46 HISTORICAL SKETCH

During his first voyage, following the eastern shore of the Chesa-
peake into the southern limits of the state, Captain Smith describes
the land as low and bordered with marshes; then crossing to the
western shore of the bay he compared the country to that which he
had left in the following words:

" Finding this Easterne shore, shallow broken Isles, and for the mostpart
without fresh water, we passed by the straits of Limbo¹ for the Westerne
shore; so broad is the bay here, we could scarce perceiue the great high
clifts on the other side: by them we Anchored that night and called them
Riccards Cliftes. ³ 30 leagues we sayled more Northwards not finding any
inhabitants, leaving all the Eastern shore, lowe Islandes, but ouergrowne
with wood, as all the Coast beyond them so farre as wee could see; the
Westerne shore by which we sayled we found all along well watered, but
very mountanous and barren, the vallies very fertill, but extreame thicke
of small wood so well as trees, and much frequented with wolues, Beares,
Deere, and other wild beasts. We passed many shallow creekes, but the
first we found Navigable for a ship, we called Bolus, ³ for that the clay in
many places vnder the clifts by the high water marke, did grow vp in
red and white knots as grim out of trees; and in some places so partici-
pated together as though they were all of one nature, excepting the coulour,
the rest of the earth on both sides being hard sandy grauell, which made
vs thinke it bole-armoniack and terre sigillata. "

' Returning thence southward, the Potomac river was entered, the
high bluffs of which are compared with those which were observed on
the bay shore.

Upon the second voyage which took place later in the summer of
the same year the head of the Chesapeake Bay was visited and many
of the physical characteristics of the region were observed.

Very little further knowledge was gained in regard to the physical
features of Maryland until the arrival of the first permanent settlers
in 1634; before their departure Lord Baltimore⁴ in his instructions
told them to look out for proper places for making salt and saltpeter
and to search for iron and for other ores. In his narrative of the
voyage written during that year by Father White" to his religious
superiors at Rome many interesting facts regarding the physiography
of southern Maryland may be found. Father White's description of

¹ Now called Hooper's Straits. ³ Now called the Patapsco river.

² Now called Calvert Cliffs. ⁴ Calvert Papers, I, p. 140.

⁵ Relatio Itineris in Marylandiana 1634.