Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-09

into tho boat before us! Just how this
was accomplished remains somewhat OF
mystery enough that it was done success
fully, though one of our number grew
giddy and was sea-sick for awhile, but
all these troubles were temporary and we
had had an unusual experience, the re-
membrancc of which would be one OF the
permanent pictures remaining in our minds
when these days in Bermuda arc numbered
with the past.
This Spanish Point bears its name with
out doubt in honor of its first discoveries,
as the whole island does the name of
Spanish navigator Bcrmudez, who, seek
ing the West Indies in 1918, with cargo
of hogs for the colony established In Cuba,
strayed out to these reefs. He judged the
land to be uninhabitcd, but attempted to
land some of the hogs. Contrary winds
frustrated tho attempt to land but IL
seems likely that some OF the four footed
cargo got ashore, for when 10 years later
| in 1894 an English ship was wrecked on
the reefs the sailors. who got ashore
| found hogs running wild in great numbers
| on the island
The Spaniards named the islands Los
! Diabolo,' the Devils Islands. on account
of the disasters arising from the stormy
waters and the hidden reefs but when in
| 1909 Sir George Somers, bound for Nir-
| gina with a fleet of nine ships, was
wrecked on these reefs, he reported that
the Isle of Devils was the richest, health
| fullest and pleasantest he had ever seen.
| He attempted to form a settlement here,
conceiving that the island midway in the
sea between England and the new Amer.
| lean colonies would serve as a base of sup
| plies for them; but he did not live to see
| his plans carried out a few years later,
| however, his name was given by the Eng
| fish to the island and for many years 1t
| was known as "Somcrs Island" Colonists
eIn xpl nrriv nd IN sav
| rrel hundred of them and a governor from
! England was sent out. one of his first
acts was to issue as payment for labor on
the part of the colonlsts for the company
of English proprietors small brass coins
which they had struck off and sent out
for that purpose. This money had q hog
on one side and a ship under full sail
on the reverse in commemeraton of the
first experiences of the first settlers
Pieces of this curious money are still
sometimes found, but the genuine article
is rare. quite trade In fac-simlies
which visitors buy Tor souvenirs of Der
muda, is carried on by the merchants
here.
In the wall OF the public gardens at St
northern en- end 'S OF bs C. IS 0n' m ma
slab bearing this lrscN lon.
Near This spot
was inferred. In the year 1910, the Hear
Of the
Heroic Admiral,
Sir George Somers, KIT,
Who nobly sacrificed his life
To carry succor
To the infant and suffering plantation
Now
The State of Virginia,
To preserve his Name to Future Ages
Near the scene of his memorable ship
wreck of
1909.
The Governor and Commander-in-Ch
OF this Colony for the time being cause,
this tablet to be erected
1876.
The town, st. Georges, still bears thu
namo of the English knight, though tn
island has reverted to the name of In
original discoverer, the Spaniard, Der
mudez There Is perhaps n sort of pocti
justice in the fact, that the heart of tn
heroic admiral should have been left he
nina in that "peasantest isle he ever saw
+ although his body was returned TO mothe
England for intermcnt
The close relations with the West Indie
early led to the Introduction of slaves
both Indian and negro, and slavery con
tinued on the Bermudas until 1884 Abou
60 per cent of tho present population
colored; the pure negro type Is SEEN bu
the majority of the dark skinned native
, present an extremely we'll marked variant
If one may use this term. We are con
|, stantly puzzled by the instances we Sc
of lofty foreheads. straight hair and fin
well cut noses among them. The othe
I 40 per cent of native population one al
| most feels to be of depreciating stock
coiorless, wcak-eyed and physically feeble
, Does the soft climate bring deteriorato
, to the Caucasian race, while giving to tn
, race of mixed blood such conditions a
, are favorable to It's development?
: NJ. +. G.. NJ.