Evening star., 1896-09-26

he several times stopped there on his ex-
plor1ng trips 1t was one of the first places
settled by the English. and one of the few
that seem to have escaped without much
loss from the great massacre of 1922. which
so nearly wiped out the entire colony.
At SmithHeld.
The present village was incorporated in
1852. 1t finished it's growth a long time
ago. when 1t had acquired a population of
about one thousand. 1t is not dilapidated
town. however. but seems fairly prosper
Gus. with good class Of dwellings and a
very few handsome ones. All In all, 1t is
very attractive. with fine. old-fashioned
colonial-looking houses on large, pleasant
grounds, with abundant and large shade
trees 1t Is at the head of the creek also
known as Warraskoyack. under many
spelltngs. five or six miles off the James
Just before reaching the village the creek
doubles on itself, running back at the foot
of high ridge to form a long peninsula
Among the residents this is now known as
Pagan creek. or river. whether in remem-
brance of its ancient or modern Inhabitants
does not appear When they want an ap-
preparation it is Pagan river, as, in its
beneficence, Congress draws the line al
creeks.
TO most readers Smithfield is only asso-
ciated with brand of ham. There is. In
fact, ham factory, whose product Is held
in high repute. Where they procure the
raw material is not evident. The Isle OF
Hogges," where the first colonists sent
their swine to live as best they might on
what they should find or turn up, is few
miles above. in the James. In driving
about we saw only a few razor-backs that
locked as though they might have been ar
escape from the original drove. The quail
ity OF the hams, eaten as 1t were on their
native heath, is undeniably good What
your grocer sells you under this label
well, that is another story" Sweet DO.
n md fol1y
article of export
Some Old Buildings.
Nearly all the houses have been bull,
long enough to have a somewhat old time
air about them. Many date from abou,
the beginning of the century. and a hall
dozen from the Incorporation Of the town
AS interesting as any is the old cour
house. built about an even hundred year.
ago. 1t has long been transformed into 6
dwelling, the county seat having been re-
rcved to Isle Of Wight. In this house tn,
wife of the late General Malone was borr
and raised. The front has been modern
ized by the addition OF porches: but th'
back part remains unaltered. There wa.
the judges bench, the bar and jury box
the court room extending forward toward
the street. The small brick building OF
the corner was the clerks office and re-
mains unchanged:
But the object of chief interest, tha
which brought the writer to Smithfield. /.
not there, but five miles out on the Suf
folk road. We cross a rickety draw-bridg.
over a branch of the creek. which eats IT.
way indefinitely up into the land. Their
Is q long stretch Of salt marsh, with IT
corduroy foot under water at high tide
leading to it. Beyond, the road wind
pleasantly among fields of peanuts an,
| sweet potatoes. We come finally to a wood
ed ravine. through which flows n clear
swift-running brook. a veritable phenome
non in this part of the country. At tn
foot Of rock is q spring. considerabl,
! walled up. with nice new oyster shel