66 
CBUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGEB. 
Somers and a party of volunteers started for 
Bermuda to obtain supplies ; and during this trip 
Sir George died, near the site of the present town 
of St. George, where there is a monument erected 
to his memory. 
From reports reaching England about this time 
( 1612 ), a chartered company was formed, colonisa- 
tion commenced, and soon after the first party of 
settlers arrived, under the charge of Mr. Bichard 
More as Governor. From this date Bermuda became 
a British colony, with representative government 
and a legislative assembly. 
As time passed on, its importance as a naval and 
military station became apparent, and large sums 
of money were expended on fortifications and im- 
provements. Of late years the islands have become 
well known as the site of extensive convict establish- 
ments ; but these, like all the other outlying penal 
settlements, have been broken up, and the convicts 
sent back to our own shores again. 
At the present time the imports and exports are 
but small ; and although possessing such a fine cli- 
mate, its agricultural produce is limited (perhaps 
from a dearth of labour), for only about one-tenth of 
its area is cultivated, and this is only in isolated 
patches, where arrowroot and early crops of vegetables 
are produced for the American markets. 
Here a fortnight was spent in scientific pursuits. 
The dredging around the reefs and the several deep- 
