The explorers were surprised to find a large section of the upper western shore of the Chesapeake unoccupied by any people. The land was fertile, well watered and had abundant wildlife. What Smith did not know is that this region had been abandoned by the Algonquian speaking Indians due to repeated attacks by the Susquehannock and Massawomeck Indians to the north of the Chesapeake. Caused by warfare, this cultural buffer zone extended from the Susquehanna River to the Patuxent River. It lasted for decades and was still ongoing when the Maryland colonists arrived in 1634. One likely environmental consequence of this buffer zone is that populations of deer, bears and other animals were larger due to reduced hunting pressure. Smith and his crew saw many animals as they sailed along this area.