Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-04-12
The Melungens.

We are sorry to have lost the name Of
the Southern paper from which this is ta-
ken.
We give to day another amusing and
Characteristic sketch from letter of our
intelligent and sprightly correspondent, So
journing at present in one of the seldom
visited hooks hid away in our mountains.
You must know that within some ten
miles OF this owls nest, there is a watering
place, known hereaboutS as "Black-water
Springs" 1t is SITUATED in narrow gorge
scarcely half mile wide, between PowelPs
Mountain and the Copper Ridge, and is
as you may suppose, almost inaccessible
A hundred men could defend the pass a.
gainst even a Xerxian army. Now this
gorge and the tops and sides of the adioin-
ing mountains are inhabited by singular
species Of the human animal called Me-
LUNGENs.
The legend of their history, which they
carefully preserve, is this. A great many
years ago, these mountains were settled by
society of Portuguese adventures, men
and women-who came from the Long-Shore
part of Virginia, that they might be freed
from the restraints and drawbacks imposed
upon them by any form of government
These people made themselves friendly with
the Indians, and freed, as they were, from
every kind of social government they up
rooted all conventional forms of society,
and lived in delightful Utopia of their
own creation, trampling upon the marriage
relation, despising all forms Of religion, and
subsisting upon corn, 1.-THE only possible
product Of the soil) and the game of the
woods These intermixed with the Indians
and subsequently their descendants (after
the first advances of the whites into this part
ofthe state) with the negroes and the whites
thus forming the present race of Melun-
gems They are tall, straight, wel-formed
people, of a dark copper color, with the
Circassian features, but woody heads, and
other similar appendages Of our negro
They are privileged voters in the state in
which they live, and thus you perceive are
accredited citizens of the commonwealth.
They are brave, but quarrelsome; and are
hosptable and generous to Strangers
They have no preachers among them and
are almost without a knowledge of Su-
preme Being. They are married by the es-
tablished form, but husband and wife sepa-
rate at their own pleasure, without meeting
with any reproach or disgrace from their
friends. They are remarkably unchaste,
and want of chastity on the part of the le-
males is no bar to their marrying. They
have but little association with their neigh
bors, carefully preserving their identity as
race, or class, or whatever you may call
it; and are in every respect, save they are
under the state government, a separate and
distinct people Now this is no travellers
story. They are really what | tell you,
without abating or setting down aught in
malice They are behind their nei ghbors
in the arts. They use oxen instead OF hor
seses i'll their agricultural attempts, and
their implements of husbandry are chiefly
made by themselves of wood. They are
without exception, poor and ignorant, but
apparently happy,
Having thus given you correct geograph.
lcal and scientific history of the people,
will proceed with my own adventures
The doctor, was as usual, my cOmpagnOn
de UOyage, and we stopped at odd Vardys'
the hostelrie of the vicnage. Old Vardy
is the chief cook and botte-washer'' Of
the Melungens, and is really very clever
fellow; but his hotel savors pretty strongly
of that perfume that one may find in Che
sleeping rooms of our negro servants, es.
pecialy on close, warm, summers eve.
ming. We arrived at Vardy's in time for
supper, and that despatched, we went 10
the spring where were assembled several
rude log huts, and a sprinkling of "the ma
tives," together with other preparations for
dance. Shoes, stockings, and coats were
unknown luxuries among them-at least we
saw them not.
The dance was engaged in with hearty
good will, and would have put to blush the
tame steppings of our beaux. Among the
participants was very tall, raw boned
damsel, with her two garments huttering
readily in the amorous night breeze, whose
black eyes were lit up with an unusual fire,
either from repeated visits to the nearest
hut, behind the door of which was placed an
open mouthed stone jar of new-made corn
whiskey, and in which was gourd, with a
"deuce bit' of sugar at all, and no water
nearer than the spring. Nearest her on the
right, was lank, lantern.jawed, high cheek
ed, long legged fellow, who seemed similar
ly elevated. Now these two, lord Bilson
THAT was he,) and Syl Varnum, THAT was
she,) were destined 10 afford the amusement
of the evening; for lord in cutting the pig.
con wing, CHANGED to light from one of hi
erial flights right upon the ponderouS peda
appendage Of Syl, a compliment which tlii