They represented that the recent disaster had dissolved the authority of the Governor, and their business was now to provide, as they best could, for themselves and their families.  They had come out in search of an easy and plentiful subsistence, which could nowhere be found in greater perfection and security than here, while in Virginia its attainment was not only doubtful, but attended with many hardships.  These arguments were so convincing with the larger number of the men that, had it rested with them, they would have lived and died on the islands.

[Illustration:  Entrance to St. George Harbor, between Smith’s and Paget’s Islands. (Fac-simile re-production of Smith’s engraving. 1614.)]

Two successive conspiracies were formed by large parties to separate from the rest and form a colony.  Both were defeated by the vigilance of Gates, who allowed the ringleaders to escape with a slight punishment.  This lenity only emboldened the malcontents, and a third plot was formed to seize the stores and take entire possession of the islands.  It was determined to make an example of one of the leaders named Payne; He was condemned to be hanged, but, on the plea of being a gentleman, his sentence was commuted into that of being shot, which was immediately done.  This had a salutary effect, and prevented any further trouble.

[Illustration:  View of ancient forts. (Re-produced from Smith’s engraving, 1614)]

Two children, a boy and girl, were born during this period; the former was christened Bermudas and the latter Bermuda; they were probably the first human beings born on these islands.

Before leaving the islands Gates caused a cross to be made of the wood saved from the wreck of his ship, which he secured to a large cedar; a silver coin with the king’s head was placed in the middle of it, together with an inscription on a copper plate describing what had happened—­That the cross was the remains of a ship of three hundred tons, called the Sea Venture, bound with eight more to Virginia; that she contained two knights, Sir Thomas Gates, governor of the colony, and Sir George Summers, admiral of the seas, who, together with her captain, Christopher Newport, and one hundred and fifty mariners and passengers besides, had got safe ashore, when she was lost, July 28, 1609.

On the tenth of May, 1610, they sailed with a fair wind, and, before reaching the open sea, they struck on a rock and were nearly wrecked the second time.  On the twenty-third they arrived safely at Jamestown.  This settlement they found in a most destitute condition on their arrival, and it was determined to abandon the place, but Sir George Summers, “whose noble mind ever regarded the general good more than his own ends,” offered to undertake a voyage to the Bermudas for the purpose of forming a settlement, from which supplies might be obtained for the Jamestown colony.  He accordingly sailed June 19, in his cedar vessel, and his name was then given to the islands, though Bermuda has since prevailed.