A New Home
From the foregoing the reader will readily recognize Coles Hill and
Burial Hill and the site of the first fort, marked now by an appropriate
tablet. Also Town Brook and the adjacent spring which has quenched the
thirst of many a modern day pilgrim as well as residents of this
historic town.
[Sidenote: 1621 Sat. Jan. 2 to Sat. Jan. 9]
During Dec. 31, and Jan. 1, a violent storm prevailed and it was
Saturday, Jan. 2, before work on shore could be started. In the several
days following trees were felled, timbers shaped, and work begun on the
Common House and the “platform” or fort on the hill.
[Sidenote: Mon. Jan. 11
Mon. Jan. 18]
Allotments of land were made, first by taking notice of “how many
families there were, willing all single men that had not wives, to join
with some family as they thought fit, that so we might build fewer
houses; which was done and we reduced them to nineteen families.” Friday
and Saturday being stormy and Jan. 10 being the Sabbath, work was
resumed on Monday, Jan. 11. During this period the greater number were
living on the Mayflower which presumably anchored in the lower harbor,
necessitated going to and fro and in bad weather seriously interfered
with work on shore. It was on Monday, the 18th, that Francis Billington
made a visit to the “great sea” as he thought and which he had seen from
a tree the week previous. This fine pond of sparkling water “full of
fish and fowl” thus derived its name Billington Sea.
After some interruptions occasioned by bad weather, work was again
resumed on the 19th. “We agreed that every man should build his own
house, thinking by that course men would make more haste than working in
common.”
[Sidenote: Tues. Jan. 19 to Fri. Mar. 26]
With this end in view work was resumed and “we went to labor that day in
the building of our town, in two rows of houses for more safety. We
divided by lot the plot of ground whereon to build our town, after the
proportion formerly allotted. The common house in which for the first we
made our rendezvous, being near finished, wanted only covering, it being
only about twenty foot square. Some should make mortar, and some gather
thatch; so that in four days half of it was thatched.”
During this period William Bradford was seriously ill which caused much
concern. Two of the colony became lost in the nearby woods and after a
night’s exposure to cold, found their way back in an exhausted
condition. Indians were seen upon several occasions. The roof of the
Common House was set on fire by a spark but fortunately only the thatch
burned. John Goodman was attacked by “two great wolves” but succeeded in
fighting them off. A shed was built for common storage. On Sunday, Jan.
31st, they held their first meeting on land. A heavy wind on Sunday,
Feb. 14th, did some damage to their houses and on Friday, Feb. 19th, the
roof of the little house they had built for their sick caught fire but
no serious damage resulted. “That evening the master going ashore,
killed five geese, which he friendly distributed among the sick people.”
[Illustration: The First Street, in its true topographical setting]
On Friday, Feb. 26th, a party of twelve Indians were seen near the
plantation and on the same day the tools of Captain Myles Standish and
Francis Cooke, who had been at work in the woods, were stolen during
their absence.
On the morning of the next day, Saturday, Feb. 27th, a meeting was
called, Myles Standish was chosen Captain and given authority to command
in military affairs. Two Indians were seen on this day “upon the top of
a hill” (Watson’s Hill) but upon the approach of Captain Standish and
Stephen Hopkins, they ran away.
These frequent visitations caused much alarm among the colonists and
“caused us to plant our great ordinances in most convenient places.”
On Saturday, Mar. 13th, they experienced their first thunderstorm. This
occurred in the afternoon following a day of sunshine and warmth while
“birds sang in the woods most pleasantly.”
On Wednesday, Mar. 17th, though the weather was cold, it was fair and
they planted their garden seed.
Their Great Losses
Nothing has been said thus far about the crushing losses the first
winter this little colony sustained through exposure and disease. Their
sufferings must have been well nigh indescribable, yet history records
very little complaint. William Bradford bore his sufferings with the
rest and it seems fitting to quote here his vivid description:
“But that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in two or three
months time half of their company died, especially in January and
February, being the depth of winter, and wanting houses and other
comforts, being infected with the scurvy and other diseases, which this
long voyage and their inaccommodate condition had brought upon them; so
as there died sometimes two or three a day, in the aforesaid time; that
of 100 and odd persons, scarce 50 remained. And of these in the time of
most distress, there was but 6 or 7 sound persons, who, to their great
commendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but with
abundance of toil and hazard of their own health, fetched them wood,
made them fires, dressed them meat, made their beds, washed their
loathsome clothes, clothed and unclothed them; in a word did all the
homely and necessary offices for them which dainty and queasy stomachs
cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly and cheerfully,
without any grudging in the least, showing herein their true love unto
their friends and brethren. A rare example and worthy to be remembered.
Two of these seven were Mr. William Brewster, their reverend elder, and
Myles Standish, their Captain and military commander, unto whom myself
and many others, were much beholden in our low sick condition. And yet
the Lord so upheld these persons, as in this general calamity they were
not at all infected either with sickness or lameness. And what I have
said of these, I may say of many others who died in this general
visitation, and others yet living, that while they had health, yea, or
any strength continuing, they were not wanting to any that had need of
them. And I doubt not but their recompence is with the Lord.”
They who died the first winter were buried on Coles Hill. A fitting
memorial now marks the spot.
[Illustration: Samoset’s Visit]