Existing comment:
Captain John Smith -- 1608:
First to map the Chesapeake Bay and the Patapsco River:
Captain John Smith made two expeditions up the Chesapeake Bay in a small sailboat with oars. His map identifies the Patapsco River as "Bolus Flu" for the earthen masses of reddish clay along its shores (evidence of iron ore). In describing his discovery, he wrote, "Heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man's habitation."
The wealth of woodlands and fields, the fertile soil, plentiful wildlife, and the bounty of the waters held great promise for a land of pleasant living.
Captain John Smith's map of Virginia. The Patapsco River, or as he named it, "Bolus Flu" is highlighted to show location. |