through the frosty moonlight, down the ringing glades of
the forest, and hear the hounds in full cry, and see before you, black
against the silver snow, a pack of yelling wolves. Then in summer the
woods are full of singing birds and of such flowers as you in England
only dream of. Strawberries make the ground red, and there are wild
melons and grapes and mulberries, and more nuts than squirrels, which is
saying much for the nuts. Everything grows here. 'Tis the garden of the
world. And what is there fairer than the green of the tobacco and the
golden corn tassels? And the noble rivers, whose head waters no man has
ever found, hidden by the Lord in the Blue Mountains near to the South
Sea! Sir, Virginia is God's country!"

"You in these lowlands have no trouble with the Indians?"

"None to speak of since 'forty-four, when Opechancanough came down upon
us. The brush with the Ricahecrians seven years ago was nothing. They
are utterly broken, both here and in Accomac. Further up the rivers the
devil still holds his own, we hearing doleful tales of the butchery of
pioneers with their wives and children; and above the falls of the far
west, in the Monacan country, and towards the Blue Mountains, is his
stronghold and capitol; but here in the lowlands all's safe enough.
There is no fear of the savages. Would we could say as much of the
servants!"

"Why, what do you fear from them?"

"It's hard to say; but an uneasy feeling has prevailed for a year or
more. It's this d--d Oliverian element among them. You see, ever since
his Majesty's blessed restoration, gang after gang of rebels have been
sent us--Independents, Muggletonians, Fifth Monarchy men, dour Scotch
Whigamores--dangerous fanatics all! Many are Naseby or Worcester rogues,
Ironsides who worship the memory of that devil's lieutenant, Oliver. All
have the gift of the gab. We disperse them as much as possible, not
allowing above five or six to any one plantation, we of the Council
realizing that they form a dangerous leaven. Should there be trouble,
which heaven forbid! they would be the instigators, restless
mischief-makers and overturners of the established order of things that
they are! Then there are their fellow criminals, the highwaymen,
forgers, cutpurses and bullies of whom we relieve his Majesty's
government. They are few in number, but each is a very plague spot,
infecting honester men. The slaves, always excepting the Portuguese and
Spanish mulattoes from