A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 461 



sels, though somewhat suspicious vessels were sometimes scared 

 away, just as well as by many modern forts of greater size. (Fig. 

 21, and plate lxxix, fig. 2.) 



Additions and repairs were made to King's Castle at various times, 

 and it seems to have been garrisoned almost continuously for over 

 seventy years, though the regular garrison usually consisted of only 

 12 men. 



In consequence of the war with Spain, the Company in a letter of 

 March, 1626, ordered Governor Woodhouse to see that the forts, 

 especially King's Castle, were kept in order and well guarded. 



As a result of this, extensive repairs were made and new works 

 were built at the King's Castle from May to November, 1626. A 

 levy of men from all the tribes was made, each man to give two days 

 labor or furnish a substitute, the men to work in gangs of 15 each. 



Items charged for the special or skilled labor indicate that consider- 

 able changes were made. There is a charge of 120 pounds of tobacco 

 for 1,000 feet of cedar planks for the platform, etc.; 400 pounds for 

 the foundations; 394 pounds for mounting the ordinance and for the 

 "palisado;" 425 pounds for iron work of the gun carriages, etc. 

 Altogether, 3,925 pounds of tobacco were demanded for this work. 



There is no special description of the work done, or needed to be 

 done, nor any statement of the number of guns mounted. It seems 

 strange that so many repairs were needed within four years from the 

 time that Governor Butler had left the works in good order and the 

 16 guns mounted on new cedar carriages. There is no mention of 

 new guns. A little later there were charges of dishonesty and fraud 

 preferred against Capt. Stokes, who was then in command of the 

 fort, and Capt. Felgate, who superintended the work, and they were 

 both discharged from the service, in disgrace, showing that the pub- 

 lic interests wei'e sometimes poorly looked after there, — much as in 

 modern times, and other countries, on a larger scale. 



In November, 1620, a new fort was ordered to be erected on Pen- 

 iston's Island (now Paget Island), about where Fort Cunningham now 

 stands. 



For this work every owner or " halver renter of land," and even- 

 servant receiving wages, was required to give 10 days of labor or its 

 equivalent in substitutes. Wages were reckoned at 2| lbs. of 

 tobacco per day, without board, or 2 lbs. "and his victuals." The 

 men were to work in gangs of 40 at a time, in rotation. At that 

 time the land had to be cleared. There is record of a special 

 charge of 120 pounds of tobacco for felling the trees on the site. 



