The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-06-16

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principal cities of tho United States
TO the lovers of fun -
SAVANNAH.
4 letter from poang gentleman in
dranndh 10 ms friend in london.
From the London Courier Of sept.
l, 1929.
DEAR FRlEND--ReioiCed indeed
shall be when | shall have compile
ted my tour i'll this hemisphere, and
return once more td you, aud our
dear Brnmmagem, and resume my
station III the Button mandatory.
have sent YOU from various pla-
Ces. the accounts Of my travels. My
last was dated from Pocotaligo, the
capital oil the state of Coosahatchic.
| shal! now proceed TO notice what |
have seen here in this city which is
the chief town Of the state of Nana-
Craw.
1t is situated on a high sandy bluff
on the right bank Of Mud creek, and
is about eighteen miles from the sea !;
at the mouth Of the creek IS a bar,
which vessels can pass over drawing
twenty feet water hut the oysters
inside are SO abundant, that they ve-
~ often crowd vessels ashore the
vessel | came in, grounded and keel
ed down as the tide left her the
next morning the oysters were two
feet deep on our deck. and we were
obliged to turn too with shoveis, to
throw them of, in order TO right the
ship--this often harpens-outward
bound vessels take no other provisi-
ons. az the oysters come aboard yo-
UNFAIRLY.
This city was founded by Mr.. o.
glethorpc. puritan, who fled from
England from persecution on account
of his religion he Came OYER in the
May Flower in 1920, with Standish,
Carver, and others-he intended to
land at the place now called Ply
mouth. but as neither he nor the men
in the Jolly boat with him understood
sculling. they were blown of and
landed here.
The place has thriycd by the emf
grafton from England, and carries
on a considerable trade. There are
about 1000 inhabitants, of which d.
OOO are blacks, slaves. These poor
wretchcs have no other clothing than
a sort of apron about the middle
they are allowed by their masters
hut two quarts Of corn week. which
they have to grow themselNes--0n
Christmas, however they arc allow
ed holiday, and are INDUCED in a
pound or two each Of fresh raccOon,
an animal which as you have never
seen. will briefly describe. 1t is a
bout the size Of a young steer, has
five legs. seven horns, and two tails,
and runs side ways-its flesh is very
similar in taste to our ling-itis OF
a light colour. with sky blue spots.
These raccoons are sagacions ami
maIs-they feed ON oysters-4' their
mode of taking them is this: at 10"
water they go among the beds and
tickle the oysters with Their tails !;
the oyster opens their shell, selzes
tic tail, and then the racCoon pulls.
not TO cxtriCate itself from the grasp,
but to haal the oyster out OF the mud,
which when done, lie drags the oys
ter up high and dry, and waits till
the heat ofthc sun causes the shell TO
open.-thc racCo0n then With very
little labor gets the contents out 3; IN
the night or cloudy weather, the
raccoon sits upon the oyster and eau
ses him to open by incubation.
Their negroes are remarkably IN
dustrious-and such is the inhuman
task imposed upon them, that they
have to work from daylight in the
morning till ten o'clock at night, and
they are allowed only a quarter Of
an hour to go to breakfast.
The whole labour is performed by
the negroes-the whites do nothing
and can hardly walk-they appear
in the streets generally in paIan-
quin carried by four negroes: drl-
YER follows in the rear to lash those
who carry it, and this is 50 much u
SGD that its sound operates as music
and gets the mastcrtO sleep. These
luxurious whites take pride in their
idleness, and are anxious t" show II
on all occasions. | have seen the I'LL
ger nails of some of them seventeen
feet and six inches long.
There is very little christianity Il
mong this people they are howcy-