The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-01-23
THE ISLES OF
BERMUDA
Mayor Barclay Writes Inter
eStingly
OF SCENES AND THINGS
Describes Climate, Scenery and Attrac-
tions in General as Seen by Him
in His Travels While Seeking
Renewed Health.
Rermuda Island. Ian. "a. laoe.

hdlt0r Times; IN closing my last
letter To you, said would give you q
description of the old town Of ST. George,
also how they quarry and cut the coral
rock, etc. Think to do this subject bet
ter justice, will give your readers lit
tie information as to the discovery and
peopling Of the islands. Then will give
YOU our daily rambles, and describe
them as we go along. There Is so much,
that one cannot describe it at one sit
ting.
Have been IN conversation with some
of the old Inhabitants. also looked up
some old history Of the place regarding
dates. | find the Bermudas were first
discovered in 1915 by Spanish vessel
Ia 6arzaion, d voyage from Spain to
Cuba with q cargo of hogs, commanded
by Juan Bermudez, and Gonzalez OYiedo
the historian OF the indies To whom We
are indebted for the first account of
these Islands; they were not inhabited
at that time. They resolved to send i
boat ashore, and leave few hogs which
might breed and be afterwards useful.
While preparing to do SO, strong gale
arose which Obliged them Ia sheer ofT
and be content with what they had
learned The Spaniards named the fs,
lands Bermuda after the captain. Phil D
II OF Spain granted the Islands to one
Ferdipand CApelo, a PoTtugpse. who
landed ip l543. All he did. was To cut
his initials on the rocks also the year he
landed. They were afraid to approach
them for the stormy seas and dangerous
reefs. The Spaniards called them the
Devils Islands
They first came to the notice Of the
English by a dreadful shipwreck, in 1891.
Henry May and Captain Lancaster went
on a Buceaheering Expedition to the
West Indies. They first came in SIGHT
ot Trinidad, but al ii WAS in possession
Of the Spaniards, they dared not ar
preach In nearing bermuda strict
watch was to be kept; while they sup
posed themselves near the spot. the
Pilot said they were twelve leagues
south Of 1t, SO they threw aside all sure
and gave themselves up 10 carousine
about midnight, the shipstruck with such
force that she Immediately filed and
sank. In The wild and desperate struQ-
gle that followed, May fortunately cot
into a boat with others and landed after
enduring some terrible hardships. The
land was covered with one unbroken for
est of cedar. Here they would have
70 remain for life unless vessel could
be constructed They made a trip To
the wreck, secured some carnenters'
tools, shrouds and some tackles: with
these they cut down eedars and con.
structcd a vessel of is. tons. During
a residence OF five months, Nav had ab.
served that Bermuda, supposed to he 4
single island WAS broken up into num-
Der o. islands Of different sizes enclosing
many fne bays and forming good har.
bors. May arrived III England in Aug
ust. 1898, where he gave a description
OF the islands; he stated that they found
hogs running wild all over the islands.
which proves that this was not the first
landing made there In 1909. dining
the most active period of the Colonial.
tion OF Virginia, an expedition Of nine
ships, commanded by Sis Thomas Gates.
Sir George Somers and Captain Newport
bound for Virginia was separated bv a
great storm. One OF the vessels. the
Sea Adventure, in which was Gates.
Somers and Newport, seems TO have
been involved in the thiekcst of the
tempest. The vessel sprung leak; all
hands lnborel at the pumps for life.
Governor and Admiral took their turns
gentlemen who had never done an hours
hard work in their hives, toiled with
the rest. Sir George Somers had been
watching for land all day; at night
cried "land ahead" Ia the morning
could be seen the welcome sight Of land.
They CHANGED ia the only secure en-
trance through The reefs; the vessel was
run ashore and wedgod between two
rocks and thereby prevented from sink
ing until by mcanssof a boat and skiff.
the whole crew of one hundred and fifty,
provisions, tackle and stores, reached
The land. AZ that time the hogs still
abounded, and these with the turtles,
birds and fish which they caugIt. af-
forded excellent food for the eastaways.
Sir George Somers and party found the
Isle of Devils the richest. pleasantest
aud most healthfu OF any they ever
saw. They endured many hardships af.
ter this until they got settled; frequent
quauelug amongst themselves, until
one man had to BE- shot This had a
salutary effect and prevented any fur
thcr trouble Two children, boy and
girl, were born during this period The
fomer was christencd, Bemudas and the
latter Bermuda; they were prabably the
iirsA human beings born on these a.
landN. The castaways constructed 4
boat out of the red cedar found on The
Islands and smiled on May 10th for
jamestown, arriving there on the 2ard
of May, 1910 jamestown at that time
was in destitute condition.
More could be written regarding the
history of the Islands, but will close
with tho following; On the esth of April
1912, the first ship was sent out from
England with sixty emigants under
the charge OF Richard Moore who was
appointed Governor of tho Colony This
was the FIRST real settlement Of the Is
land. which grew ani pfospered
VIII now return Go the present. Jan,
sth, ! went to tie Post Office ana ID.
posted ort mail mails closed &c $50.
rhe Bcrmudian left the whatf 81 $50.
IT was d beautiful morning. sun hot like
finnttu1ng ~, 0rkerJ pama