As Smith and his crew sailed up the Chesapeake on their first voyage of exploration, they found the upper western shore to be a rich land that was uninhabited by people. They investigated Herring Bay, the mouths of the South and Severn Rivers and then sailed northward to the Patapsco. On their return back down the Chesapeake, it is likely that they camped the night of 15 June along Herring Bay since it offered fresh water and sandy shores. From their account, they must have seen numerous deer, bears, wolves and smaller animals along the shore, giving us a good sense of the richness of the animal life in the 1608 Chesapeake region.