern. On the ensuing morning he
proceeded to the residence of a gentleman, which was between the rivers
Potomac and _Rappahannoc_, and where he had been invited to pass a few
weeks.

The principal planters in Virginia possess large estates, and have, on
them, nearly every thing they can want. Among their slaves are found
tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, smiths, turners, wheelwrights, weavers,
and tanners. Woollen cloths and cotton goods, of several kinds, are
manufactured at this province. Cotton grows here in great luxuriance:
the plants, indeed, are often killed by the frost in winter, but they
always produce abundantly, the first year in which they are sown.

The large estates in Virginia are managed by stewards and overseers; and
the work is done wholly by slaves. The cottages of the slaves are
usually at the distance of a few hundred yards from the dwelling-house,
and give the appearance of a village, to the residence of every planter.
Adjoining to these cottages the slaves usually have small gardens, and
yards for poultry. They have ample time to attend to their own concerns:
their gardens are generally well stocked, and their flocks of poultry
numerous. Many of their little huts are comfortably furnished, and they
are themselves, in general, well clad. But Mr. Weld remarked, that this
class of persons is much more kindly treated in Virginia, than in the
other states of America.

The part of Virginia in which Mr. Weld was now passing his time, was, in
general, flat and sandy, and abounded in pine and cedar-trees: some
districts, however, were well cultivated, and afforded good crops of
corn; but these were intermixed with extensive tracts of waste land,
worn out by the culture of tobacco, and