In the summer of 1608, Smith left Jamestown to explore the Chesapeake Bay region and search for badly needed food. He made a map that would be of great value to Virginia explorers for over a century. In his absence, Smith left his friend Matthew Scrivener, as governor in his place. Scrivener would later drown in a storm in an ill-fated voyage to Hog Island. Smith was elected president of the local council in September 1608 and instituted strict rules.