18
Point, and to mark the bonadary line between the two
colonies.
By their commission they were instructed "to meet
upon the place called Watkins Point and thence to run
the divisional line to the ocean." These instructions were
partly carried out, and in June, 1668, the commissioners
made a report of their proceedings?9 The agreement
signed by both parties states that, "After a full and per-
fect view taken of the point of Land made by the North
side of Pocomoke Bay and south side of Annamessexs
Bay, have and do Conclude the same to be Watkins
Paint; from which said Point so Called, we have run an
East Line agreeable with the extreamest part of the
Westernmost Angle of the said Watkins Point over
Pocrnnoke River, to the Land near Robert Halston's,
and there have marked Certain Trees which are
so Continued by an East Line Running over Swanse-
cute Creek into the Marsh of the Sea Side with apparent
marks and Boundaries which by our mutual Agreement
according to the qualifications aforesaid are to be Re-
ceived as the Bounds of Virginia and Maryland.
on the Eastern Shore of Chesopeak Bay."$o
The line run by these two commissioners, known as the
"Calvert-Scarburgh Line" was the first attempt of the
two colonies to mark their common bounds. During the
years that intervene, the date 1668 has been regarded as
a landmark in the boundary history of these states.
But the commissioners did not do their work well. They
were instructed to run a line from Watkins Point to the
ocean, and they ran only a part of this tine, as is shown
1* " Archives of Maryland Proceedings of Council," i66y-it568,
p. 44.
a° These commissioners also drew up another agreement which
settled in advance controversies about land holdings in consequence
of the definite line now draws. Ibid., p ¢;.
These two agreements were signed by both Culvert and SCar-
burgh, and subsequently ratified by the legislatures of both colonies.
This bare record, however. is all that remains of their transactions;
no journal, map, plat, mention of names of surveyors or certificates
or survey can be found.
|