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At a moderate distance from Yorktown, (since so famous by the surrender
of Cornwallis,) there stood a plain looking structure, covering a considerable
pertion of ground, embracing, under one common roof, a long range of
buildings of various dimensions, and surrounded with cool looking verandahs,
which extended entirely round the lower story of the house; here entirely
closing one portion from view, with the extension of green slats, and there
throwing open another from the ceiling to the floor, so that the inmates
might choose sunshine or shade, as suited their fancy. Besides this main
building, there were others of various sizes and shapes, from the kitchen
to the coach house, forming, altogether, quite an imposing looking establishment.
One side of the dwelling commanded a fine prospect of the
Chesapeake Bay, while the other faced a garden, at that day a curiosity in
the colony. It extended beyond the reach of the eye landwards, until it
was lost in a beautiful green lawn, which fell off abruptly towards a little
bubbling brook which wound its way around the extended bluff upon which
the mansion stood. This garden was laid out after the prim and rather
pragmatical fashion of that day in the old country, and adorned with
statues and grotoes, and curiously devised box hedges. In the centre of
these, a jet d'eau constantly threw up its glittering spray, giving a most
inviting air of coolness and repose to the place. The whole establishment
was surrounded by a fence, painted white, the entrance to which was through
a high arched gate in the fashion of the times.

This was called Temple Farm, from a circumstance which will appear
in the course of our narrative, and was one of the country seats of Sir
Alexander Spotswood, then Governor of Virginia, and Commander-in-Chief
of Her Majesty's forces in the colony.

Further along the shores of the bay, stood a double row of small white
cottages, with a narrow street running between, and one large building of two
stories, in the centre, surmounted with a small cupola and weathercock; this
was the negro quarter. Beyond this, again, stood the overseer's house; still
following the same line.

The whole settlement presented a most inviting prospect to the eye of the
weary traveller; and from the water was still more imposing; because, on
that side, was one unbroken front, giving the idea of quite a village, from
the number of the buildings. No one will wonder at the extent, even of this

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country establishment, when we state from undoubted authority, that his
Excellency's income, at that time, exceeded twenty thousand pounds, per
annum, independent of his official salary.

It was near sundown of a sultry day in the summer of 1714; the dim blue
outlines of Acomac and North Ampton could just be discovered across the
misty surface of the bay. Sir Alexander Spotswood was seated in a large
arm chair in the front porch of the building, entirely alone, except his
dogs, which were snoozing away around his chair in various groups. He
had a pipe in his mouth, held from time to time in his fingers, while he
blew away the smoke, and cast his eye now and then along the surface
of the water. He wore a cocked hat on his head, which was thrown
rather to one side, so as to exhibit a profusion of iron-grey hair, done up
in the bob wig fashion. His features were large and strong, but not
unpleasing, especially when a smile broke over the otherwise bronzed and
statue-like countenance. His face, from the brow to the chin, was covered
with wrinkles. The sure guarantee that the youth of their possessor had
not been passed in inglorious ease and luxury. He had a fine set of white
teeth, which greatly redeemed his countenance from a look of premature
age, assisted by an eye which, when under excitement, was black and
brilliant with the unspent fires of youth or genius. Surmounting this
weather-beaten countenance, was a high forehead, falling back at the temple,
so as to leave a hollow on each side, and thus to produce what is called,
in common parlance, the hatchet face. His limbs were brawny and athletic,
showing their possessor capable of extraordinary physical exertion. He
wore knee breeches, met by cloth gaiter leggings buttoned close to his
well turned limbs, which, truth to say, were Virginia fashion, thrown over
the bannisters, in the most careless attitude possible. Over his person
he wore a hunting coat, thrown carelessly back from off his shoulders,
while near by rested a fowling piece he had apparently just set down,
being his almost inseparable companion in his long and celebrated walks.

While his Excellency thus lazily smoked away alone, in the front of his
house, the other portions of the building were by no means in the same state
of dreamy repose. About the entrance gate there was much bustle and confusion,
incident to the departure of some guests and the arrival of others.

His extensive and princely hospitalities were renowned, even in the Old
Dominion, and his establishment, whether in town or country, was the centre
and focus of all the elite of the colony. Over that portion, he had already
swayed a most happy and judicious influence, far better suited in its free and
easy grace, to the age of the country, than the stately formalities of his predecessors.
Upon occasions of public ceremony, he by no means abated the
pomp and parapharnalia of his office. His previous life had been too purely
military for that, but that very education of the camp, lent to the privaces of
his own home all the careless ease and grace so common to the undress of
the camp.

His being thus seated so long and so indolently gazing out upon the slumbering
waves, was by no means accidental. Suddenly there appeared a faint
flash and a quick report of fire arms in the offing, followed almost instantaneously
by two others, so faint and far off as just to be heard and seen. These
reports proceeded from small arms, and were very different from those of a
vessel in distress, which idea, indeed, the dead calm of the bay itself precluded.
Nevertheless, they seemed to rouse the Governor, the pipe was thrown
over the bannister, his legs were drawn to the floor, and in the next instant he
had snatched a spy glass, and looked long and silently over the water. After
he had hurriedly replaced his glass, he seized his gun and fired three charges
as rapidly as he could perform the evolutions of loading and firing. He had
no sooner done this, than he ordered one of his servants to light a large pine

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torch, and having manned one of his boats, jumped in, followed by the boy
holding aloft his burning brand. They steered out to a considerable distance
from the landing, and then again he folded his arms, and looked long and
ardently as before over the expanse of waters, the oarsmen resting upon their
oars.

While he is thus employed, let us return to the mansion; over the windows
of which, various lights are now seen, indicative of some more busy life
within, than is usually to be found of summer evenings at an ordinary farm
house.