4°0 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



being about sixty-two or sixty-three seconds. The light 

 was first exhibited on May 2nd, 1846. From the top 

 of the lighthouse you command an excellent view of 

 the islands, which are said to number between three and 

 four hundred ; the greater portion, however, can hardly be 

 termed islands, they being merely rocks, and are now con- 

 sidered the higher points of a large attole. 



The principal of the group are five or six in number ; 

 Hamilton, or Bermuda proper, being the largest, it more 

 than equalling all the rest. 



The water around the islands, from its clearness and 

 brilliant blue tint, forms the greatest natural beauty 

 of the place. Objects may be seen at a great depth. 



Boating is one of the chief amusements of Bermuda, 

 the rig of the boats being peculiar to the islands. 



The late Henry Hunt, Esq., a gentleman of some eighty 

 years, gave me the following account of the origin of 

 the one-masted rig. 



He stated that, in his younger days, it was the custom 

 to get up boat races for amusement, that boats at that 

 period were invariably two-masted, and rigged as schooners 

 — a turtle dinner being the prize generally sailed for. 



Upon one occasion, when the boats of Salt Kettle 

 and St. George's were to be the competitors, Mr. Hunt 

 took great pains to have his boat in best order ; but 

 finding, on several trials with a well-known fast sailer, 

 that he was out-reached and out-winded, in spite of all 

 his efforts to trim up to her speed, he determined to alter 

 the rig of his boat, and try what she would do when fitted 

 with a single mast. The new rig was soon completed, 

 and a trial by night, with the same fast boat, proved the 

 great superiority of the 0«<?-masted craft upon every point 

 of sailing. The change of rig was kept a profound secret, 

 both mast and sail being housed during the day. 



