Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 8.djvu/128

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��Early History of the Bermuda Islajids.

��that the Frenchman's scarcity was feigned, and also that May, who con- ducted the negotiations, was regaihng himself with good cheer on board with- out 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 approached Bermuda strict watch was kept while they supposed them- selves 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 vio- lence that she immediately filled and

��C^o^t 'Tomic ^arwicks forte

���St. George's and Warwick Fort in 1614.

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 ves- sel so that he could inform his em- ployers of the events of the voyage and the unruly behavior of the crew. As

��(Fac-simile of Smith's engraving.)

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 exist- ence that ensued May fortunately got into the boat. They had to beat about nearly all the next day, dragging the raft

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