Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-27
The Potomac River.

point Of note passed, after leaving Aexan
dria. No picnic party being there, it wore
look of sombre desoation. Gradually. iol
years past, it has been becoming in the pop
ulnr mind, an obsolete idea rs IL ratification
Military men, however, regard its due pre-
servatl"n and improvement ~ essential t.
the defence of Washington. Alexandria. and
Georgetown. Grass grows around it, and a
rich forest background serves IT. make It i'm
presslye on the observers eye. let II Is
thus made 10 look only dingy, dingirr, din,
gieSt IL the voyager approaches, passes and
rapidly recrdes from it. A formidable place
II H. capable of being made, beyond qucs-
ton. Modern improvements in military
gunnery have been such as that with Il very
lnconSlderablr expenditure it may easily he
made ImpreSnable IL any force that can pos
sibly be brought up the river against it.
The White House Pavilion. Il substantial
and handsome building, is just now oppo-
site, on my right. Here skrmish took
place IN the last war with Great Britain, be
tween IL scouting party Of our militia and II
small detachment landed from Admiral
CockhurnS fleet; which, ending IN IN Amer
n'an victory, will surely be- talked over IN
the CHIMNEY corner rs long H. Fairfax and
Prince William are blessed with an oldest
lnhabItant.' This season few pleasure par
ties visit the White House, rs it is not kept
regularly open; though it has been Of late
years the scene Of much Washington, Alex
andrin, and Georgetown tcStivity.
a few miles further down Oh my left ely
mont is opening To view. 1t was happy
thought to nestle in its little gorge the beau
al ,,l l. -,
foreground of vcrdure slopes gently up to it,
and behind it are the winding walks skirt
ing precipitouS hills, uyerhung with tantas
tic foliage, anon aliordng well-nigh impene-
trable shade, and then opening suddenly t"
tho peering eyes of the jealous lover. Amid
the intricacies of these walks and around
the cool spring they encirclc, any amount Of
counting has been done for three years past
-Glymont being the iavorte resort Of the
lovers of the District and surrounding coun-
! try. No such place is better kept or more
putronizrd. All is hustle and excitement at
its little wharf, ut which the Powhatan is
now moored for an instant. The appear
ance of Sunday School picnic party in its
pavilion and rambling in its pleasant groves.
rs we now sail rapidly by, completes very
beautiful picture, Indeed
On my right is Mount Vernon, the appear
ance of which has changed in no particular
in forty years. | am not among those who
commend MIR. WaShingtuu's sale of it To- any
others than the General Government or the
State of Virginia. My fear is that, in ie-
male hands especially, it will soon become II
sort OF close corporation for the benefit of
speculators, or OF the agents of the society
| ownlngit. To-day, no steamer is there
So nuught is visible from the river to make
II more marked tn the eye than Il dozen PR
vate residences now visible On either bank Of
the river from the Powharan's upper deck.
We have lat IA, p. n.y. gone down to
where the river is three or four times a.
wide as ut Washington. The shores appear
~ placid us the Potomacs surface, with lit
! tie to attract the eye by varying the monoto-
ny of here IL cultivated field. and there a body
of dark and dense forest
The shores of the Potomac do not tell "f
! the improvement of the soil which has Ger.
taImly taken place in the counties of Nir
| GINA and Mary land through which the river
courses. The lands on both sides, for many
miles IN the interior, have perhaps quad
rupled in value in the last quarter Of cen
Jury, and the methods and modes OF cultiva
ton in vogue there more especially upon
! large plantations embrace all the improve
ments of modern times common Ia other
American localities More Peruvian Guano
L. purchased annually for use upon them, |
| apprehrnI. than IN any other section oI the
country of the same extent Their mari
beds, which lie around in all directions in
immense quantities and great yarletie- are
~ yet comparatively unresorted To; though,
apprehcnd, that they offer much cheaper
means of permanently improving tn" capa
city Of tho soil ia produce, than hy the use
of Peruvian Guunu IT StiO per ton, and eX.
persrs added. Little has been done to rem
der the immediate banks of the river more
fertile only because their OWNERS have gen
orally been content with the handsome pro.
its ri their cultivation, resulting from their
natural fertility.
We are now between Blackstone Island
and M"urc's Landing, with Britain's Bay
fairly opened before us It's banks stands
Lrnnardtown, one of the first MaIyial,i set
tlcnents--a century aga y place pl much
commercial Importance, and even yet the
shire town Of venerable ST. MarY's. The
enyir0ns OF Rrtain's Ray present more va
riel and therefore attractive features t. the
/ WV w 'hb N'Nhs'i tit'' nav '''h WI
hours. The cultivation of different crops
here in comparatively small patches, pro-
durrs this effect. observe that the tall
! lDrmhnrdy puplnrs, which thirty years a,'
were marked features Of nearly every head
hand between Washington city and Pn'ut
| Lookout are now rarely t" be soen. The
tree has lived its day on the North American
continent, apprehend. 1t WAS naturaized
! here by Mr.. jefferson, it will be- remember
/ ed VIII" was IN enthusiastic almlrrr at H.
/ tall and graceful proportion, aud lis deep
/ green hue. Ia such lucalitirs ~ the differ
eut headlands ui the Potomac, it certainly
| appeared t" better ADVANTAGE than usr" here.
So, though comparatively Useless, even for
shadc, aud prolific Of dirt and worms one
/ " no remembers the effect OF the tree nn the
| landscape III all directions, upon this river
! twenty years ago, must regret the m"rutnn
Gus effect of its absence.
At L. p. m, VIZ are nearing M"ore's Land
ing RAPIDLY, under strong heal hrcea" that
affords Us an atmosphere, ~ it c"uI"s leap
! ing over the white cap. with which the RIVER
Ituro ton az titteeu miles wide ~ sps"klrd.
! delightful rs t" repay any one Tor the cast
uf u trip down the Pntnmau.
/ M"ure's Landing, now kept ~ II summer
re-nrt, principally for families from up the
| river and the surrounding country, II luSt
! now spread out before me. Its neat white