captivity of the Moore family, was written many years since, and is still much sung among the mountaineers of this region. We insert it as a curiosity:

MOORE'S LAMENTATION.

Assist me with words, Melpomene, assist me with skill to impart
The dolorous sorrow and pain that dwelt upon every heart,
When Moore and his infantile throng the savages cruel did slay.
His wife they led captive along; with murmuring voice she did say,
Farewell! ye soft bowers so green, I'll traverse these valleys no more,
Beside yon murmuring stream lies bleeding the man I adore,

And with him my sweet innocent babes, these barbarous Indians have slain,
Were I but in one of their graves, then I would be free from my pain.
Once more on them she cast her eyes and bade them forever farewell,
Deep sobs from her bosom did rise, while she thus in anguish did wail.
The heathen her sorrows to crown, led her without further delay,
A victim to their Shawnee towns, and now comes her tragical day.
A council upon her was held, and she was condemned for to die;
On a rock they a fire did build, while she did their torments espy;
With splints of light wood they prepared to pierce in her body all round,
Her flesh for to mangle and tear. With sorrow she fell to the ground,
But her senses returning again, the mercy of God did implore.
"Thou Saviour that for me wast slain and bathed in a bloody gore,
Have mercy now on me in death, and Heaven will sing forth thy praise
Soon as I have yielded my breath in a raging fiery blaze."
Then to her destruction proceeds each cruel blood-thirsty hell-hound;
With lightwood they cause her to bleed, streaming from every wound.
The smoke from her body doth rise; she begs for their pity in vain:
These savages hear her cries, and with dancing laugh at her pain.
Three days in this manner she lay, tormented and bleeding the while,
But God his mercy displayed, and on her with pity did smile,
Growing angry at their cruel rage her soul would no longer confine,
Her torments he soon assuaged, and in praise she her breath did resign.
Let each noble, valorous youth, pity her deplorable end,
Awhile from your true loves part; join me each brother and friend,
For I have been where cannons roared and bullets did rapidly fly,

And yet I would venture once more, the Shawnees to conquer or die.

Beside the above, we here insert another song, derived, like the other, from a mountain cabin in this region. It was made on the battle of Point Pleasant, "sometimes called the Shawnee Battle.” (See Mason county.)

Let us mind the tenth day of October,
Seventy-four, which caused woe,
The Indian savages they did cover
The pleasant banks of the Ohio.

The battle beginning in the morning,

Throughout the day it lashed sore,

Till the evening shades were returning down
Upon the banks of the Ohio.

Judgment precedes to execution,

Let fame throughout all dangers go,
Our heroes fought with resolution
Upon the banks of the Ohio.

Seven score lay dead and wounded
Of champions that did face their fee,

By which the heathen were confounded,
Upon the banks of the Ohio.

Col. Lewis and some noble captains,
Did down to death like Uriah go,
Alas! their heads wound up in napkins,
Upon the banks of the Ohio.

Kings lamented their mighty fallen
Upon the mountains of Gilboa,
And now we mourn for brave Hugh Allen,
Far from the banks of the Ohio.

O bless the mighty King of Heaven
For all his wondrous works below,
Who hath to us the victory given,
Upon the banks of the Ohio.

TYLER.

TYLER was formed in 1814, from Ohio, and named from John Tyler, gov. of Va. from 1808 to 1811, and father of the late PresiIdent of the U. S. It is 40 miles long, with a mean breadth of 18 miles. This county declines to the west towards the Ohio, and is drained by Middle Island and Fishing creeks, both running through the county and emptying into the Ohio. The surface is exceed

ingly hilly and broken, but the soil is of a fair quality, and on the creek and river bottoms, excellent. About 50,000 pounds of maple sugar are annually produced. Pop. in 1840, whites 6,854, slaves 85, free colored 5; total, 6,954.

Middlebourn, the county-seat, is 307 miles northwesterly from Richmond, 52 miles s. of Wheeling, near the centre of the county, on Middle Island creek. It contains 3 mercantile stores, a Methodist church, and about 50 dwellings. Sistersville, 48 miles below Wheeling, is one of the best landings on the Ohio. This town was laid out in 1814 as the county-seat; but in 1816 it was removed to Middlebourn, 9 miles east of here. It is a flourishing village, containing 4 mercantile stores and about 80 dwellings. Martinsville, at the mouth of Fishing creek, 40 miles below Wheeling, contains 1 store and about 40 dwellings. Centreville, situated on the west bank of Middle Island creek, 7 miles E. of the C. H., contains from 30 to 40 dwellings.

This county, being upon the Ohio River, has, in common with those counties situated upon this great artery, a facility in transporting its produce to market not possessed by the country further inland. The introduction of steamboats has greatly increased these facilities. In the infancy of the country every species of water-craft was employed in navigating this beautiful river; and that unique and hardy race that once spent their lives upon its waters have vanished. The graphic and lively picture given below from Flint's Recollections of the lives of the boatmen, is now a part of the history of our country:

The way of life which the boatmen lead, is in turn extremely indolent and extremely laborious; for days together requiring little or no effort, and attended with no danger, and then, on a sudden, laborious and hazardous beyond Atlantic navigation. The boats float by the dwellings of the inhabitants on beautiful spring mornings, when the verdant forests, the mild and delicious temperature of the air, the delightful azure of the sky, the fine bottom on one hand and the romantic bluff on the other, the broad and smooth stream rolling calmly down the forest and floating the boat gently onward-all combine to inspire the youthful imagination. The boatmen are dancing to the violin on the deck of their boat. They scatter their wit among the girls on the shore, who come down to the water's edge to see the pageant pass. The boat glides on until it disappears behind a point of wood. At this moment, perhaps, the bugle, with which all the boats are provided, strikes up its notes in the distance over the water. These scenes and these notes, echoing from the bluffs of the beautiful Ohio, have a charm for the imagination, which, although I have heard a thousand times repeated, and at all hours, is, even to me, always new and always delightful.

WARREN.

WARREN was formed in 1836, from Frederick and Shenandoah : it is 20 miles long and 12 wide. The Shenandoah River runs through it at the base of the Blue Ridge, and receives in its passage the waters of its North Fork, which enters it from the west. There is considerable mountain land in the sw. part of the county, and the surface is generally hilly, yet there is much excellent soil.

Pop. in 1840, whites 3,851, slaves 1,434, free colored 342; total, 5,627.

Front Royal, the county-seat, is 139 miles Nw. of Richmond and 20 SE. of Winchester, between the Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge, about a mile from the former. It was established in 1788, on 50 acres of land, the property of Solomon Vanmeter, James Moore, Robert Haines, William Cunningham, Peter Halley, John Smith, Allen Wiley, Original Wroe, George Chick, William Morris, and Henry Trout; was laid into lots and streets, and Thomas Allen, Robert Russell, William Headly, William Jennings, John Hickman, Thomas Hand, and Thomas Buck, appointed trustees. The town is neatly built, and is surrounded by beautiful scenery. It contains 1 Presbyterian, 1 Baptist, and 1 Episcopal church, 5 mercantile stores, and about 400 inhabitants. About 7 miles south of this village is a copper-mine, which has recently been opened. It is conducted with spirit, and promises to be valuable.

About three miles southwest of Front Royal is Allen's Cave. In beauty and magnificence it is said to equal Weyer's Cave. It extends about 1200 feet. The sparry incrustations and concretions of "Sarah's Saloon," one of its principal apartments, presents a gorgeous scene. Its innumerable cells and grottoes form a complete labyrinth.

WARWICK.

WARWICK was one of the eight original shires into which Virginia was divided in 1634: its extreme length is 20, and greatest breadth 5 miles. It occupies a portion of the narrow peninsula between York and James Rivers, the latter of which forms its southwestern boundary. Pop. in 1840, whites 604, slaves 831, free colored 21; total, 1,456.

The C. H. lies about 3 miles N. of the James, and 77 miles southeasterly from Richmond.

WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON was formed in 1776, from Fincastle county: it is 40 miles long, and 18 broad. This county occupies part of the valley between the Blue Ridge and Clinch mountains, and is watered by the North, Middle, and South Forks of Holston, which rise in Wythe and flow through this county, dividing it into three fertile valleys. Gypsum of a superior quality abounds, and over 60,000 pounds of maple sugar are annually produced. Pop. in 1840, whites 11,731, slaves 2,058, free colored 212; total, 13,001.

On the bank of the Middle Fork of Holston, about 15 miles SE.

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of Abingdon, is an ebbing and flowing spring. At irregular intervals of from 3 to 4 hours, this spring, with a rushing noise, sends forth a volume of water in two or three successive waves, when it suddenly subsides until again agitated by this irregular tide.

Westerly from Abingdon, between Three Springs and the North Fork of Holston, on Abram's creek, in a narrow, gloomy ravine, bounded by a high perpendicular ledge, is a waterfall, which in one single leap descends perpendicularly 60 feet, and then falls about 40 feet more ere it reaches the bottom; the stream is about 20 feet wide.

Emory and Henry College is 10 miles from Abingdon, in a beautiful and secluded situation. It was founded in 1838, under the patronage of the Holston Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. It is yet in its infancy, but is efficiently organized, and is already exerting a salutary influence upon the cause of education in sw. Virginia. The faculty consists of a president, Rev. Charles Collins, A. M., who is the professor of moral and mental science, two other professors, and a tutor; number of pupils about 125, including those in the preparatory department. The name, Emory and Henry, was given in honor of Patrick Henry, and the Rev. Bishop Emory of the M. E. church. The post-office of the college is Glade Spring.

Abingdon, the county-seat, is 304 miles sw. of Richmond, 8 N. of the Tennessee line, 56 from Wytheville, and 130 from Knoxville, Tenn. This, by far the most considerable and flourishing town in sw. Virginia, was established by law in Oct. 1778, on 120 acres of land given for the purpose by Thomas Walker, Joseph Black, and Samuel Briggs, Esqs., and the following gentlemen were appointed trustees: Evan Shelby, William Campbell, Daniel Smith, William

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Edmondson, Robert Craig, and Andrew Willoughby. The town stands on an elevation; it is substantially built, with many brick buildings; the principal street is macadamized, and the town is surrounded by a fertile, flourishing, and thickly-settled agricultural

country. It contains several large mercantile stores, 2 newspaper printing offices, 1 Presbyterian, 2 Methodist, and 1 Swedenborgian church, a variety of mechanical and manufacturing establishments, and a population of over 1000.

In regard to the early settlement of the tract of Virginia west of New River, it is said, that in 1754, six families only were residing on it-two on Back creek, in (now) Pulaski county; two on Cripple creek, in Wythe county; one at the Town house, now in Smyth county; and Burke's family, in Burke's Garden, Tazewell county. On the breaking out of the French war, the Indians in alliance with the French made an irruption into this valley, and massacred Burke and his family. The other families, finding their situation too perilous to be maintained, returned to the eastern side of New River. The renewal of the attempt to settle this part of the country was not made until after the close of that war. A small fort, called Black's Fort, was erected when the country around Abingdon was settled, at a point about 100 yards south of that village, on the western bank of a small creek. It was one of those rude structures which the pioneers were accustomed to make for defence against the Indians, consisting of a few log cabins surrounded by a stockade, to which they always fled whenever Indian signs appeared. Southwestern Virginia, at that day, had ceased to be the permanent residence of the aborigines, but was the thoroughfare through which those tribes inhabiting the Rockcastle hills, in the wilderness of Kentucky, passed to the old settlements of Virginia. About two and a half miles northwest of the village, an old gentleman, by the name of Cummings-familiarly known as Parson Cummings-resided. It frequently happened, during times of excitement, when the whole population had repaired to the fort, that provisions grew scarce, and it became necessary for some of the most fearless and ath. letic to go out to the clearings and bring in supplies. On one occasion, several started with a wagon to the clearing of Parson Cummings, and among the rest, the parson accompanied them. About half a mile from the fort, upon what is called Piper's hill, the company was surprised by a party of Indians, and one of their number killed. The others, unprepared for such a reception, took to the bushes. The parson being somewhat portly, and wearing one of those large powdered wigs deemed an essential accompaniment of the gown in those days, rendered him conspicuous, and, of course, an object