Virginia: the Old Dominion / As seen from its colonial waterway, the historic river James, whose every succeeding turn reveals country replete with monuments and scenes recalling the march of history and its figures from the days of Captain John Smith to the present time

A narrative travelogue records a houseboat voyage along a colonial river, recounting the practical pleasures and mishaps of life afloat while visiting historic plantations, ruins, churchyards, and early-settlement sites. The authors interweave lively day-to-day scenes aboard their houseboat with evocative descriptions of river landscapes, portraits of manor houses and family tombs, archaeological curiosities, and local anecdotes. Chapters move between navigational episodes, foggy nights and shallow channels, and illustrated portrayals of architectural details and artifacts, producing a readable blend of travel writing, regional history, and personal observation.