Accomac County

This is the northernmost of the two counties forming the "eastern shore of Virginia," which is cut off from the rest of the state by the Chesapeake Bay. Accomac was formed from Northampton co., in 1672. The term Accawmacke -- as it was accidentally spelt -- is derived from a tribe of Indians who once inhabited this region. It is about 48 miles long, and 10 wide; its surface is level, and the soil, though generally light, is in many parts fertile. It produces well, wheat, corn, cotton, oats, &c.,and an abundance of table vegetables. Pop. 1830, 19,656; 1840, whites 9,518, slaves 4,630, free colored 2,848, total 17,096.

Accomac C. H., or Drummondstown, in the heart of the county, 212 miles E. of Richmond, contains about 40 dwellings. Horntown, Modest-town, and Pungoteague, are small villages.

Upon the Atlantic coast are numerous islands, stretching along the whole length of the "eastern shore." The two northernmost are Chincoteague and Assateague. The first is about 8 miles long, and contains nearly a hundred families. About one-third of their bread-corn is raised upon the island; the sea and wrecks furnish the remainder of their subsistence. Assateague, though many times larger, has but few inhabitants, and is unfit for the cultivation of corn. Its rich bent-growing lands are subject to inundation from the spring tides. The scenery around Chincoteague is in many places inexpressibly sublime, and the view of the ocean and the surrounding cluster of islands, from the elevated sand-hills of Assateague, is enchanting. The Farmer's Register, from which this article is abridged, says that the Hebrides of Scotland, so profitable to their proprietors, do not possess a hundredth part of the advantages of these little Atlantic islands for all the purposes of comfortable living and extensive stock-raising; yet, for want of enterprise, they are neglected. These islands are flat, sandy, and soft, producing abundance of excellent grass.

Some thirty years since, an immense number of wild horses were raised upon these islands, with no other care than to brand and castrate the colts. Their winter subsistence was supplied abundantly by nature. The tall, heavy rich grass of the flatlands affording them green food nearly the whole of the winter, the tops of which alone were killed by the frosts, mild as usual so near the ocean. It was customary to have annual gatherings in June, to drive these wild horses into pens, where they were seized by islanders accustomed to such adventures, who pushed fearlessly in among them. On being broken, more docile and tractable animals could not be found. The horses have been gradually diminishing, until on one island they are nearly extinct, and the rustic splendor, the crowds, and the wild festivity of the Assateague horse-pennings, are among the things that were.

The multitudes of both sexes that formerly attended these occasions of festal mirth were astonishing. The adjoining islands were literally emptied of their simple and frolic-loving inhabitants, and the peninsula itself contributed to swell the crowd. For fifty miles above and below the point of meeting, all the beauty and fashion of a certain order of the female population, who had funds or favorites to command a passage, were sure to be there. All who loved wild adventure, whose hearts danced at the prospect of a distant water excursion, and a scene of no ordinary revel, where the ocean rolled his billows almost to their feet; all who had a new gown to show, or a pretty face to exhibit, who could dance well or sing; belles that sighed for beaux, or beaux that wanted
sweethearts; all who loved to kiss or be kissed, to caress or be caressed; all, in short, whose hearts delighted in romance without knowing its name, hurried away to this anxiously-expected scene of extravagant jollity, on the narrow thread of beach that the ocean seemed every moment to usurp. The imagination can scarcely conceive the extravagant enthusiasm with which this exciting sport was anticipated and enjoyed. It was a frantic carnival, without its debauchery. The young of both sexes had their imaginations inflamed by the poetical narratives of their mothers and maiden aunts, who in their more juvenile days were wont to grace those sylvan fetes of the mad flight of wild horses careening away along a narrow, naked, level sand-beach, at the top of their speed, with manes and tails waving in the wind, before a company of mounted men upon the fleetest steeds, shouting and hallooing in the wildest notes of triumph, and forcing the animals into the angular pen of pine logs prepared to enclose them. And then the deafening peals of loud huzzas from the thousand half-frenzied spectators, crowding into a solid mass around the enclosure, to behold the beautiful wild horse in all his native vigor, subdued by man, panting in the toils, and furious with heat, rage, and fright; or hear the clamorous triumphs of the adventurous riders, each of whom had performed more than one miracle of equestrian skill on that day of glorious daring; and the less discordant neighing of colts that had lost their mothers, and mothers that had lost their colts, in the melee of the sweeping drive, with the maddened snorts and whinnying of the whole gang -- all, all together formed a scene of unrivalled noise, uproar, and excitement, which few can imagine who had not witnessed it, and none can adequately describe.

But the play of spirits ended not here. The booths were soon filled, and loads of substantial provision were opened, and fish and water-fowl, secured for the occasion, were fried and barbecued by hundreds, for appetites whetted to marvelous keenness by early rising, a scanty breakfast, exercise, and sea air. The runlets of water, and the jugs of more exhilarating liquor, were lightened of their burdens. Their softer joys succeeded; and music and dance, and love and courtship, held their undisputed empire until deep in the night, when all sought shelter and repose on board of their boats, moored by the shore, or among their island friends, who gladly entertained them with characteristic hospitality. Many a winter's evening tale did the incidents of those merry-making occasions supply, and many a peaceful young bosom, of retired rural beauty, was assailed with other emotions than the rough sports of an Assateague horse-penning inspired; and from one anniversary of this half-savage festivity to another, all was talk of the joy and transports of the past, and anticipations of the future.