Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-12-07
y,s,, OF n, r.. WINS 60 Virginia.


his interesting letters in his own peculiar
and particular style. We make such extracts
es our space admit:
1--WE found the Chesapeake rather stormy;
and, in crossing the mouth OF the Potomac,
there was SO high sea, by tho meeting OF
strong wind aud strong tide 10 opposition,
that our lite steamer might haVe oeileSel
herself n mid ocean. Fortunately it was IN
the night, and there was (for me at least
lullaby 10 the rocking; and as we rounded
into the entrance OF the Rsppahannock. the
next morning, was rejolced to zee from the
window Of my stateroom, that Virginia gave
rs the welcome that we wsnted-a bright sun
and skv without cloud"
"Driylng through the pine forest some
eight or ten miles back trom the landing
place Of UrbanG--a spot made HISTORICAL oy
its neigh borho)d to the burial place of Wash
ington's mother and her kin--we came to
stream called Moratico Creek, on which stood
a saw-mii, Of which nv practical compan-
ions wished to see the operation"
1t is singular that Mr.. Willis should have
falen into error az regards the burIa!-place
of Mary, the Mother of Washington. Sne
is inferred within the precincts Of Freder-
icksburg, and an unfinished monument marks
the spot where her names are deposited
Mr.. W. then goes on TO speak Of the aid
he furnished small negro lad IN taxing
log from a wagon intended tor the saw mill,
aud says.
II mention this as the propable prompt
ing to cviiity 90 the part of the miller
very slckiy, grave, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ing man. who crossed over from the tumble
down shanty under which his rough ma
chinery was doing its work, and, applying
key to the paddock of stone nut near
bv, invited me in. The single room was OF
wigwam size and proportions, and the turul-
ture consisted Of one long and rude bench,
few ragged bedclolhes bundled up in the
corner, a teakettle, enc plate, knife and fork,
and broken frying pan. A gun stood IN
the corner, and on the Il ,Or lay q wild duck,
which had been shot that morning on the
mll-pond. A question as to the Number OF
kinds Of this bird 20 plentiful in tho region
round abou;, of which be said there were
thirty, naming, among others, the blue-wing,
the canvass-5ack, tho dlpper, the black-duck,
the bal-coOt, the butter.duck, the summer
duck, the red-head, and the mallard, led to Il
conversation as to the climate, etc ETC., and
| was very much struck with the quiet just
ness Of his remarks and their phraseo!Ogy,
and, withal, a knowledge OF the world which
is only got commonly by much travel and
observation. Under his slouched hat was a
physiogomy very nobly cut; and dis frame,
spite of his heavy and tattered clothes,
showed the very finest OF hercuiean proper
tons. | took very great fancy TO my new
friend as We sat over the smouldering logs OF
his huge fireplace and specialized not little
as to his probable history. Aud who do you
suppose he was? No less person than
Mcknight, the once famous Hercules Of
TURNER'S Circus" who, some years ago
used to astouish the world By resisting with
his own legs and arms the pull of four horses
letting q torty-two FOUNDER be discharged
uton his breast, lifting uoheard-ul weights.
and many similar wonders OF skill acd
strength. In one OF these horse encounters he
had strained some vital portion OF his loins,
and had come to Virginia TO go into slckiy
tiremeut as the Ogersecr Of saw-mll.
But the sight OF that maguiicently mould
ded man as be lay Stretched, toe next morn
ios, on the rough beach where we had sat
and conversed, for as we passed, on our re-
turn, we learned that he had died few hours
after We had left him, was the impressive
picture 10 which these introductory remarks
will explain my peculiar interest
Think moment Of the poetry-l may
even say the sublimity--of such scene!
The saw-mil, half in ruins, stood in the
heart of an oyergrown pine wilderness; the
winding road, for miles on either side, SEEM
ing, to the traveller, like the interminahie
aisles of tall-columucd and dim lighted ca
thedra, With the death Of the miller the
wheel had stopped, and the absolute hush
was dccpcncd by the unruttl ID Stiffness OF
the large pond, which reflected like the re-
atty Itself, the overhanglng woods enclus-
ing t--one single sign .; life alone visible,
the pull CT caught fish upon the dead mans
pole, which, with its baited hook and line,
he had lett stuck in the timbers Of the bridge!
il vas day of Indian summer, w!thou! a
cloud in the sky or breath Of wind; and thu
intense light which struggled down through
the tops OF the immense trees, looked, amid
the deep shade, like the sharp.etged frag
ments Of broken mirror.
ADD amid these effective surroundings
stood the old stone hut with its doors open
and its fire gooe our, ard, on It's long slender
bench of rough plank, the body of the fire
UBTWltllhc tcDhDl-'-Jio tSdul uuu 'b'il UidSh
drivers remaining for that day a; their more
remote homes, and he lying cold and alone
in the solitude Of the wilderness!
My friends, like myself, we're struck With
the exceeding nobleness and beauty Of the
dead mans features as be lay asleep. The
clear sallowness Of the skin gave the face
the aspect Of ancient marble, and the pro-
jecting forehead, the finely chiselled nose,
with its expanded Dos,rIls and the firm and
well cut lips below. aited in producing the
effect of some admirable conception Of statu-
ary--the homey circumstances Vi the laying
out, 10 that rude aud desolate osiug bat,
adding not little TO its upre,siveness.-
Aud then the height and breadth oil the error
nous chest Of the dead man, a. he lay on his
back, clad only in his torn shirt and rough
tfoTsers, his leet tied together with coarse
rope, and his hands crossed careIessly upon
his breast, completed picture, which, acct
dentally as it formed part OF the sights upon
the road in day's journey, will hereafter be
one of the most vivid in my reco lection.
Mcknight, il was rightly informed, was
Rhode Island man, and has left a wife,
from whom he bad been separated some
Years As be was living here 10 APT arently
forgotten obscuTity and seclusion. 1t is Eo--i-
Die that this may carry, to hi= family also,
the first news OF bis Geath--(the result. |
4 IT