These islands were first introduced to the notice of the English by a dreadful shipwreck.  In 1591 Henry May sailed to the East Indies, along with Captain Lancaster, on a buccaneering expedition.  Having reached the coast of Sumatra and Malacca, they scoured the adjacent seas, and made some valuable captures.  In 1593 they again doubled the Cape of Good Hope and returned to the West Indies for supplies, which they much needed.  They first came in sight of Trinidad, but did not dare to approach a coast which was in possession of the Spaniards, and their distress became so great that it was with the utmost difficulty that the men could be prevented from leaving the ship.  They shortly afterwards fell in with a French buccaneer, commanded by La Barbotiere, who kindly relieved their wants by a gift of bread and provisions.  Their stores were soon again exhausted, and, coming across the French ship the second time, application was made to the French Captain for more supplies, but he declared that his own stock was so much reduced that he could spare but little, but the sailors persuaded themselves that the Frenchman’s scarcity was feigned, and also that May, who conducted the negotiations, was regailing himself with good cheer on board without any trouble about their distress.  Among these men, inured to bold and desperate deeds, a company was formed to seize the French pinnace, and then to capture the large vessel with its aid.  They succeeded in their first object, but the French Captain, who observed their actions, sailed away at full speed, and May, who was dining with him on board at the time, requested that he might stay and return home on the vessel so that he could inform his employers of the events of the voyage and the unruly behavior of the crew.  As they approached Bermuda strict watch was kept while they supposed themselves to be near that dreaded spot, but when the pilot declared that they were twelve leagues south of it they threw aside all care and gave themselves up to carousing.  Amid their jollity, about midnight, the ship struck with such violence that she immediately filled and sank.  They had only a small boat, to which they attached a hastily-constructed raft to be towed along with it; room, however, was made for only twenty-six, while the crew exceeded fifty.  In the wild and desperate struggle for existence that ensued May fortunately got into the boat.  They had to beat about nearly all the next day, dragging the raft after them, and it was almost dark before they reached the shore; they were tormented with thirst, and had nearly despaired of finding a drop of water when some was discovered in a rock where the rain waters had collected.

[Illustration:  St. George’s and Warwick Fort in 1614. (Fac-simile of Smith’s engraving.)]

The land was covered with one unbroken forest of cedar.  Here they would have to remain for life unless a vessel could be constructed.  They made a voyage to the wreck and secured the shrouds, tackles and carpenters’ tools, and then began to cut down the cedars, with which they constructed a vessel of eighteen tons.  For pitch they took lime, rendered adhesive by a mixture of turtle oil, and forced it into the seams, where it became hard as stone.