A, EF. Verrill— The Bermuda Islands. 453 
the name ‘“ King’s Castle” continued to be used as the collective 
name for all the fortifications on the island for at least seventy years 
later. It was also generally used as the name of the island itself by 
all the early writers. 
The cedar fort or platform and redoubt, on the summit of the 
island (fig. 18, 4), was burned in 1619, just at the time of the arrival 
of Governor Butler, but he very soon rebuilt it on a larger scale, 
cutting the platform, as he stated, out of the “maine rock.” He 
also stated that when he left the islands, in 1622, there were effi- 
ciently mounted here seven guns, most of which they called sakers 
and “ murtherers.” 
At that time the ordinary form of fortification here was merely a 
flat platform, either of rock or cedar timber, on which were placed 
the guns, mounted on cedar carriages, like those of a field piece. 
Nearby was built a musket-proof magazine, like a log-house, of cedar 
logs, in the form of a redoubt with a flat, or nearly flat roof, on 
which one or two guns were usually placed. 
Governor Butler’s letter to the Company | 1620] contains the fol- 
lowing statement as to this fort :— 
“T began the recovery of the burnt redoubt in the Kings Castle, 
which is restored, and under it I have cutt (out of the maine rock) 
a convenient plattforme, whereon, upon newe carriages, I have 
mounted seven peeces of great ordinance, which are of great use for 
the foundering of any shyp that shall attempt a passage by force, 
as being lodged to shoote into her hould ; and besides they com- 
mand into every nooke of the harbour, and I have bin bold to call 
it Devonshyres Redoubt (fig. 18, 4, and fig. 19). From hence I 
went to the other plattforme,* that shootes selfe more out to sea- 
ward, wher, findinge scarce two peeces serviceable, I have newed 
and renewed all of them with substantiall carriages, and remounted 
the peeces. So that you have at this present three and twentye 
peeces of ordinance in gard of the harbours mouthe, wher you had 
not five any way serviceable at mine arrivall.” 
In another place Governor Butler stated that the rebuilding of 
the Devonshire Redoubt and the platform under it required the 
hard labor of thirty men for eight weeks. 
In the illustrations published by Capt. John Smith (1624) the 
“Devonshire Redoubt” and “ King’s Castle” are represented just as 
described by Governor Butler, but there is another building, prob- 
* This was the platform on the brow of the cliff at Gurnet’s Head (fig. 18, a, 
and fig. 20, m). 
