541 A. EF. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 129 
on the chart, the boats would naturally have landed in the latter 
bay, which was much nearer and more sheltered, for the wind was 
then off shore, as narrated. But probably, in the long lapse of time, 
without any sure marks to indicate the spot, the actual place of the 
shipwreck would have been forgotten.* It may well have been on 
one of the numerous reefs that lie much nearer to the land, off this 
shore. No accurate survey of these reefs was made till 1798, or 189 
years after the wreck. 
There are plenty of reefs that would have caught the ship, within 
about a quarter of a mile of the beach at Fort Catherine. There- 
fore it seems more probable that Governor Butler was right, as to 
the landing place, and that the Admiralty Chart is incorrect, as to 
the location of “Sea Venture Shoals.” Strachy in his narrative, 
1610, designated “Furbusher’s Building Bay” and distinguished it 
from Gates’ Bay. The main ship-channel now runs close by these 
shoals and reefs, which are well buoyed. 
This shipwrecked company, according to Somers, numbered 140, 
but according to Strachy there were about 140 men, “besides 
women.” The memorial tablet erected by the governor, when they 
departed, also stated that there were 150 persons. (See p. 543.) 
As the storm abated the same day, they were able to strip the 
ship of almost everything that they could use, including the ord- 
nance, cordage, and some meal, but the bread was all spoiled. Thus, 
later in the season, they were able to build and equip two small 
cedar vessels, in which they escaped to Virginia. 
They remained on the islands nine months. During that time 
Admiral Somers surveyed and made a map of the reefs and islands. 
This map was never published and is unknown. 
One vessel of cedar, 40 feet long and 19 feet beam, and of about 
70 tons, was built under the direction of Governor Gates, on St. 
George’s Island, by Mr. Furbusher (or Frobisher, as some spelled 
it), who was a master carpenter. According to tradition, it was 
built at the eastern end of St. George’s Island, in Buildings Bay, and 
this is probable true. According to the statement made by Wm. 
Strachy, 1610, it was built in a bay opening to the northwest, so 
that when the violent winds blew from the “north and by west,” 
in the winter, it made great seas and came near destroying the 
vessel, while on the stocks, so that they had to build around 
* It must be remembered that the detailed history of those times, by Governor 
Butler, was not published until’recently, and was previously unknown to the 
Bermudians and others. The same is true of other documents now available. 
