A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 541 



on the chart, the boats would naturally have landed in the latter 

 bay, which was much nearer and more sheltered, for the wind was 

 then off shore, as narrated. But probably, in the long lapse of time, 

 without any sure marks to indicate the spot, the actual place of the 

 shipwreck would have been forgotten.* It may well have been on 

 one of the numerous reefs that lie much nearer to the land, off this 

 shore. No accurate survey of these reefs was made till 1798, or 189 

 years after the wreck. 



There are plenty of reefs that would have caught the ship, within 

 about a quarter of a mile of the beach at Fort Catherine. There- 

 fore it seems more probable that Governor Butler was right, as to 

 the landing place, and that the Admiralty Chart is incorrect, as to 

 the location of " Sea Venture Shoals." Strachy in his narrative, 

 1610, designated "Furbusher's Building Bay " and distinguished it 

 from Gates' Bay. The main ship-channel now runs close by these 

 shoals and reefs, which are well buoyed. 



This shipwrecked company, according to Somers, numbered 140, 

 but according to Strachy there were about 140 men, "besides 

 women." The memorial tablet erected by the governor, when they 

 departed, also stated that there were 150 persons. (See p. 543.) 



As the storm abated the same day, they were able to strip the 

 ship of almost everything that they could use, including the ord- 

 nance, cordage, and some meal, but the bread was all spoiled. Thus, 

 later in the season, they were able to build and equip two small 

 cedar vessels, in which they escaped to Virginia. 



They remained on the islands nine months. During that time 

 Admiral Somers surveyed and made a map of the reefs and islands. 

 This map was never published and is unknown. 



One vessel of cedar, 40 feet long and 19 feet beam, and of about 

 TO tons, was built under the direction of Governor Gates, on St. 

 George's Island, by Mr. Furbusher (or Frobisher, as some spelled 

 it), who was a master carpenter. According to tradition, it was 

 built at the eastern end of St. George's Island, in Buildings Bay, and 

 this is probable true. According to the statement made by Wm, 

 Strachy, 1610, it was built in a bay opening to the northwest, so 

 that when the violent winds blew from the "north and by west," 

 in the winter, it made great seas and came near destroying the 

 vessel, while on the stocks, so that they had to build around 



* It must be remembered that the detailed history of those times, by Governor 

 Butler, was not published until recently, and was previously unknown to the 

 Bermudians and others. The same is true of other documents now available. 



