Old Virginia and Her Neighbours, Vol. 2 (of 2)

Old Virginia and Her Neighbours, Vol. 2 (of 2)

These things that follow in this ensuing relation are certified by divers letters from Virginia, by men of worth and credit there, written to a friend in England, that for his own and others satisfaction was desirous to know these particulars and the present estate of that country. And let no man doubt of the truth of it. There be many in England, land and seamen, that can bear witness of it. And if this plantation be not worth encouragement, let every true Englishman judge. Such is the beginning of an enthusiastic little pamphlet, of unknown authorship, published in London in 1649,1 the year in which Charles I. perished on the scaffold. It is entitled A Perfect Description of Virginia, and one of its effects, if not its purpose, must have been to attract immigrants to that colony from the mother 2 country. In Virginia there is nothing wanting to make people happy; there are plenty, health, and wealth. Of English about 15,000 are settled there, with 300 negro servants. Of kine, oxen, bulls, and calves, there are 20,000, and there is plenty of good butter and cheese. There are 200 horses, 50 asses, 3,000 sheep with good wool, 5,000 goats, and swine and poultry innumerable. Besides these European animals, there are many deer, with rackoons, as good meat as lamb, and passonnes [opossums], otters and beavers, foxes and dogs that bark not. In the waters are above thirty sorts of fish very excellent good in their kinds. The wild turkey sometimes weighs sixty pounds, and besides partridges, ducks, geese, and pigeons, the woods abound in sweet songsters and most rare coloured parraketoes, and [we have] one bird we call the mock-bird; for he will imitate all other birds notes and cries, both day and night birds, yea, the owls and nightingales. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 56033
Author: Fiske, John
Release Date: Nov 22, 2017
Format: eBook
Language: English