601 A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 189 
hew “the best and straightest of the cedars in David’s Island,” were 
given in 1615, when other freight was not available. In 1616 the 
shipment of a cargo entirely of cedar is recorded. - 
Much cedar timber was also destroyed in Governor Tucker’s time, 
about 1616 to 1618, by burning over large tracts and entire small 
islands to kill the Wood Rats, which were then a great pest.* 
Governor Butler (1619) speaks of Governor Tucker as “often 
fireinge of the whole ilands to the huge wast and spoyle of much 
excellent cedar timber.” And yet he says that the rats, in spite of this 
and all other efforts, “every day multiplied and grew.” He had even 
“determined once againe to fall upon another generall burneinge of 
the whole ilands, to the extreame discontent of all men, and especially 
of Mr. Lewes, the minister, who openly preached against it, so that 
the governor could never endure him afterwards.” 
Fortunately for the inhabitants, the rats all suddenly died just at 
that time (in the winter of 1618-19), probably of starvation or a 
pestilence, so that the remaining cedars were saved from burning. 
Governor Butler’s statement indicates, however, that there had been 
one general burning. In another place he states that the governor 
and his men had burned over one of the Brothers Islands, and found 
it full of rats, and therefore ordered the other burned, but it was not 
done. The name “Burnt Point,” early applied to the western end 
of St. George’s Island, may refer to one of these burnings, for it was 
thus named on Norwood’s map of 1622. The islands were perhaps 
overpopulated, even before 1630, by inferior classes of laborers, 
taken from the slums of London and continually sent out by the 
Bermuda Company. Many of these persons were lazy and shiftless, 
and according to Governor Butler, some women were taken from 
Bridewell and some men from the Newgate Prison,} and others were 
impressed. The good soil is very limited in extent to support any 
considerable number of people by agriculture alone. It was thus 
nearly impossible to immediately build fortifications and other works, 
as the Company required, and to clear the land and raise so much 
tobacco as was demanded by the Company, and at the same time 
raise enough corn and other food-stuffs for the inhabitants, even in 
the best seasons. Many times there was great scarcity of food, or 
even famine in the winters. Therefore, nearly all the best arable 
land must have been rapidly cleared of trees in the early years. 
* This plague of rats will be discussed in a later chapter. (See ch. 33, D.) 
+ This probably accounts for an early law, forbidding any one referring to the 
previous bad life of any colonist before leaving England. 
