Preparations for Winter
The harvest season drawing near, attention was given to gathering their
crops and to putting their houses in readiness for the approaching
winter. While some were thus engaged others were employed in fishing and
their store of cod, bass and other fish seems to have been plentiful,
for “‘every family had their portion.’” Of water-fowl, wild turkeys and
venison, there seems, at this time, to have been an abundance. They had
a peck of meal a week to a person, also Indian corn in like proportion
of which they had planted some twenty acres with six acres of barley and
peas.
The First Thanksgiving
[Sidenote: Nov. 1621]
“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling,
that so we might after a special manner, rejoice together after we had
gathered the fruits of our labors. These four, in one day, killed as
much fowl as, with a little help besides, served the company almost a
week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms,
many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest
king Massasoit with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained
and feasted;[12] and they went out and killed five deer, which they
brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the
captain and others.”
The quotations in the few preceding paragraphs are from Bradford’s
history, and, more especially from Winslow’s letter to a friend in
England. This letter was sent when the Fortune made its return voyage.
It further stated that since their arrival in the new country in spite
of their reduced numbers, they had succeeded in building seven
dwelling-houses and four for the use of the Plantation; that they had
made friends with the Indians in the immediate vicinity and that they
“walked as peacefully and safely in the woods as in the highways in
England.”
It is presumable that this letter was inspired, at least in part by the
letter from Mr. Weston which had arrived with the Fortune. Weston was
one of the Adventurers who had helped to finance the Plymouth colony.
His letter which follows is cold and unsympathetic and according to both
Bradford and Winslow he seems to have been a man of questionable
sincerity as his unsuccessful attempt to establish a rival colony at
Weymouth might indicate.
Weston’s letter said in part:—“That you sent no lading in the ship is
wonderful, and worthily distasted. I know your weakness was the cause of
it, and I believe more weakness of judgment than weakness of hands. A
quarter of the time you have spent in discoursing, arguing and
consulting, would have done much more. If you mean, bona fide, to
perform the conditions agreed upon, do us the favor to copy them out
fair, and subscribe them with the principal of your names. And likewise
give us account as particularly as you can how our moneys were laid out.
And consider that the life of the business depends on the lading of this
ship.” etc.
If Weston had been acquainted with the condition of the Plymouth colony,
their great depletion and hardships the first winter (and it is
reasonable to suppose that he was, upon the return of the Mayflower) his
letter seems unnecessarily harsh and unjust. It was addressed to Mr.
Carver, the news of whose death had not yet reached England.
Governor Bradford’s letter in reply to which he added an itemized
accounting, follows in part. His dignified reproof, his presentation of
conditions obtaining in the colony, the extenuating circumstances, I
think the reader will agree cannot reasonably be omitted from this brief
chronicle.
Bradford’s Letter
“Sir: Your large letter written to Mr. Carver, and dated the 6 of July,
1621, I have received the 10 of November, wherein (after the apology
made for yourself) you lay many imputations upon him and us all.
Touching him, he is departed this life, and now is at rest in the Lord
from all those troubles and incumbencies with which we are yet to
strive. He needs not my apology; for his care and pains were so great
for the common good, both ours and yours, as that therewith (it is
thought) he oppressed himself and shortened his days; of whose loss we
cannot sufficiently complain. At great charges in this adventure, I
confess you have been, and many losses may sustain; but the loss of his
and many other honest and industrious men’s lives, cannot be valued at
any price. Of the one, there may be hope of recovery, but the other no
recompence can make good. But I will not insist in generals but come
more particularly to the things themselves. You greatly blame us for
keeping the ship so long in the country, and then to send her away
empty. She lay 5 weeks at Cape Cod, whilst with many a weary step (after
a long journey) and the endurance of many a hard brunt, we sought out in
the hard winter a place of habitation. Then we went in so tedious a time
to make provision to shelter us and our goods, about which labor, many
of our arms and legs can tell us to this day we were not negligent. But
it pleased God to visit us then, with death daily, and with so general a
disease, that the living were scarce able to bury the dead; and the well
not in any measure sufficient to tend the sick. And now to be so greatly
blamed, for not freighting the ship, doth indeed go near us, and much
discourage us. But you say you know we will pretend weakness; and do you
think we had not cause? Yes, you tell us you believe it, but it was more
weakness of judgement than of hands. Our weakness herein is great we
confess, therefore we will bear this check patiently amongst the rest,
till God send us wiser men. But they which told you we spent so much
time in discoursing and consulting, etc., their hearts can tell their
tongues they lie. They cared not, so they might salve their own sores,
how they wounded others. Indeed, it is our calamity that we are (beyond
expectation) yoked with some ill-conditioned people, who will never do
good, but corrupt and abuse others, etc.”
[Illustration: Thanksgiving Feast]
Unfortunately the Fortune on her return was overhauled by French pirates
and all her cargo of value taken. Robert Cushman, who was aboard on his
return to England, later wrote “By God’s providence we got well home the
17th[13] of February. Being robbed by the Frenchmen by the way, and
carried by them into France, and were kept there 15 days and lost all
that we had that was worth taking; but thanks be to God, we escaped with
our lives and ship.”
[Illustration: The Snakeskin Warning]