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Show Page 21 Imagine my disappointment when my first sight of Virginia was the white hills of sand and the few pine and fir trees along the shore of Cape Henry. I shall never feel at home in this barren land, I thought to myself. But then we sailed up the James River past the cape and past Point Comfort and the countryside changed. There were hills about us now, the trees had thickened, and the earth looked more fit for growing. Some trees and shrubs were in bloom and the sight sent a longing for my beloved England darting through me. Streams and rivers entered the James on both sides. Around some of them lay marshes of varying sizes. It seemed hot, quite unlike a spring day at home, but there was a pleasant breeze blowing and the smell of flowers and good solid earth was exceedingly sweet. Virginia! Richard Kean was at the rail, seemingly as eager as I to drink in the sight of land. It was plain he had been busy at his toilet also. Even I admitted he looked very pleasing in his doublet and stockings of blue silk, his fan-shaped whisk and broadcloth breeches. At length we passed a small settlement on the right-hand side of the river. Richard seemed to take great interest in it as we passed. Perhaps it was the plantation to which he was going. When I again looked up from my writing, he had disappeared from the railing. Perhaps he had become overdrunk with the |
