known world. Where can you find a location in which a death has
not occurred in a hundred years? It cannot be named.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE FUTURE FOR THE DISMAL SWAMP.

The Dismal Swamp in Virginia is the only place where a death from
disease has never occurred. Railroads, like hog paths, are being run
in every direction, and the time is not far distant when a railroad
will be run direct to the beautiful Lake of the Dismal Swamp, and
Northern invalids will flock to its beautiful shores, there to bathe
in its juniper water and be healed from all diseases. True, at this
time it is in a rude and wild condition, but with the Suffolk and
Carolina Grand Trunk Railroad stretching across its western front,
civilization must tend toward it, and when a communication direct is
opened a city, Cincinnatus like, will spring along its shores, and its
inhabitants can, by the light of the glow worm of fire fly, watch the
paddling of the white canoe, so beautifully described by Moore in his
poem. Another very interesting place near the Swamp is a farm which at
one time belonged to General Washington. It is at the extreme south,
and is now owned by Mrs. John Trotman, and she has in her possession
the original title deeds of every person who has owned the place at
various times, from Washington down to the last purchaser, who was
Burrell Brothers, Esq., of Gates county, N. C., and an uncle of the
above-named lady. At his death it fell to his widow, who gave it to
Mrs. John Trotman, its present owner. I have visited the place several
times, and the cellars can now be seen where stood the first house. It
is very certain that it was settled many years ago, from the fact that
I saw a tombstone of a doctor from Waterbury, Connecticut, who died
there in 1800. This stone has been seen by many persons. There is
another place of some note that adjoins the Washington farm, it is
known as Hamburgs. At this place a ditch or canal was dug, running
east to the northwest Lock of the Dismal Swamp Canal, through which a
vast quantity of grain and other produce raised by the farmers of
Gates county, was shipped to Norfolk. An extensive mercantile business
was carried on at Hamburg by Col. T. W. Smith, so well known, who
afterwards removed to and now resides in Suffolk, Va. It was at
Hamburg that so many refugees ran the blockade during the late war
from Norfolk and other places, and a number of incidents could be
related of persons that sought tha