Virginia: The Old Dominion

g the shallows beside Jamestown Island; for our eyes were only for

as we would have it-without a mark of civilization; wild, lonely, and still. In keeping with the whole sad stor

Back River in behind the island. Our plan was to sail up this stream to a point where the chart showed a roadway and a bridge, and to tie up the houseboat there. That would be convenient for us and for Gadabout t

ere going in on a falling tide. We did not relish the idea of running aground perhaps, and of having the ebbing waters leave our craft to settle and wreck herself upon s

now doing. Indeed, we were expecting to come soon to the wooded rise of land once called "Pyping Point," where of old a boat in passing would sound "a musical note" to apprise the townspeople of

scovered the channel and scrabbled back into it before the soft mud, even aided by the falling tide, could get a good hold of her. No, not quite always was she so fortunate. For at la

ked around the houseboat on the guard taking soundings. Finding that the boat was settling upon fairly level bottom, and feeling

round the houseboat. Evidently, the explorers would not dare to go far or to be gone long for fear the ebbing tide would prevent their getting back. But it was not necessary to go far to find the channel. Indeed it was found unpleasantly near. The houseb

from our houseboat until all about us was bare ground; to starboard a narrow strip of i

e edge of which we had become squatters. It was a small stag

that anchors were run ahead and astern, and all made snug for the night. Then, in the enjoyment of one of the most charming features of

stole over water and marsh and wooded shore; and the stillness was broken by a burst of faint, high, tremulous tones, as though

l if we had tried. In such a place, we were stout-hearted mariners and the good houseboat stemmed the waters gallantly. Already we were thinking of how we too, in passing "Pyping Point," should sound a blast most lustily. Perhaps it would not be exactly a "musical note" such as the townspeople were used to; but being two or three centuries dead, t

t not been that our chart showed by dotted lines some sort of obstruction there, while it did not at all indicate the barrier we had just encountered. Fortunately, as the tide was now risi

were now in sight, and horses and cattle grazing. We passed a pier with a warehouse on it, bearing a

we might have seen more of the ruins of the ancient village. For Gadabout was holding in quite close to shore where no vessel could have gone in James Towne

ress," once growing on the island, now spreading its green branches in the midst of a watery waste-silently attesting the sacrifice of histo

mainland. But the same resistless wash of waves that had carried part of James Towne into the bed of the river, had broken down and submerge

en carried away, and we readily passed through the opening left and got again into Back River behind the island. Following this for a few hundred yards, we found ourselves at last beside the brid

venient pilings, we heard gay voices a

hatless girls in white muslins. "There's a h

er wondered