It was Saturday when our vessel first came to anchor, and the storm
held furious until Monday morning, when the snow was piled up higher
than before, and many of the smaller trees were hidden from sight; but
yet our fathers went on shore when the sun shone once more, while the
sailors made ready to launch the big boat which they call the shallop.
It had been tied down on the deck of the _Mayflower_, taking up so
much space that, because of her, we children could not move around
comfortably on deck even when the weather permitted.
Some of the upper timbers had been broken by the waves during the
storms which came upon us while we were on the ocean, and it was said
that much in the way of mending must be done before she could be made
seaworthy. Therefore, owing to the need of room in which to work,
the sailors took her ashore where it could be done with somewhat of
comfort.
You must know that a shallop is a large boat, much larger than the one
belonging to our ship, which is called a longboat. To my mind a shallop
is like unto a vessel such as the _Speedwell_, except that it is much
smaller, capable of holding no more than twenty-five or thirty people.
It has one mast, a sail, and oars, and, as father has told me, any one
might safely make a long voyage in such a craft.