A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. To:; 



We also learn from Governor Butler and Captain Smith, that in 

 the famine of 1614-15 most of the people lived for some two or 

 three months mainly on the fishes that were caught under the guid- 

 ance of Governor Moore, who made great exertions in this direction. 



Governor Butler, in describing the famine, thus alludes to this 

 fishing : 



"The people being once againe for the most part all of them at 

 the towne, [after they had been removed from Port Royal] the 

 Governour takes exceedeinge care for their releife, and trimminge up 

 all his botes, manns them with the best and ablest of his men, and 

 so putts them to continuall fishinge for the rest ; in so much that 

 ordinarily 150 and sometimes 200 great fishes are brought home in a 

 daye : at last the hookes and lines groweing scarce, he causeth the 

 smithes to make hookes of old rustye swords ; and cutting a cable 

 belonging to the pinnace called the Thomas, setts the people on 

 worck to make lines, and oft times would he rise himselfe at mid- 

 night, call up his fishermen and sett them out to sea : w T ith which 

 course and by which meanes for two or three monethes wer the peo- 

 ple in some convenient fashion kept and maintayned." 



We learn other details of this matter from Mr. Hughes and Capt. 

 John Smith, who add that finally these crude hooks and lines gave 

 out, and then there was much suffering and many deaths from 

 disease and starvation. 



For a number of years after this, the wild hogs, sea-birds, and 

 sea-turtles having been already mostly destroyed, the fishes furnished 

 a large proportion of their food, and some of these early writers 

 speak of the rapid decrease in their numbers. This decrease in the 

 fishes, due to overfishing, soon attracted the attention of the govern- 

 ment. In March, 1627, the Assembly passed the following law : 



" An act against the drawing of Pilchards and ff rye to make oyle." 



" Whereas it hath bene and still is a usuall Custome of the Inhab- 

 itants of theise Islands to hale and draw pilchards in severall bayes 

 and places where they doe frequent, more for the benefitt of the oyle 

 than present use of fishing, to the generall losse of the same Inhab- 

 itants, not only by reason of the destroying of very much frye but 

 also to the greate losse and prejudice of the said Inhabitants by 

 chasing away other greate fishe from the shoare, wch live upon the 

 said frye. And further doth hereby cause the said Pilchards and 

 other small fish to be so shie that there is greate scarciety of Bayte 

 for necessary fishing, wch beeing considered by this worthye and 

 grave assemblie. It is enacted by the power and authoritye of the 



