Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-02-17
EARLY VIRGINIA HISTORY ,
THE EXPEDITION OF THE YOUNG SUR
NEYORS.
No. IL.

No. IL.
Washington during this expedition
kept diary not only of all surveys of
tracts and lots made, but also of many
curious and interesting circumstances
incident to the wild, romantic life which
their business required. From this
diary we make tine following extracts
which will give to the reader some idea
of the daily life of the Two Georges as
they penetrated The primeval forests OF
the great valley and with compass anG
chain established the "buttings and
boundings" of those wide areas over
which are now to be found so maEy OF
the fertile valley farms. The surveys
were commenced in the lower part OF
The valley some distance above the
JUNCTION OF the Shenandoah with the
Potomac and extended for u sny miles
along The former river. Here aud there
Only partial cleaIings had been made by
vtuturuus squatters and pioneers, and
heir rude tillage of the virgin soil bad
produced good crops OF grain, hemp and
tobacco. The extracts are just as Wash
ingtou hurIiedly noted them down from
day TO day in his field book, and if his
modes OF expression and orthOgrapby
are not up to the standard of the pr's
ent day, we feel sure that no sensible
student will indulge in unkiud crit;-
ciSm OF them, as evidently they were
not intended for the public eye. TIE,
are somewhat quaint III style but they
give US fond gllmpses of The great pei
sonage in his early manhood which
make us for the time companions with
him as he rougbs it from day 10 day in
the Virginia wids:
Tuesday, March Is b. we set out
early with intent 10 run round ye sd
land, but being taken in q rain and it
Increasing very fast, obliged US to re-
turn, it clearing about o'clock and
our time being toe precious to loose we
a second time ventured out and work
I'd hard till ngat aud then returned to
Pennington's. We got our supper
and was lighted into q room and | not
being 50 good y woodsmau as ye rest OF
my company stripped myself very Oh
derry and went into ye bed as they
called it when to my surprise found II
to be nothing but a little straw-matted
ted together without sheets or any
thing else but only one threadbare
blanket with double its weight of yer
min such as lice, heas, etc. | was glad
to get up las soon as ye light Was car
lied from us) l put on my clothes aDd
lays as my companions. Had we not
have been very tired | an sure We
should not have slep'd much that night.
I made promise not to sleep so from
that time forward chusing rather TO
sleep in We open air before fire as will
appear hereafter"
"March ye 18Th surveyed tract of
land lying OF Gates marsh. Ye chain
men were Henry Ashby and Richard
Taylor. Ye marker Robert Ashby. fe
pilot VIM. Lindsy.
Wednesday, March 10th, we set out
early and finished about one O'Clock
and then Travelled up to Frederick town
where our baggage came TO lis. We
cleaned ourselves Ito get rid OF We game
we had catched night before and took
a review of ye town and thence return
ed to our lodgings where we had good
dinner prepared for US wine and
rum punch in plenty and good feather
bed with clean sheets which was 8 very
agreeable reeale.
Thursday, March 18th ,ained til ten
O'Clock ard then clearing we reached as
far as Major Campbells, one CT these
Bureesses about 25 miles from town.
Nothing remarkable this day nor night
but that we had tolerable good bed to
lay on.
Friday, March 18th, we travelled up
about 35 miles to Thomas Barwicks,
ON Potomac, where we found ye river
so excessively high by reason of ye
great rains that had fallen up about ye
Allegauy Mountains as they told US
which was then bringing down ye melt
ed snow, and that it would not be ford
able for several days; it was then above
six foot higher than usual and was rls
ipg, we agreed to stay till Monday. We
this day cAlrd to see ye famed warm
springs, we camped out in ye field TINS
night. Nothing remarkable happen d
ill Sunday We 10th.
Soaday March Goth finding ye river
NOT much abated We in ye evening
swan our horses over and carried them
70 Charles Folks in Maryland Tor pas
turage till ye next morning.
Monday March 2lst we went over III
q canoe and Travelled uD Maryland side
all We day in q continued rain to Cole
Cresaps right against ye mouth OF y Ee
sontb branch about 40 miles from Folks
! believe ye worst road that ever was
Tuesday March 22d continued rain
and We freshes kept US st Cresaps'
"wednesday 23i rained till about
two o'clock and cIear'd when we were
agreesbIy surprised at ye sight OF ,l ln,[,
tv.odd Indians coming from war win
only one scalp. We had some liquoE
with us of which we gave them part ~
elevatiug there spirits put the a n hnd IN ys g
humour of dancing of whom we haa a
war dance. There manner OF dancing Is
as follows, viz: They clear large CIR