Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-02-10

4 lOT lu6 Udy luCv Udu CHOSEN lOT SLHTt-
ing was Friday, March eleventh, and it
does not appear from the Journal OF
their exploits that any i'll luck befell
them throughout their perilous under
taking-circumstances seemed propi-
tous for them from the start. The
winter was past and gone. Its last ling
ering snow drifts were fast disappearing
from all the bill sides and valleys,
epringtime was again bringing the POS
sibilities Of bud and leaf and blossoms to
the glad earth around them and 10
their young and impulsive natures it
brought topes and expectations which
elated them and gave them incentives
and perseveriug forces they needed and
found. As they cantered briskly away
from the "Belvoir Home" down the
plantation road leading 10 the Kings
highway from Williamsburg to Alex
audria, doubtless their only pressges
were OF good fortune and success. Ten
miles on their way they halted at Great
Hunting creek TO exchange courlesies
with their friends the Wes S, the Alex
anders and Carlysles who were then
busy laying the foundations of the new
settlement of Belle Haven" after
wards Alexandria town. From Belle
| Haven they struck the "old Indian
treii" running through Cameron manor
/ ] di ection nearly identical with that
Of tre present Little river turnpike"
Of Fairfax and Loudoun counties, the
same trail followed by Washington six
years af.er when sent by Governor Din
widdie on an expedition to expostulate
wi h he French commander near Lake
Ers for his aggressions on the territory
Q. the King OF Great Britain, the one be
followed year after in his expedition
in which occu r.d the capirularion of
Fort Necessity at the Great Meadows,
and the one over which marched a por-
ton of the army of General Edward
Braddock against the French and
Indians the year following. At night
fall on the first day of their exped.
ton bad ss tie roads or paths must
have been at that time OF the Year, and
full flowing as were all of the In ervei :
ing streams from the SHOWS and winter
rains the surveyors had made forty
miles OF their journey which brought
them TO the head waters OF Bull Run" :"
stream flowing into the Occoquan
river and which hundred years
after was to become so famous in Amer
lean history for it, conflicts of the civil
war. Here they found generous hos
pitality in the backwoodsman style,
and a good nights rest under the cabin
roof OF Squire Neville, a cousin Of the
Fa.rfaxes and well known TO them
0oth, who had come up to the locality
neat twenty years before from his first
pace of settlement in the western pat
oi Prince William county and selected
!. large tract of desirable land lying Oh
the main Travelled way by Ashby's gap
from Fredericksburg on the Rappahan-
mock to the struggling trading post OF
Winchester. His house or cabin was
an ordinary or inn and also store for
general merchandise TO accommodate
all incoming pioneers aud settl~rs
Washington does not tell US in his diary
what comprised their bill of fare on the
table of this wilderness ''iDn" after their
fati!uing journey, but We may imegire
and perhaps very correctly tha. smok'
Ing venison and other wild game was
set before them. This ordinary was
not far frcm the town of Aldie in Lou
doun county. 1t was a low rambliI 6
bulldog Of stone and wss kept up : a
avern and wagon stand for several
generations after that time. For many
years it was known as Lacy's Ordinary.
Whether or not it is still standing the
writer cannot say. On the following
morning the surveyors resumed their
journey and crossed the Blue Ridge
through Ashby'5 gap and were in the
great valley of Virginia where it Is
about twenty miles wide, q region
diversified by gentle swells and slopes,
watered by plentiful springs aud
streams and admirably adapted to cul
tivation. The Blue Ridge bounds it on
one side, the North mountain, q ridge
of the Alleghsnies, on the other; while
through it flows that bright aud
aboundiug river which on account of
its surprising beauty was named by
the Indians the "Snenandoa." that is 10
say 1.-The daughter Of the stars" Push
ing on their way they found rest again
at nightfall under the roof Of Capt. Ash
by on the river just named, short
distance above Burwel's Island,
at the ''great bend' of that stream.
This was another station for the ferry
ing and entertainment OF way tarels and
the selling OF supplies to traders and
.quatters. On Sunday, March the
thirteenth, they rode to bis Lordship's
"uuarteIs," four miles higher up the
river, passing through beautiful groves
of sugar naples and fertile bottom.
lands" They had reached veritable
wilderness such as they bad never be-
held in all the Potomac and Rappahan-
mock regions. Every object around
them was hewildeIing to their minds,
we may imagine and awe irs bring.
Remnants of the old Indian tribes still
roamed the vast bunting grounds yet
alive with ell kinds Of wild game. to
the dismay of the defenceless traveller
and pioneer; for he it remembered the
time was nearly ten years before the
F.ench and Indian war 10 which Gen.
Edward Braddock figured 20 inglorious-
ly, losing the battle on the Mononga-
nela and his own life.
Lord Fairfax had come to the valley
a wear or two before and had built for
hims sIf about twelve miles southess OF
Winchester stone Hunting Lodge"
of ample proportions with quarters"
for servants in the centre of manorial
estate of ten Thousand acres. He had
called his new home "Greenway
Court where he lived a recluse with
his servants and scores OF hounds, bat