Despair Island is a small island in Narragansett Bay

Narragansett Bay

Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...

 in Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

.

Despair is located in between Hope Island (Rhode Island)

Hope Island (Rhode Island)

Hope Island is a 91-acre island located in Narragansett Bay, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The island, along with nearby Prudence Island and Patience Island, is part of the Narragansett Bay Reserve, home to colonial wading birds during their nesting season of spring and summer.-History:The...

 and Prudence Island

Prudence Island

Prudence Island is the third largest island in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island and part of the town of Portsmouth. It is located near the geographical center of the bay. It is defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block Group 3, Census Tract 401.03 of Newport County,...

. The island is composed of many outcroppings of rocks used extensively by nesting birds. such as gulls and terns.

History

A popular colonial children's song about the islands of Narragansett Bay named by the theologian Roger Williams

Roger Williams (theologian)

Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...

said "Prudence, Patience, Hope and Despair and little Hog Island, right over there."