A Map of Virginia: With a Description of the Countrey, the Commodities, People, Government and Religion.
Written by Captaine Smith, sometimes Governour of the Countrey. Whereunto is annexed the proceedings of those Colonies, since their first departure from England, with the discourses, Orations, and relations of the Salvages, and the accidents that befell them in all their Journies and discoveries. Taken faithfully as they were written out of the writings of Doctor Russell. Richard Wiefin. Thom. Studley. Will. Phettiplace. Anas Todkill. Nathaniel Powell. Jeffra Abot. Richard Pots. And the relations of divers other diligent observers there present then, and now many of them in England.
By W.S. At Oxford, Printed by Joseph Barnes. 1612.
Excerpts from THE DESCRIPTION OF VIRGINIA BY CAPTAINE SMITH
...But generally for the most part the earth is a black sandy mould, in some places a slimy clay, in other places a very barren gravell. But the best ground is knowne by the vesture it beareth, as by the greatnesse of trees or abundance of weedes, &c....
...By the rivers are many plaine marshes containing some 20, some 100, some 200 Acres, some more, some lesse. Other plaines there are fewe, but only where the Savages inhabit: but all overgrowne with trees and weedes being a plaine wildernes as God first made it...
Excerpts from Of such things which are naturall in Virginia and how they use them.
...Virginia doth afford many excellent vegitables and liuing Creatures, yet grasse there is little or none but what growth in lowe Marishes: for all the country is overgrowne with trees whose droppings continually turneth their grass to weedes by reason of the rancknesse of the ground; which would soone be amended by good husbandry. The wood that is most common is Oke and Walnut: many of their Okes are so tall and straight, that they will beare two foot and a halfe square of good timber for 20 yards long....
...By the dwelling of the Savages are some great Mulbery trees; and in some parts of the Countrey, they are found growing naturally in prettie groues....
...In some parts, were found some Chestnuts whose wild fruit equalize the best in France, Spaine, Germany, or Italy, to their tast[e]s that had tasted them all.
Plumbs there are of 3 sorts. The red and white are like our hedge plumbs: but the other, which they call Putchamins, grow as high as a Palmeta. The fruit is like a medler; it is first greene, then yellow, and red when it is ripe: if it be not ripe it will drawe a mans mouth awrie with much torment; but when it is ripe, it is as delicious as an Apricock.
They have Cherries, and those are much like a Damsen; but for their tastes and colour, we called them Cherries. We see some few Crabs, but very small and bitter.
Of Vines, [there is] great abundance in many parts, that climbe the toppes of the highest trees..., but these beare but fewe grapes. But by the riuers and Savage[s] habitations where they are not overshadowed from the sunne, they are covered with fruit, though never pruined nor manured....but certainely they would proue good were they well manured....
In the low Marishes, growe plots of Onyons containing an acre of ground or more in many plaves; but they are small, not past the bignesse of the Toppe of ones Thumbe.
Of beastes the chiefe are Deare, nothing differing from ours....
...There is a beast they call Aroughcun, much like a badger...Their Squirrels some as neare greate as our smallest sort of wilde rabbits; some blackish or blacke and white, but the most are gray.
A small beast they haue, they call Assapanick, but we call them flying squirrels, because spreading their legs, and so stretching the largenesse of their skins that they haue bin seene to fly 30 or 40 yards. An Opassom hath a head like a swine, and a taile like a Rat, and is of the bignes of a Cat. Vnder her belly shee hath a bagge, wherein shee lodgeth, carrieth, and sucketh her young. Mussascus is a beast of the forme and nature of our water Rats, but many of them smell exceeding strong of muske. Their Hares [are] no bigger then our Conies, and few of them to be found.
Their Beares are very little in comparison of those of Muscovia and Tartaria. The Beaver is as bigge as an ordinary water dogge, but his legges exceeding short. His fore feete like a dogs, his hinder feet like a Swans.... They have many Otters...,
....There is also a beast they call Vetchunquoyes in the forme of a wilde Cat. Their Foxes are like our siluer haired Conies, of a small proportion, and not smelling like those in England. Their Dogges of that country are like their Wolues, and cannot barke but howle; and their wolues [are] not much bigger then our English Foxes. Martins, Powlecats, weessels and Minkes we know they haue, because we haue seen many of their skinnes, though very seldome any of them aliue.
But one thing is strange, that we could never perceiue their vermine destroy our hennes, egges, nor chickens, nor do any hurt: nor their flyes nor serpents [to be] anie waie pernitious; where [as] in the South parts of America, they are alwaies dangerous and often deadly.
Of birds, the Eagle is the greatest devourer. Hawkes there be of diuerse sorts as our Falconers called them, Sparowhawkes, Lanarets, Goshawkes, Falcons and Osperayes...Patrridges there are little bigger then our Quailes, wilde Turkies are as bigge as our tame....In winter there are great plenty of Swans, Craynes gray and white with blacke wings, Herons, Geese, Brants, Ducke, Wigeon, dotterell, Oxeies, Parrats, and Pigeons. Of all those sorts great abundance, and some other strange kinds, to vs unknowne by name. But in sommer not any, or a very few to be seene.
Of fish we were best acquainted with Sturgeon, Grampus, Porpus, Seales, Stingraies whose tailes are very dangerous. Brettes, mullets, white Salmonds, Trowts, Soles, Plaice, Herrings, Conyfish, Rockfish, Eeles, Lampreyes, Catfish, Shades, Pearch of 3 sorts, Crabs, Shrimps, Creuises, Oysters, Cocles, and Muscles....
Excerpts from The commodities in Virginia or that may be had by industrie
The mildnesse of the aire, the fertilitie of the soile, and the situation of the rivers are so propitious to the nature and vse of man as no place is more convenient for pleasure, profit, and mans sustenance. Vnder that latitude or climat, here will liue any beasts, as horses, goats, sheep, asses, hens, &c. as appeared by them that carried thither. The waters, Isles, and shoales, are full of safe harbours for ships of warre or marchandize, for baots of all sortes, for transportation or fishing, &c....
Source: "A Map of Virginia with a Description of the Country, the Commodities, People, Government and Religion" in Arber, Edward, ed. Travels and Works of Captain John Smith. Edinburgh: John Grant Publishers, 1910