Maryland Governor Horatio Sharpe to Lord Fairfax, n.d.
extracted from
Correspondence of Governor Horatio Sharpe, Volume I, 1753-1757, edited by William Hand Browne
(Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1888), pages 6-7.
[Sharpe to Lord Fairfax.]
My Lord
I have the honour of acquainting your Lordship with my appointment to this Government and at the same time expressing Sincere Satisfaction from the hopes of being instrumental in forwarding a mutual Benefit to your Lordship as well as the Lord Proprietary of this Province
Lord Baltimore was pleased to Charge me with an Enquiry into the True Meridian and Place of the Fountain head of Patowmeck; The best Information I have been hitherto able to procure gives me Reason to believe there has been a mistake in fixing the Spring head to the North Branch since the Length with other Circumstances more properly denotes the Southern Branch commonly called Wappacomo to be the main & principal Course of that River. I am the more willing to be persuaded of the Truth of this representation from the considerable Advantage that will accrue to your Lordship. That Branch I am Informed has never been thoroughly explored and traced to it's Source, but I flatter myself with having your Lordship's Concurrance for such an Examination into its Course Length Width and Depth as may bring this Matter to a nearer degree of Certainty and if that should appear to be the fountain head of Patowmeck River I shall not Question but your Lordship will be for taking such measures as may ascertain the mutual Limits of the two Proprietorships Agreeable to the Direction and True Intention of their Respective Charters.