The rock, at the edge of the Taunton River, was submerged by tides much of the time, but Delabarre managed to photograph it in different degrees of light until he was able to make out the date of 1511 which had been obscured by Indian markings of a later time.Delabarre, Edmund B.
Further study of the photographs revealed a clear M followed by the less distinct letters IGU, and more letters from which Edmund B. Delabarre pieced together an inscription which read "Miguel Cortereal 1511 V Dei hic dux ind."Delabarre, Edmund B.