A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 453 



the name " King's Castle " continued to be used as the collective 

 name for all the fortifications on the island for at least seventy years 

 later. It was also generally used as the name of the island itself by 

 all the early writers. 



The cedar fort or platform and redoubt, on the summit of the 

 island (fig - . 18, b), was burned in 1619, just at the time of the arrival 

 of Governor Butler, but he very soon rebuilt it on a larger scale, 

 cutting the platform, as he stated, out of the " maine rock." He 

 also stated that when he left the islands, in 1622, there were effi- 

 ciently mounted here seven guns, most of which they called sakers 

 and " murtherers." 



At that time the ordinary form of fortification here was merely a 

 flat platform, either of rock or cedar timber, on which were placed 

 the guns, mounted on cedar carriages, like those of a field piece. 

 Nearby was built a musket-proof magazine, like a log-house, of cedar 

 logs, in the form of a redoubt with a flat, or nearly flat roof, on 

 which one or two guns were usually placed. 



Governor Butler's letter to the Company [1620] contains the fol- 

 lowing statement as to this fort : — 



" I began the recovery of the burnt redoubt in the Kings Castle, 

 which is restored, and under it I have cutt (out of the maine rock) 

 a convenient plattforme, whereon, upon newe carriages, I have 

 mounted seven peeces of great ordinance, which are of great use for 

 the foundering of any shyp that, shall attempt a passage by force, 

 as being lodged to shoote into her hould ; and besides they com- 

 mand into every nooke of the harbour, and I have bin bold to call 

 it Devonshyres Redoubt (fig. 18, b, and fig. 19). From hence I 

 went to the other plattforme,* that shootes selfe more out to sea- 

 ward, wher, findinge scarce two peeces serviceable, I have newed 

 and renewed all of them with substantiall carriages, and remounted 

 the peeces. So that you have at this present three and twentye 

 peeces of ordinance in gard of the harbours mouthe, wher you had 

 not five any way serviceable at mine arrivall." 



In another place Governor Butler stated that the rebuilding of 

 the Devonshire Redoubt and the platform under it required the 

 hard labor of thirty men for eight weeks. 



In the illustrations published by Capt. John Smith (1624) the 

 "Devonshire Redoubt" and "King's Castle" ai'e represented just as 

 described by Goveimor Butler, but there is another building, prob- 



* This was the platform on the brow of the cliff at Gurnet's Head (fig. 18, a, 

 and fig. 20, m). 



