544 A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 
wild hogs. They made salt and salted down fishes and birds for 
their voyage. They also killed large numbers of wild hogs, not 
only for their immediate use, but they also dried the meat for future 
use. These provisions, together with living turtles and what meal 
they had left, they took to Virginia, They had fed upon palmetto 
berries, prickly pears, cedar berries, and the heads of the palmettoes 
so largely that considerable meal had been saved. 
They sailed for Jamestown, May 10th, 1610, and arrived there on 
the 24th. They found the Virginia colony in a starving condition 
on account of a famine. Three persons had already died of hunger, 
and many were ill. Their fortunate arrival with provisions saved 
the colony from destruction. Soon after, finding that they had 
rations for only two weeks, the whole colony abandoned the settle- 
ment and started for Newfoundland for food, June 8th. Lord Dela- 
ware arriving just at this time, with three vessels and some provi- 
sions, met them on the way and they returned. The opportune 
arrival from Bermuda changed materially the course of history for 
that colony. Had they not arrived just at that time, with provi- 
sions, the colony must have been abandoned entirely, and perhaps 
most of the people would have died of starvation. 
It is not strange that the devout men of that period attributed 
this remarkable series of events to the direct interposition of Divine 
Providence. But Admiral Somers and Governor Gates were cer- 
tainly very able and efficient men, otherwise these events never 
could have turned out so favorably. 
Searecity of food still prevailing at Jamestown, Admiral Somers 
undertook to return to the Bermudas in his cedar vessel in search of 
more food, and probably, also, to look after the two men left there 
and to plant seeds for future increase. He sailed June 20, 1610, 
according to his own letter, but June 19th according to others. He 
was accompanied by another vessel, but they were delayed by fogs 
and storms and the latter returned to Virginia, but Somers kept on. 
Thus the passage was much prolonged, the admiral became ill 
from the hardships and exposure, and died at St. George’s, Nov. 9th. 
His heart was buried there by his request, but his body was taken to 
England by his disheartened crew, who, contrary to his orders, 
would not return to Virginia. But they left three men behind on 
the islands, perhaps to keep nominal possession, and very likely in 
accordance with final instructions given by Somers, though that is 
not stated. It is related that Christopher Carter, who had previ- 
ously been left there by Somers, declared that he would not desert 
