A. JE. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 539 



Howbeit this was not all; it pleased God to bring a greater afflic- 

 tion yet upon us ; for in the beginning of the storme we had received 

 likewise a mighty leake. And the Ship in every joint almost, hav- 

 ing spued out her Okam, before we were aware (a casualty more 

 desperate then any other that a Voyage by Sea draweth with it) 

 was growne five foote suddenly deepe with water above her ballast, 

 and we almost drowned within, whilest we sat looking when to 

 perish from above. This imparting no lesse terrour then danger, 

 ranne through the whole Ship with much fright and amazement, 

 startled and turned the blond, and tooke downe the braves of the 

 most hardy Marriner of them all, insomuch as he that before 

 happily felt not the sorrow of others, now began to sorrow for him- 

 selfe, when he saw such a pond of water so suddenly broken in, and 

 which he knew could not (without present avoiding) but instantly 

 sinke him." . . . 



" Then men might be seene to labour, I may well say, for life, 

 and the better sort, even our Governour, and Admirall themselves, 

 not refusing their turne, and to spell each the other, to give example 

 to other. The common sort stripped naked, as men in Gallies, the 

 easier both to hold out, and to shrinke from under the salt water, 

 which continually leapt in among them, kept their eyes waking, and 

 their thoughts and hands working, with tyred bodies, and wasted 

 spirits, three dayes and foure nights, destitute of outward comfort, 

 and desperate of any deliverance, testifying how mutually willing 

 they were, yet by labour to keepe each other from drowning, albeit 

 each one drowned whilest he laboured." . . . 



" Once, so huge a Sea brake upon the poope and quarter, upon us, 

 as it covered our Shippe from stearne to stemme, like a garment or 

 a vast cloude, it filled her brimme full for a while within, from the 

 hatches up to the sparre decke. This source or confluence of water 

 was so violent as it rusht and carried the Helm-man from the Helme, 

 and wrested the Whipstaffe out of his hand, which so flew from side 

 to side, that when he would have ceased the same againe, it so 

 tossed him from Star-boord to Lar-boord, as it was Gods mercy it 

 had not split him." . . . 



" Our Governour was at this time below at the Capstone, both by 

 his speech and authoritie heartening every man unto his labour. It 

 strooke him from the place where he sate, and groveled him, and all 

 us about him on our faces, beating together with our breaths all 

 thoughts from our bosomes, else, then that Avee were now sinking. 

 For my part, I thought her alreadie in the bottome of the Sea ; and 



