During a residence of five months here May had observed that Bermuda, hitherto supposed to be a single island, was broken up into a number of islands of different sizes, enclosing many fine bays, and forming good harbors.  The vessel being finished they set sail for Newfoundland, expecting to meet fishing vessels there, on which they could obtain passage to Europe.  On the eleventh of May they found themselves with joy clear of the islands.  They had a very favorable voyage, and on the twentieth arrived at Cape Breton.  May arrived in England in August, 1594, where he gave a description of the islands; he stated that they found hogs running wild all over the islands, which proves that this was not the first landing made there.

It was owing to a shipwreck that Bermuda again came under the view of the English, and that led England to appropriate these islands.

In 1609, during the most active period of the colonization of Virginia, an expedition of nine ships, commanded by Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers and Captain Newport, bound for Virginia, was dispersed by a great storm.  One of the vessels, the Sea Adventure, in which were Gates, Somers and Newport, seems to have been involved in the thickest of the tempest.  The vessel sprung aleak, which it was found impossible to stop.  All hands labored at the pumps for life, even the Governor and Admiral took their turns, and gentlemen who had never had an hour’s hard work in their life toiled with the rest.  The water continued to gain on them, and when about to give up in despair, Sir George Somers, who had been watching at the poop deck day and night, cried out land, and there in the early dawn of morning could be seen the welcome sight of land.  Fortunately they lighted on the only secure entrance through the reefs.  The vessel was run ashore and wedged between two rocks, and thereby was preserved from sinking, till by means of a boat and skiff the whole crew of one hundred and fifty, with provisions, tackle and stores, reached the land.  At that time the hogs still abounded, and these, with the turtle, birds and fish which they caught, afforded excellent food for the castaways.  The Isle of Devils Sir George Somers and party found “the richest, healthfulest and pleasantest” they ever saw.

Robert Walsingham and Henry Shelly discovered two bays abounding in excellent fish; these bays are still called by their names.  Gates and Somers caused the long boat to be decked over, and sent Raven, the mate, with eight men, to Virginia to bring assistance to them, but nothing was ever heard of them afterwards, and after waiting six months all hopes were then given up.  The chiefs of the expedition then determined to build two vessels of cedar, one of eighty tons and one of thirty.  Their utmost exertions, however, did not prevent disturbances, which nearly baffled the enterprise.  These were fomented by persons noted for their religious zeal, of Puritan principles and the accompanying spirit of independence.