 Smith gave very favorable reports on the area to the king of England, remarking on the abundant game and fishing opportunities, the fertile soil and the strategic military value of the area, overlooking the confluence of the Potomac River, Patuxent River and the St. Mary's River, along with its key vantage point on the Chesapeake Bay itself.All of these factors led him to describe it as a prime spot for a potential British colony.The first settlement in Maryland occurred in 1634, in nearby St. Mary's City.