The first book about Bermuda was written in 1610 by Sylvester Jordain, one of the survivors of the ‘Sea Venture’. It includes the following descriptions about the abundant wildlife they found on their arrival on the island:
“Wherefore my opinion sincerely of this Iland is, that whereas it hath beene, and is still accounted, the most dangerous, infortunate, and most forlorne place of the world, it is in truth the richest, healthfullest, and pleasing land...”
“Sir George Sommers … found out sufficient of many kind of fishes, and so plentyfull thereof, that in halfe an houre he took so many great fishes with hookes, as did suffice the whole company one day. These fishes are very fat and sweete, and of that proportion and bignesse, that three of them will conueniently lade two men: those we called rock-fish. Besides there are such abundance of Mullets, that with a seane might be taken at one draught one thousand at the least…”
‘The Countrie affordeth great abundance of Hogges, as that there hath beene taken by Sir George Sommers, who was the first that hunted for them, to the number of two and thirty at one time…”
“There is Fowle in great number vpon the Ilands, where they breed, that there hath beene taken in two or three houres, a thousand at the least; the bird being of the bignes of a good Pidgeon, and layeth egges as big as Hen egges vpon the sand, where they come and lay them dayly, although men sit downe amongst them…”
“Another Sea fowle there is that lyeth in little holes in the ground, like vnto a cony-hole, and are in great numbers, exceeding good meate, very fat and sweet (those we had in the winter) and their eggs are white, and of that bignesse, that they are not to be knowne from Hen egges.”
“There are also great store of Tortoses, (which some call Turtles) and those so great, that I haue seene a bushel of egges in one of their bellies, which are sweeter then any Henne egge: and the Tortose it selfe is all very good meate, and yeeldeth great store of oyle, which is as sweete as any butter; and one of them will suffice fifty men a meale, at the least: and of these hath beene taken great store, with two boates, at the least forty in one day.”
‘There are also great Plentie of Whales, which I conceaue are verie easie to be killed, for they come so vsually, and ordinarily to the shore, that we heard them oftentimes in the night a bed; and haue seene many of them neare the shoare, in the day time.”
Within only a few short years the early settlers had so depleted certain species, that in 1619 an Act was passed against the killing of young turtles. This is considered to be the New World’s earliest written conservation legislation. Unfortunately the settlers did not know that sea turtles take up to 50 years to mature.
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