brymnbr] the death of sir HUMPHREY GILBERT 37 



arrivals and to tit them out for sea. The officers and scientific men 

 employed themselves in the investigation of the resources of the island 

 and the mineralogist brought on board a mass of what he believed to be 

 silver, a belief shared by Gilbert, who desired the discovery to be kept 

 secret. As the material and the finder were both lost on Sable Island 

 nothing further is known of the nature of the metal. The crews were 

 in the meantime engaged in robbery and concerting plans to seize the 

 ships to begin a course of piracy. Some died from disease, some deserted , 

 taking to the woods, so that the number was so reduced that it was 

 thought best to leave the " Swallow," which could be used for carrying 

 back those who had been left behind on account of illness. 



On the 20th of August, Gilbert, with the three remaining vessels, 

 the "Delight," the "Golden Hind," and the "Squirrel," sailed, intending 

 to go south. On Sable Island the " Delight " (generally spoken of as 

 the Admiral), was lost, mainly, as it would seem, from the refusal of 

 Gilbert to take the advice of the sailing master as to the course to be 

 followed, although it is possible had a better watch been kept, the dis- 

 aster might have been avoided. This, however, is problematical, as the 

 vessel could make but little way to windward, as, in beating, they were 

 driven to leeward and thus had little chance of escape from a lee shore. 

 How many were on board the " Delight " is not given ; fourteen got on 

 board a pinnace about the size of a Thames barge or wherry, of whom 

 two died before reaching Newfoundland. The loss of men is reported as 

 being about one hundred, but this is probably exaggerated, as the total 

 number when the vessel left Cawsand Bay in spring was only 260 ; 

 between deaths and desertions this was greatly reduced, and it is not 

 probable that one hundred men would be on board the one vessel of 120 

 tons. "Whatever the number, only fourteen got away from the doomed 

 ship, in a crazy craft, with no provisions, not even a drop of water, 

 overcrowded and so deep in the water as to run the risk of being 

 swamped even in moderate weather, far more so when struggling against 

 heavy gales and boisterous seas. In this plight a soldier named Edward 

 Headly offered to sacrifice his own life for the safety of the others, sug- 

 gesting that lots should be cast to point out the second victim, one not 

 being enough to lessen sufficiently the overcrowding. The offer and 

 suggestion were rejected, all being willing to run the same risk, and for 

 six days and nights the wretched crew were tossed about before reaching 

 Newfoundland, on which twelve of the fourteen landed in a very weak 

 state, two having succumbed to their hardshijDS, a very small proportion 

 considering to what sulfering they were exposed. 



The other two vessels hung off" and on for a time in the hope of 

 saving some of the crew, then tried to get to the south in the face of 

 contrary winds. At last finding they could make no headway, but were 

 rather, as it would seem, driven to leeward, seeing that they did not 



