A BALLAD. THE LAKE OF THE DISMAL SWAMP. Written at Norfolk, in Virginia. They tell of a young man who lost his mind upon the death of a girl he loved; and who suddenly disappearing from his friends, was never afterwards heard of. As he frequently said in his ravings that the girl was not dead, but gone to the Dismal Swamp, it is supposed that he had wandered into that dreary wilderness, and had died of hunger, or been lost in some of its dreadful morasses.-Anon. "La Poésie a ses monstres comme la nature."-D'Alembert. "They made her a grave, too cold and damp And she's gone to the lake of the Dismal Swamp, "And her firefly lamp I soon shall see, Away to the Dismal Swamp he speeds— And when on the earth he sunk to sleep, He lay where the deadly vine doth weep And near him the she-wolf stirr'd the brake, And the white canoe of my dear?" He saw the lake, and a meteor bright, Till he hollowed a boat of the birchen bark, Far he follow'd the meteor spark, But oft from the Indian hunter's camp, On the 22d of June, 1813, a powerful British fleet made an attack on Craney Island, at the entrance to Elizabeth River. They were signally defeated. The event, as given below, is from Perkins' Late War: Before the British could enter the harbor of Norfolk and approach the town, it was necessary to take possession of Craney Island. On the morning of the 22d, they were discovered passing round the point of Nansemond River, and landing on the main land in a position where the passage was fordable, with a view to pass over and attack the works on the west side of the island, while at the same time a number of barges from the fleet attempted to land in front. These were attacked before they reached the shore, from a battery on the beach, manned by the sailors and marines from the Constellation and the gun-boats. Three of the barges were sunk, most of the men drowned, and the rest compelled to retreat to their shipping. The party which landed at Nansemond, were met and repulsed by the Virginia militia, and driven back to their ships, with the loss, including those in the barges, of upwards of two hundred in killed and wounded. The city of Norfolk, and the neighboring villages of Gosport and Portsmouth, owed their safety to this gallant defence of Craney Island. RICHARD DALE, a distinguished naval officer of the revolution, was born in this county in 1756. He early showed a predilection for the sea, and at the age of 12 made a voyage to Liverpool, and continued in the merchant service until the breaking out of the revolution. In 1776 he was appointed lieutenant of an armed ship, which belonged to the infant navy of Virginia. While cruising in one of the boats of this vessel in the James, he was captured by a British tender and confined on board of a British prisonship at Norfolk. He was at this time scarce 20 years of age, and having passed his youth on the ocean, can scarcely be supposed to have been familiar with the great principles of the revolution. An old schoolmate, named Gutteridge, who commanded a British tender, prevailed upon him to make a cruise with him up the Rappahannock. In an engagement with a fleet of pilot-boats, he was wounded in the head by a musketball. After his recovery he sailed for Bermuda, but the vessel he was in was captured by Commodore Barry; an explanation followed, and Dale, convinced of his error, re-entered the American service as a midshipman. Not long after he was again taken prisoner by the British, but was soon exchanged, and was appointed to the U. S. ship Lexington. This vessel being captured, Dale was the third time in the power of the enemy, who threw him and his companions into the Mill Prison at Plymouth. Dale escaped with a companion and travelled to London, when their progress was stopped by a press-gang They were carried back to Mill Prison, and thrown into a noisome dungeon for forty days. Dale was then released and placed with the rest of the prisoners. He was again thrown into the Black Hole, for singing "rebellious songs." In 1779 this bold mariner escaped to France, and there making the acquaintance of the famous Capt. John Paul Jones, was appointed by him 1st lieutenant in the Bon Homme Richard. The fleet of Jones cruised in the North Sea, and spread terror along the western coast of Scotland. In the almost unparalleled and desperate action between the Bon Homme Richard and the Serapis, Lieut. Dale distinguished himself and received a wound. Dale next served under Captain Nicholson, on board the Trumbull, which was soon captured, and he found himself for the fifth time a prisoner. Being exchanged, he was appointed captain of an armed merchantman, and sailed in her to the close of the war. In 1794, he was one of the six captains appointed from the merchant service to the U. S. navy. In 1801 he commanded the Mediterranean squadron, which protected our commerce from the Barbary corsairs. Having returned to the United States in 1802, he was again appointed to the Mediterranean station, but under circumstances which he conceived injurious to his honor to accept. Commodore Dale, therefore, retired from the navy. The decline of his life was as peaceful as his youth had been stirring and adventurous, and he died in 1826, aged 70 years. NORTHAMPTON. NORTHAMPTON was originally called Accawmacke, and was one of the original 8 shires into which Virginia was divided in 1634. In March, 1642-3, its name was changed to Northampton; and in 1672 its limits were reduced by the formation of a new county, the present county of Accomac. Northampton is the southern ex tremity of the long low peninsula forming the eastern side of the Chesapeake, and comprehending eight counties in Maryland and two in Virginia. The shore has numerous small creeks, and numerous islands stretch along the Atlantic. Pop. in 1840, whites 3,341, slaves 3,620, free colored 754; total, 7,715. Eastville, the county-seat, is 151 miles easterly from Richmond, in the centre of the county. It contains about 30 dwellings, and is a place of considerable business. Capeville, 6 miles N. of Cape Charles-the southern point of "the eastern shore"-contains a few houses. The subjoined description of "the eastern shore" in general, and of this county in particular, was published several years since: Separated as these counties are from the rest of the state by the spacious bay, which the eye can scarcely see across, and being among the first settled parts of the colony, they are a more unmixed people than is often to be found in our country, and retain more of the usages, and even language of former times, than perhaps any part of the state. The ancient hospitality of Virginia is here found unimpaired; and the inhabitants have a high relish for good living, which they are also enabled to indulge by a soil and climate extremely favorable to gardening, and by an abundance of excellent fish, oysters, and crabs. They preserve great neatness in their houses and persons, which is a characteristic of persons living in a sandy country. The whole county is as level as a bowling-green, and the roads are good at all seasons of the year. This circumstance has probably increased the social character and habits of the people, as it certainly has their pleasure-carriages. The number of gigs in the county is near three hundred, which is considerably greater than that of the freeholders. It is computed that the county pays about $10,000 a year for its carriages. The soil of this county is thin, light, and always more or less mixed with sand; but as it commonly rests on a stiff clay, and the land is too level to be carried off by the rains, or "to wash," to use a term of the upper country, the inhabitants are very much encouraged to pursue an improving course of husbandry; yet in truth they are but indifferent farmers. They cultivate the same land incessantly, one year in Indian corn, and the next in oats, (their two principal crops,) and their lands improve under this severe process, provided they are not also pastured. Whenever a field is not in cultivation, it puts up everywhere a rich luxuriant crop of a sort of wild vetch, called the magotty-bay bean, which shades the land while it is growing, and returns to it a rich coat of vegetable manure. It is by means of this fertilizing plant, and the aliment which is plentifully furnished by the vapors from the sea, that the product of these lands is so much greater than a stranger would be led to expect from the appearance of the soil. The land is so easily cultivated that there are few parts of the state in which more is produced to the man, or the horse, though more may be produced to the On the best farms, a hundred barrels to the hand are often obtained. The fig and the pomegranate flourish without protection during the winter. The former attains the size of a stout tree, sometimes twenty feet high, and its delicious fruit is in greater abundance than the inhabitants can consume. They have not yet learned the art of curing it; or perhaps the species they have is not suited to that operation. acre. Wind-mills are in use here, but tide-mills, at the mouth of small inlets, are preferred when attainable. These inlets deeply indent the shore, both on the "bay and sea-side," and while they are convenient for fishing, shooting wild-fowls, and as harbors for their boats and small craft, they give a pleasing variety to the landscapes, which are, indeed, as pretty as is compatible with so unvarying a surface. Upon the whole, we know of no part of the state in which the comforts of life are enjoyed in greater number, or higher perfection. They have, too, the sea and land breezes of the West Indies, which temper the sultry heats of summer; and their only annoyances seem to be a few moschetoes, a good many gnats, and now and then a bilious or intermittent fever. There is here an article of culture which is not much met with in other parts of the state-it is the palma christi, called castor bean. It now constitutes a part of almost every farmer's crop, to the extent of eight to ten acres or more. The quantity of the nut or bean produced, is the same as the land would produce in corn. Each bushel yields about two gallons and a half of oil, and sells, at the press, for $1 25 a bushel. This plant is now cultivated in many of the counties on the western shore, and the oil it affords has become a considerable article of export, being preferred to that of the West Indies. Among the curiosities of this county are the ancient records of the county from 1640, and a marble tomb, or sarcophagus, about five feet high, and as many long, from which we transcribe the following singular inscription: Under this marble tomb lies the body of the Hon. John Custis, Esq., Formerly of Hungar's parish, on the of Virginia and county of Northampton, On the opposite side one reads This inscription put on this tomb was by Wm. Cosley Man, in Fenchurch-street, The Hon. ABEL PARKER UPSHUR was the son of Littleton Upshur, and was born in this county, June 17th, 1790. "He received his classical education at Yale and Princeton colleges, and studied law under the instruction of his friend, the late Hon. Wm. Wirt, at Richmond, where he practised his profession from 1810 until 1824, when he removed to Vancluse, his patrimonial residence in this county. In the courts of the eastern shore, he continued the practice of his profession until Dec. 15th, 1826, when he was appointed by the legislature to fill the vacancy on the bench of the general court, caused by the death of his maternal uncle, the late Judge George Parker. He had previously represented his native county in the state legislature. On the 5th of Oct., 1829, he was Alden, in his "Collection of Epitaphs," published in 1814, says the Hon. John Custis, a gentleman of great opulence, died about 1750, and that this monument was erected and inscribed agreeably to the directions in his will. G. W. P. Custis, Esq., of Arlington, D. C., is one of his descendants.-H. H. elected a member of the general convention of Virginia. He published a pamphlet containing a review of Judge Story's work on the constitution of the United States, and contributed many articles to the newspapers on the topics of the day. On the reorgani zation of the judicial system of Virginia, under the new constitution, he was reappointed, April 18, 1831, to a seat on the bench of the general court, and was assigned to the third judicial circuit. This office he continued to fill until the 13th of Sept., 1841, when he was appointed by President Tyler, secretary of the navy. On the 24th of July, 1843, he was transferred, under the same administration, to the office of secretary of state, which he held until the time of his death, Feb. 28th, 1844, which was occasioned by the accident on board the U. S. steamer Princeton." The Southern Literary Messenger says, that the ancestors of Mr. Upshur settled upon the eastern shore more than two centuries since. His family is one of the oldest in Virginia, and has been remarkable for staid habits and sterling worth. Generation after generation they remained upon the eastern shore, cultivating the soil, and ornamenting society. From the same source we learn that Mr. Upshur was considered one of the most graceful and accomplished orators. His style was unexceptionably good, his arguments forcible, and set forth in sentences remarkable for terse and vigorous language. His speech in the Virginia convention of '29 and '30, is said to have been one of the ablest and best delivered during the sitting. He never took a leading position in politics until called to the presidential cabinet. Mr. Upshur was an able writer, and one of the most polished contributors to the periodical literature of the country. NORTHUMBERLAND. NORTHUMBERLAND was formed in 1648. Its length is 30, mean width 12 miles. It is situated in the east part of the state, on Chesapeake Bay, and has the mouth of the Potomac River on its northeast boundary. It is drained by several small streams flowing into the Potomac and Wicomico Rivers, which empty into Chesapeake Bay. Beside the ordinary products of this portion of the state, about 50,000 pounds of sugar are annually produced. Pop., whites 4,034, slaves 3,243, free colored 647; total, 7,924. Northumberland C. H., or Heathsville, is 98 miles NE. of Richmond. It is a handsome village, situated near the head of Coan River, a navigable stream emptying into the Potomac. It contains a Methodist church, several mercantile and mechanical establishments, and about 60 dwellings. NOTTOWAY. NOTTOWAY was formed in 1788, from Amelia, and named from the Nottoway tribe of Indians, from whom, also, the river running on its southern boundary received its name. It is drained by tributaries of the Appomattox and the Nottoway. Its length is 22, breadth 12 miles. Over two million pounds of tobacco are annually produced in this county. Pop. in 1840, whites 2,490, slaves 7,071, free colored 158; total, 9,719. Nottoway C. H., on the Little Nottoway, in the central part of the county, 67 miles sw. of Richmond, contains 15 or 20 dwellings, It was at Col. V. ...'s, in the northern part of this county, that the celebrated Peter Francisco had a battle with nine of Tarleton's cavalry in 1781; for an account of which see Buckingham. OHIO. OHIO was formed in 1776, from the district of West Augusta: it is 14 miles long, with a mean width of 10 miles. It is bounded westerly by the Ohio River, into which empty several creeks of the county. The surface is much broken, but the soil, especially on the water-courses, is very fertile. Over one million bushels of bituminous coal are annually mined in the county. Pop. in 1840, whites 12,842, slaves 212, free colored 303; total, 13,357. West Liberty is situated 12 miles NE. of Wheeling, and 5 from the Ohio River. It was established in Oct., 1787, and Moses Chaplaine, Zachariah Sprigg, George M'Cullock, Charles Wills, Van Swearingan, James Mitchell, and Benjamin Briggs, gentlemen, were appointed trustees for laying out the town, at which place the county buildings had been erected. It remained the countyseat until Brooke county was formed, in 1797, when the courts were removed to Wheeling. Wheeling City, the seat of justice for the county, is situated upon an alluvial area on the Ohio River, on both sides of Wheeling creek, 351 miles from Richmond, 264 from Washington city, 56 miles from Pittsburg, and 31 from Washington, Pa. The city is surrounded by bold hills, containing inexhaustible quantities of bituminous coal, from which the numerous manufactories of the town are supplied at a trifling expense. It is furnished with water from the Ohio by water-works. It contains a handsome courthouse, a jail, county offices, 2 academies, 2 banks and a savings' institution, a fire and marine insurance company, and 1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist, 1 Baptist, 1 Unionist, 1 German Methodist, 1 Lutheran, and 2 Presbyterian churches, a Friends' meeting-house, and religious societies belonging to the Reformed Baptists or Disciples, Swedenborgians, and Reformed Methodists; 97 stores, 7 commission and forwarding houses, 4 iron foundries, 4 steam-engine factories, 8 glass-houses, in several of which cut-glass is manufactured, 4 woollen and cotton factories, with carding machines, 2 paper-mills, 4 saw-mills, 3 white and sheet lead and copperas factories, 2 daily, 1 weekly, and 1 semi-monthly newspapers, together with many flouring mills in it and vicinity, and mechanical and manufacturing establishments of a lesser note. A beautiful and substantial stone bridge crosses Wheeling creek. The city contains about 1000 dwellings; over twenty steamboats are owned here, and all which navigate this portion of the Ohio stop at its wharves. The national road passes through Wheeling, which is one of the greatest thoroughfares in the Union. Zane's |