Air.

Thus they dwell comfortably, genteely, pleasantly, and plentifully in
this delightful, healthful, and (I hope) thriving _City of
Williamsburgh_.

CHAP. III.

_Of the Situation and Nature of the Country of_ Virginia, _and its
Coasts_, &c.

Under the Meridian is extended the Expanse _Bay of Chesapeak_, esteemed
one of the noblest and safest Bays in the World.

The Land on the _East_ Side of it is called the _Eastern Shore_, the
Northern Part of it belonging to _Maryland_, and the Southern containing
_Accomack_ and _Northampton Counties_ belonging to _Virginia_; at the
extreme Point of which lies one of the _Capes of Virginia_, the other
being opposite to it, one called _Cape Henry_, and the other _Cape
Charles_; _without_ these runs a bold Shore Southward, being the Coast
of _North Carolina_.

After Ships are clear of _England_, they need go near neither Land,
Rocks, nor Shoals, but in a direct Course might cross the vast
_Atlantick Ocean_ about a thousand Leagues nearly _W. S. W._ till they
make Land somewhat to the Southward of the Capes; then knowing (by their
Latitude, or Landmarks, or by certain Trees) what Land they are near,
they may easily get within the Capes, unless they happen to be kept off
to Sea for some Time by blustering _Northwesters_; or unless they
carelessly fall upon _Cape Hatteras_, or other Shoals on that Coast, in
known Latitudes; so that this may be esteemed as easy a Voyage as any.

There are belonging to _Virginia_ four principal Rivers (neither of them
inferior upon many Accounts to the _Thames_ or _Severn_) that empty
themselves into the Bay after they have glided some Hundreds of Miles
fromwards the Mountains, the Western Bounds of _Virginia_.

The most Southerly of these Rivers is called _James River_, and the next
_York River_, the Land in the Latitude between these Rivers seeming most
nicely adapted for _sweet scented_, or the finest _Tobacco_; for 'tis
observed that the goodness decreaseth the farther you go to the
Northward of the one, and the Southward of the other; but this may be (I
believe) attributed in some Measure to the Seed and Management, as well
as to the Land and Latitude: For on _York River_ in a small Tract of
Land called _Digges's Neck_, which is poorer than a great deal of other
Land in the same Latitude, by a particular Seed and Management, is made
the famous Crop known by the Name of the _E Dees_, remarkable for its
mild taste and fine Smell.