but at last a pilot, digging among a heap of plants, discovered a rock, which being filled with rainwater relieved their distress. The land was covered with one unbroken forest, chiefly of cedar, so that no vegetable food could be obtained. Without some exertion, however, the islands must have become their abode for life; and to avert this it was necessary that a bark should be constructed, sufficient to convey them to some European settlement. They had happily saved the carpenter's tools, with which they began to cut down the cedars. Having made a voyage to the sunken ship, they found the shrouds still above water, and cut them off for tackling: for pitch they took lime, rendered adhesive by a mixture of turtle oil, and forced it into the seams, when the weather being extremely hot it dried instantly, and became as hard as stone. Thus by the month of April they had constructed a vessel of eighteen tons, and dreading lest the increasing heat should absorb their water, they resolved to set sail. During a residence of five months, May had occasion to observe that Bermuda, hitherto supposed a single island, was broken into a number, of different sizes, enclosing many fine bays, and forming good harbours. They were found subject to rain and thunder storms, though the weather in Spring was very fine. He considered the soil barren, but probably adopted that opinion from seeing nothing growing except timber.

The vessel being finished, they placed on deck, at each side of the mast, a large chest containing a

stock of water and thirteen live turtle. On the 11th of May, they saw themselves, with joy, clear of the islands, and bent their course towards Newfoundland. They had a very favourable voyage, and on the 20th entered a river on Cape Breton, where they took in wood, water, and ballast. They then steered for the larger island, whither they had directed their course, but upon applying to be received on board several ships bound for Europe, they were refused by all, except one belonging to Falmouth, where they obtained temporary accommodation soon after they found a French vessel, into which the mariners of that nation were received, and May took leave of Barbotière, whom he justly called his dear friend, and obtained a passage in the ship to England, where he arrived in August, 1594.*

It was owing to a tempest that Bermuda again came under the view of the English.

In 1609, during the most active period of the colonization of Virginia, an expedition of nine ships and five hundred men, was sent out, commanded by Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, and Captain Newport, the first to act as deputy-governor under Lord Delaware. They had a favourable passage until they reached the thirteenth parallel of north-latitude, where they were overtaken by a frightful tempest, called by Archer "the tail of the West India horacano." They were completely separated; Smith's History

* Murray's British America, vol. ii, p. 143–145. of Virginia, &c., vol. ii, p. 118-119.

each vessel choosing its own course; the principal one, the Sea-Adventure, in which were Gates, Somers, and Newport, seems to have been involved in the thickest of the tempest. Strachy declares that he had witnessed storms on the most dangerous shores of Europe and Africa, but never any that could be compared with this: when it seemed to have reached its utmost violence, still "was fury added to fury, and one storm urging a second more outrageous. Our clamours were drowned in the windes, and the windes in thunder; the sea swelled above the clouds and gave battell unto heaven.'

The sky poured down, not rain, but rivers, yet without assuaging the tumultuous fury of the blast, and still all this seemed nothing compared to the discovery that water had accumulated in the hold to the depth of five feet, covering the ballast and two tier of casks above it. Every corner was eagerly searched for the leak, and 10,000 pounds weight of biscuit was turned over in the bread-room, but though they found a number of small holes, which were hastily stopped with pieces of beef, the great one, by which their destruction rushed in, never could be traced. All hands were now called

to the pumps to labour for life, and though there seemed no hope of ultimate success, yet "so dear are a few lingering hours of life to mankind," that they zealously turned out. Three parties were formed, each divided into two sets, who relieved each other every hour. The governor and admiral

took their turns, and gentlemen who had never had an hour's hard work in their lives, now "their minds helping their bodies, toiled with the best." Amid the utter darkness, a light, like a small star flickering among the masts and shrouds, inspired superstitious terrors - though it is an electrical phenomenon usual in such circumstances. Thus they pumped 2,000 tons of water, when being quite exhausted, and the sea always gaining on them, they determined to shut the hatches and commit themselves to its mercy; some, who had cordialwaters, filled their glasses to drink to each other "a last leave before meeting in a more blessed world." At this instant, Sir George Somers, who had been watching at the poop day and night, cried out land! The others ran to the spot, and, as the morning was already dawning, had the gratification to see the very trees on shore moving in the gale. Then, it is said, "every one bustled up," exertions were redoubled, and lighting, providentially, on the only secure entrance, they reached to within less than one mile of the shore. Here the vessel, being happily wedged between two rocks,* was preserved from sinking, till, by means of a boat and skiff, the whole crew of one hundred and fifty, with a great part of the provisions and tackling were landed.†

* The shoal is now called by the name of the ship, Sea-venture flat. It is probable it was so named at the time of the shipwreck.

+ Murray's British America, vol. ii, p. 147. Jourdan, in Hakluyt, discovery of the Bermudas, otherwise called the Island of Devils.

Having established themselves upon the islands, they found food in abundance; hogs were plentiful, and, unlike those found by May, were in good condition, and were slaughtered in great numbers. This was the season for the berries produced by the cedar, which was not the case when Barbotière's vessel was wrecked, consequently the crew of the Sea-Adventure found these animals in excellent order. At the season when the hogs were lean, turtle abounded and Strachy contents himself by saying that the company "liked it very well.”

Mr. Shelly discovered a bay* swarming with mullets and excellent pilchards; rock-fish and crawfish were daily taken by a party under the direction of Henry Shelly and Robert Walsingham.† Birds were equally abundant and various many of species peculiar to the island; the most singular was one called the cowhow or cowhie, about the size of the plover, which came forth only in the darkest nights of November and December, hovering over the shore, "making a strange, hollow, and harsh howling." The most approved mode of taking them, was by standing on rocks by the sea-side, whooping, hallooing, and making the strangest outcries, which attracted the birds, until they settled on the very person of the hunter.§

Gates and Somers caused the long-boat to be