He declared that the birds and their eggs were so plentiful that
the whole island was covered with them; that one could not set down
his foot, save upon eggs, or birds sitting on their nests, some of
which could hardly be driven away even with blows, and when they
rose in the air, the noise made by their wings was so great as to
deafen a person.

Our seamen loaded two boats full of the eggs in three hours, and
all in the fleet feasted for several days on such as had not yet
been spoiled by the warmth of the birds' bodies.

It was on the next day that we left behind us those islands which
Captain Smith told me were the West Indies, and the seaman who
stood at the helm when I came on deck to get water for my master,
said we were steering a northerly course, which would soon bring
us to the land of Virginia.



THE TEMPEST


On that very night, however, such a tempest of wind and of rain
came upon us that I was not the only one who believed the Susan
Constant must be crushed like an eggshell under the great mountains
of water which at times rolled completely over her, so flooding
the decks that but few could venture out to do whatsoever of work
was needed to keep the ship afloat. After this fierce tempest, when
the Lord permitted that even our pinnace should ride in safety, it