A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 603 



This ordinance shows that at this time the value of the cedar and 

 other trees as wind-breaks had begun to be understood, through 

 costly experience, and probably largely through the representations 

 of Governor Butler, who had just returned to London. 



At that time the tamarisk, oleander, and other resistant trees had 

 not been introduced there. It is uncertain whether the " seaside 

 grape " was native there or introduced later. The cedar and palmetto 

 were certainly at that time their main reliance for this purpose, near 

 the shores, and also for the division fences or hedges. 



In 1632 the governor issued a proclamation against the cutting, 

 selling, or exportation of cedar and yellow-wood timber in any form, 

 without special warrant. The penalty for each offense was a fine of 

 fifty pounds of tobacco, and imprisonment " at the governor's 

 pleasure." (See p. 609.) 



Such stringent prohibitions naturally did not have a tendency to 

 cause the planters to plant or preserve young cedars, for they could 

 not be sure of having any right to use such timber as they did save. 



In 1659 a law was passed allowing chests "filled with the commo- 

 dities of the islands " to be exported, but prohibiting the exportation 

 otherwise, or the building of cedar vessels to be sold away from the 

 islands, without special warrant. 



The following is a part of a proclamation issued March 3, 1659, by 

 Governor Wra. Sayle, in regard to the destruction of the cedars: — 



" To the inhabitants of the eight Tribes and the Publick Lands. 

 I have received from the Honorable Company a command not to suf- 

 fer an}' Timber to be transported out of the Islands. I have prohib- 

 ited all men from transporting any Timber either for England or any 

 other place ; and I, seeing the great want of Timber in the Islands, 

 have thought it my duty to stir up all the Inhabitants of this Island 

 to take it into consideration what a miserable state this Island will be 

 brought into in a short time, if a speedy course be not taken, for 

 half the land in the Island hath not wood to serve for fuel, and yet I 

 do perceive that few, or none looketh after their own good or after 

 generations to come. I now see to the great grief of my heart such 

 abundance of Cedar burnt by firing ground even to the destruction 

 of the Country, which if men had public spirits they would not dare 

 to do, but by their acting they seem to me as if they did desire the 

 destruction of the land ; for if those Cedars which are daily burned 

 and destroyed through the carelessness of their servants, or their 

 own carelessness, not regarding the good of the land, they do daily 

 burn and destroy abundance of firewood that might, with little labor, 



