Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . of fine private residences, but no public build-ings worthy of remark. It is rather unfortunately situated on thesteep declivity of a James River bluff, and, while the streets run-ning parallel to the river are level, those leading to tlie water arefor the most part impracticable to wheeled vehicles. During theafternoon Crayon and Cousin Minnie strolled over the longbridge, and ascended the cliffs on the opposite side, whence theyhad a fine view of the town and river. There a
Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . of fine private residences, but no public build-ings worthy of remark. It is rather unfortunately situated on thesteep declivity of a James River bluff, and, while the streets run-ning parallel to the river are level, those leading to tlie water arefor the most part impracticable to wheeled vehicles. During theafternoon Crayon and Cousin Minnie strolled over the longbridge, and ascended the cliffs on the opposite side, whence theyhad a fine view of the town and river. There are no boats on the river now, observed our hero, witha sigh. This cursed canal has monopolized all that trade, I sup-pose. I perceive, too, by that infernal fizzing and squealing, thatthey have a rail-road into the bargain. Ah me! Twenty yearsago these enemies of the picturesque had no existence. The riverwas then crowded with boats, and its shores alive with sable boat-men—such groups! such attitudes ! such costume! such charac-ter ! they would have been worthy subjects for tlie crayon of or a Gavarni!. THE BANKS OF THE JAMES RIVER. When Jack Rawlins and myself arrived here on that never-to-be-forgotten tour, we were so fired by the romantic apj)earanceof these river boats that we resolved to try the life for a engaged a passage with Uncle Adam, the commander ofa boat freighted with tobacco, in the course of an hour Ave wereafloat. A delis^htful change it was from the dustv, monotonous 232 PORTE CRAYON AND HIS COUSINS. highway, to find ourselves gliding do^y^l the current of this lovelyriver, stretched at ease upon a tobacco hogshead, inhaling thefreshness of the summer breezes, and rejoicing in the ever-chang-ino beauty of the landscape. Then what appetites we had! Theboatmans fare, of middlings and corn-bread, was for a time aprime luxury. When in our idleness we grew capricious, we gavemoney to the first mate, Caleb, who, in addition to other accom-p
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectvirginiasociallifean
