wagon goes up at Christmas, send what shall then be ready.

"Mr. Higginbotham has all my transportation to and from Richmond under his care. He settles with the watermen, and pays them. I do not wish to have any accounts with them.

"These rains have possibly spoiled the fodder you had agreed for. You had better see it, and if injured, look out in time for more.

"Mr. Dinsmore wants Allen's plank brought up immediately. If you choose it, you can take your half beef now, killing one for that purpose, and sending the other half to the house, or to Mr. Randolph's.""

CHAPTER IV.

MR. JEFFERSON'S BLOODED STOCK.

IMPORTATIONS OF MERINO SHEEP-THEIR GREAT INCREASE IN THE COUNTRYBARBARY SHEEP FINE MUTTON, BUT NOT POPULAR-CALCUTTA HOGS, VERY FINE-MR. JEFFERSON'S OBJECT IN THE IMPORTATION OF STOCK-HIS PASSION FOR BLOODED HORSES-DESCRIPTION OF DIOMEDE, BRIMMER, WELLINGTON, TECUMSEH, AND EAGLE-HIS TURN-OUT.

"MR. JEFFERSON was very fond of all kinds of good stock. The first full-blooded Merino sheep in all that country, were imported by Mr. Jefferson for himself and Mr. Madison, while he was Presi dent. They were sent by water to Fredericksburg. Mr. Jefferson wrote me to go with Mr. Madison's overseer at Montpellier, Mr. Graves, and get the sheep. He said he knew no better way to divide them, than to draw for the choice; and the one who got the first choice of the bucks, take the second choice of the ewes. When we got to Fredericksburg, we were greatly disappointed. sheep were little bits of things, and Graves said. he would not give his riding-whip for the whole lot. There were six of them-two bucks and four

The

ewes. He had the same instructions in regard to dividing them that I had; so I put my hand into my pocket, and drew out a dollar, and said, 'Head, or tail?' He guessed, and I got the first choice. There was a good deal of difference in the bucks, and not much in the ewes. I got the best buck. He was a little fellow, but his wool was as fine almost as cotton. When I got home, I put a notice in the paper at Charlottesville, that persons who wished to improve their stock could send us two ewes, and we would keep them until the lambs were old enough to wean, and then give the owners the choice of the lambs, and they leave the other lamb and both of the ewes. We got the greatest lot of sheep-more than we wanted; two or three hundred, I think; and in a few years we had an immense flock. People came long distances to buy our full-blooded sheep. At first we sold them for fifty dollars, but they soon fell to thirty, and twenty; and before I left Mr. Jefferson, Merino sheep were so numerous, that they sold about as cheap as common ones.

"Some years afterwards he imported, from Barbary, I think, four large broad-tailed sheep. I have forgotten their names. He sent these from Washington in his own wagon, which had gone there with a load from Monticello. These sheep made very fine mutton, but they were not popular-did

IMPORTED SHEEP AND HOGS.

55

years. About

not disseminate, and ran out in a few the time the first sheep were imported, Mr. Jefferson imported six hogs,-a pair for himself, Mr. Madison, and General Dearborn, one of his secretaries. He often visited Mr. Jefferson. He was a

large, fine-looking man. I remember his coming to my house once with Mr. Jefferson, to look at my bees. I had a very large stand; more than forty hives. Those imported hogs were the finest hogs I have ever known. They were called Calcutta hogs. They were black on the heads and rumps, and white-listed round the body. They were very long-bodied, with short legs; were easily kept; would live on grazing, and would scarcely ever root. They would not root much more than an ox. With common pasturage, they would weigh two hundred at a year old; and fed with corn, and well treated, they would weigh three or four hundred.

"Mr. Jefferson didn't care about making money from his imported stock. His great object was to get it widely scattered over the country, and he left all these arrangements to me. I told the people to bring three sows, and when they came for them, they might take two and leave one. In this he soon got a large number of hogs, and the stock was scattered over that whole country. He never imported any cattle while I was with him.

way

We could always get remarkably fine cattle from Western Virginia.

He

"But the horse was Mr. Jefferson's favorite. He was passionately fond of a good horse. We generally worked mules on the plantation; but he would not ride or drive any thing but a high-bred horse. Bay was his preference for color. would not have any other. After he came from Washington he had a fine carriage built at Monticello, from a model that he planned himself. The wood-work, blacksmithing, and painting, were all done by his own workmen. He had the plating done in Richmond. When he travelled in this carriage, he always had five horses-four in the carriage, and the fifth for Burwell, who always rode behind him. Those five horses were Diomede, Brimmer, Tecumseh, Wellington, and Eagle.

"Diomede was a colt of imported Diomede. John W. Eppes, who married Mr. Jefferson's second daughter, Maria, bought Diomede for him in Chesterfield County; gave £80 for him. Eppes wrote Mr. Jefferson that he had bought him, and Mr. Jefferson wrote me to send for him. got him home, he was poor, but I had order when Mr. Jefferson got home.

When I him in fine

He was a

fine high-formed bay horse, not as good for riding as the others, but a fine harness horse. He became blind, poor fellow.