20 J'IRGINLi CARTOGRAPHY. 



its tributaries. Two voyages, made in an open boat, with a few 

 companions, over whom his superior courage, rather than his 

 station as a magistrate, gave him authority, occupied him about 

 three months of the summer, and embraced a navigation of 

 nearly three thousand miles. The slenderness of his means has 

 been contrasted with the dignity and utility of his discoveries, 

 and his name has been placed in the highest rank with the dis- 

 tinguished men who have enlarged the bounds of geographical 

 knowledge and opened the way, by their investigation, for colo- 

 nies and commerce." 



" He surveyed the bay of the Chesapeake to the Susquehan- 

 nah, and left only the borders of that remote river to remain for 

 some years longer the fabled dwelling-place of a giant progeny. 

 The Patapsco was discovered and explored, and Smith probably 

 entered the harbor of Baltimore. The majestic Potomac, which 

 at its mouth is seven miles broad, especially invited curiosity; 

 and passing beyond the heights of Vernon and the city of Wash- 

 ington, he ascended to the falls above Georgetown. Nor did he 

 merely explore the rivers and inlets. He penetrated the terri- 

 tories, established friendly relations with the native tribes, and 

 laid the foundation for future beneficial intercourse. The map 

 which he prepared and sent to the company in London is still 

 extant, and delineates correctly the great outlines of nature. The 

 expedition was worthy the romantic age of American history." 



Smith, with his great geographical knowledge derived from 

 travels in Europe, Asia and Africa, must have been inwardly 

 amused at the " Instructions given by way of advice, for the 

 intended voyage to Virginia," by the London Virginia Com- 

 pany. I say inwardly amused, for the spirit of adventure and 

 research which characterized his life induced him silently to obey 

 the company's dictates, which were to this effect: "You must 

 observe, if you can, whether the river on which you plant doth 

 spring out of mountains or out of lakes. If it be out of any lake, 

 the passage to the other sea will be more easy, and is like 

 enough, that out of the same lake you shall find some spring 

 which runs the contrary way towards the East India Sea." 



Smith, soon after landing in Virginia, started to explore, not, 

 however, from any idea of finding a short cut to the " East 

 India Sea," but to form a correct impression of how the land 

 lay for the benefit of old England and her colony. 



