een Mary's
time,[229] when it was discovered or began to be settled. It is a
large territory, but has as yet no fixed boundaries, except only on
the south where it is separated from Virginia by a straight line
running westerly from ----[230] to the river. All north of this line
is Maryland, and all south of it Virginia. On the east it is bounded
by New Netherland, but that line is undefined; and on the north and
west indefinitely by the Indians. It comprises four great provinces,
as ----. The principal rivers are on the east side of the bay of
----.[231]

[Footnote 229: Queen Henrietta Maria, consort of Charles I.]

[Footnote 230: On the east side of Chesapeake Bay the line of division
between Maryland and Virginia ran east from Watkins Point on the bay
shore to the Atlantic. On the west side the boundary was the Potomac.]

[Footnote 231: Chesapeake.]

Maryland is considered the most fertile portion of North America, and
it were to be wished that it was also the most healthy, though it is
more healthy than its neighbor, Virginia, which has to give passage by
water through the great bay of ----,[232] to Maryland. It is also very
rich in fish as well as in all kinds of water fowl. There are few
Indians in comparison with the extent of country. When the English
first discovered and settled Virginia and Maryland, they did great
[wrong] to these poor people, and almost exterminated them.[233]

[Footnote 232: Chesapeake.]

[Footnote 233: The travellers had no first-hand knowledge of the
subject, and their comment is without authentic value.]

To return to Augustine Hermans, he was sick when we arrived at his
house.[234] We found there the three Englishmen before mentioned, who
had left the house of Kasparus in the morning. They were about
proceeding further on their journey. We delivered to Augustine a
letter from his son Ephraim, and related to him how we had travelled
with him from the Manathans, and how he was, which rejoiced him.
Becoming thus acquainted he showed us every kindness he could in his
condition, as he was very miserable, both in soul and body. His
plantation was going much into decay, as well as his body, for want of
attention. There was not a Christian man, as they term it, to serve
him; nobody but negroes. All this was increased by a miserable, doubly
miserable wife;[235] but so miserable that I will not relate it here.
All his children have been compelled on her account to leave their
father's hou