Eleuthera and Harvard’s shared history

Eleuthera’s intertwined history with Harvard University began after the Eleutheran Adventurers encountered a storm on their journey for religious freedom and ironically ran aground The Devil’s Backbone reef. Could this be where Bahamian's instinct to blame the devil originated from? But on a serious note, this shipwreck left them entirely destitute, they were lucky enough to find shelter in Preacher’s Cave but lost most of their provisions after the shipwreck.

In 1648 the leader of the adventurers, William Sayle took a boat with eight men up to Virginia where they received supplies to revive the failing colony. By 1650 The Puritans of New England raised 700 pounds to be sent to Eleuthera, this 700 pounds would have a purchasing power of about 75,000 pounds in today's money. Filled with gratitude The Eleutheran Adventurers wielded their axes and sent the ship back to Boston filled with 10 tons of Brasilleto wood, accompanied with a note. According to Harvard in the Seventeenth Century written by Samuel Eliot Morrison, the note included “several pages of pious ejaculations, biblical references, expressions of gratitude, and general sermonizing,” the book also states that the Eleutherans declared that they were sending the wood to “avoid that foule sin of ingratitude so abhorred of God, so hateful to all men.”

Harvard College sold the Brasiletto wood which is a source of red dye for £124 and used the money to expand the college grounds.

Harvard magazine reported on February 2nd, 1957, that some “Harvard Friends of Eleuthera” had just presented The Bahamas a plaque made of Brasiletto wood with a brass plate attached, commemorating the exchange of gifts almost three centuries earlier. The Plaque is located in The Haynes Library in Governors Harbour, Eleuthera.