THE PILGRIMS AT PLYMOUTH.
(A.D. 1620‒1621.)
These extracts are taken from that valuable collection,
“Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers of the Colony of Plymouth,
from 1602 to 1625; now first collected from original records and
contemporaneous printed documents,” by Alexander Young, Boston,
1841.
The first extract is from Edward Winslow’s “Brief Narration,”
London, 1646 (Young, p. 384). The rest are from the journal of
Bradford and Winslow, commonly called “Mourt’s Relation,” London,
1622. (Young, pp. 125‒136, 150‒162, 167‒174, 182‒189.)
THE PILGRIMS AT PLYMOUTH.
I.――THE SAILING OF THE PILGRIMS.
[The Pilgrims sailed from Delft Haven,――often called by them
Delph’s Haven,――in Holland, July 22, 1620.]
AND when the ship was ready to carry us away, the brethren that
staid, having again solemnly sought the Lord with us and for us, and
we further engaging ourselves mutually as before,――they, I say, that
staid at Leyden, feasted us that were to go, at our pastor’s house,
being large, where we refreshed ourselves, after tears, with singing of
psalms, making joyful melody in our hearts, as well as with the voice,
there being many of the congregation very expert in music; and indeed
it was the sweetest melody that ever mine ears heard. After this, they
accompanied us to Delph’s Haven, where we were to embark, and there
feasted us again. And after prayer performed by our pastor, where a
flood of tears was poured out, they accompanied us to the ship, but
were not able to speak one to another for the abundance of sorrow to
part. But we only going aboard,――the ship lying to the quay, and ready
to set sail, the wind being fair,――we gave them a volley of small shot,
and three pieces of ordnance; and so, lifting up our hands to each
other, and our hearts for each other to the Lord our God, we departed,
and found his presence with us in the midst of our manifold straits he
carried us through. And, if any doubt this relation, the Dutch, as I
hear, at Delph’s Haven preserve the memory of it to this day, and will
inform them.
Illustration: DELPH’S HAVEN.
II.――MILES STANDISH AT CAPE COD.
SOME of our people, impatient of delay, desired for our better
furtherance to travel by land into the country,――which was not without
appearance of danger, not having the shallop with them, nor means to
carry provision but on their backs,――to see whether it might be fit
for us to seat[384] in or no; and the rather, because, as we sailed
into the harbor, there seemed to be a river[385] opening itself into
the mainland. The willingness of the persons was liked; but the thing
itself, in regard to the danger, was rather permitted than approved;
and so with cautions, directions, and instructions, sixteen men were
set[386] out, with every man his musket,[387] sword, and corselet,
under the conduct of Captain Miles Standish, unto whom was adjoined for
counsel and advice William Bradford, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Tilley.
Illustration: MAYFLOWER OFF PROVINCETOWN.
Wednesday, the 15th of November, they were set ashore.[388] And when
they had ordered themselves in the order of a single file, and marched
about the space of a mile by the sea, they espied five or six people,
with a dog, coming towards them, who were savages; who, when they saw
them, ran into the wood, and whistled the dog after them, &c. First
they supposed them to be Master Jones, the master, and some of his men;
for they were ashore, and knew of their coming. But, after they knew
them to be Indians, they marched after them into the woods, lest other
of the Indians should lie in ambush. But, when the Indians saw our men
following them, they ran away with might and main, and our men turned
out of the wood after them, for it was the way they intended to go; but
they could not come near them. They followed them that night about ten
miles, by the trace of their footings,[389] and saw how they had come
the same way they went, and at a turning perceived how they ran up a
hill, to see whether they followed them. At length night came upon them,
and they were constrained to take up their lodging.[390] So they set
forth three sentinels; and the rest, some kindled a fire, and others
fetched wood, and there held our rendezvous that night.
In the morning, as soon as we could see the trace, we proceeded on our
journey, and had[391] the track until we had compassed the head of a
long creek;[392] and there they took into another wood, and we after
them, supposing to find some of their dwellings. But we marched through
boughs and bushes, and under hills and valleys, which tore our very
armor in pieces, and yet could meet with none of them, nor their houses,
nor find any fresh water, which we greatly desired and stood in need
of; for we brought neither beer nor water with us, and our victuals was
only biscuit and Holland cheese, and a little bottle of aqua vitæ, so
as we were sore athirst. About ten o’clock, we came into a deep valley,
full of brush, wood-gaile,[393] and long grass, through which we found
little paths, or tracks; and there we saw a deer, and found springs of
fresh water, of which we were heartily glad, and sat us down and drunk
our first New England water with as much delight as ever we drunk drink
in all our lives.
When we had refreshed ourselves, we directed our course full south,
that we might come to the shore, which within a short while after we
did, and there made a fire, that they in the ship might see where we
were, as we had direction; and so marched on towards this supposed
river. And, as we went in another valley, we found a fine clear
pond[394] of fresh water, being about a musket-shot broad, and twice as
long. There grew also many small vines, and fowl and deer haunted there.
There grew much sassafras. From thence we went on, and found much plain
ground, about fifty acres, fit for the plough, and some signs where the
Indians had formerly planted their corn. After this, some thought it
best, for nearness of the river, to go down and travel on the sea-sands,
by which means some of our men were tired, and lagged behind. So we
staid and gathered them up, and struck into the land again, where we
found a little path to certain heaps of sand, one whereof was covered
with old mats, and had a wooden thing like a mortar whelmed[395] on the
top of it, and an earthen pot laid in a little hole at the end thereof.
We, musing[396] what it might be, digged, and found a bow, and, as
we thought, arrows; but they were rotten. We supposed there were many
other things; but, because we deemed them graves, we put in the bow
again, and made it up as it was, and left the rest untouched, because
we thought it would be odious unto them to ransack their sepulchres.
We went on farther, and found new stubble, of which they had gotten
corn this year, and many walnut-trees full of nuts, and great store
of strawberries, and some vines. Passing thus a field or two, which
were not great, we came to another, which had also been new gotten;
and there we found where a house had been, and four or five old planks
laid together. Also we found a great kettle, which had been some ship’s
kettle, and brought out of Europe. There was also a heap of sand, made
like the former,――but it was newly done, we might see how they had
paddled it with their hands,――which we digged up, and in it we found
a little old basket full of fair Indian corn. We digged farther, and
found a fine great new basket, full of very fair corn of this year,
with some six and thirty goodly ears of corn, some yellow, and some red,
and others mixed with blue, which was a very goodly sight.[397] The
basket was round, and narrow at the top. It held about three or four
bushels, which was as much as two of us could lift up from the ground,
and was very handsomely and cunningly made. But, whilst we were busy
about all these things, we set our men sentinel in a round ring, all
but two or three, which digged up the corn. We were in suspense what
to do with it and the kettle; and at length, after much consultation,
we concluded to take the kettle, and as much of the corn as we could
carry away with us; and when our shallop came, if we could find any of
the people, and come to parley with them, we would give them the kettle
again, and satisfy them for their corn.[398] So we took all the ears,
and put a good deal of the loose corn in the kettle, for two men to
bring away on a staff. Besides, they that could put any into their
pockets filled the same. The rest we buried again; for we were so laden
with armor, that we could carry no more.
Not far from this place we found the remainder of an old fort or
palisado, which, as we conceived, had been made by some Christians.
This was also hard by that place which we thought had been a river;[399]
unto which we went, and found it so to be, dividing itself into two
arms by a high bank, standing right by the cut or mouth, which came
from the sea. That which was next unto us was the less. The other arm
was more than twice as big, and not unlike to be a harbor for ships:
but whether it be a fresh river, or only an indraught of the sea, we
had no time to discover; for we had commandment to be out but two days.
Here, also, we saw two canoes,――the one on the one side, the other on
the other side. We could not believe it was a canoe till we came near
it. So we returned, leaving the further discovery hereof to our shallop,
and came that night back again to the freshwater pond; and there we
made our rendezvous that night, making a great fire, and a barricade
to windward of us, and kept good watch with three sentinels all night,
every one standing when his turn came, while five or six inches of
match was burning. It proved a very rainy night.
In the morning, we took our kettle, and sunk it in the pond, and
trimmed our muskets, for few of them would go off because of the wet,
and so coasted the wood again to come home, in which we were shrewdly
puzzled, and lost our way. As we wandered, we came to a tree, where
a young sprit[400] was bowed down over a bow, and some acorns strewed
underneath. Stephen Hopkins said it had been to catch some deer. So
as we were looking at it, William Bradford being in the rear, when
he came, looked also upon it; and, as he went about, it gave a sudden
jerk up, and he was immediately caught by the leg. It was a very pretty
device, made with a rope of their own making, and having a noose as
artificially made as any roper[401] in England can make, and as like
ours as can be; which we brought away with us. In the end, we got out
of the wood, and were fallen [402] about a mile too high above the
creek, where we saw three bucks; but we had rather have had one of them.
We also did spring three couple of partridges: and, as we came along by
the creek, we saw great flocks of wild geese and ducks; but they were
very fearful of us. So we marched some while in the woods, some while
on the sands, and other while in the water up to the knees, till at
length we came near the ship, and then we shot off our pieces, and the
long-boat came to fetch us. Master Jones and Master Carver, being on
the shore with many of our people, came to meet us. And thus we came
both weary and welcome home, and delivered in our corn into the store
to be kept for seed; for we knew not how to come by any, and therefore
were very glad, purposing, as soon as we could meet with any of the
inhabitants of that place, to make them large satisfaction. This was
our first discovery, whilst our shallop was in repairing.
III.――THE FIRST ENCOUNTER.
WEDNESDAY, the 6th of December [1620], we set out, being very cold
and hard weather. We were a long while, after we launched from the
ship, before we could get clear of a sandy point[403] which lay within
less than a furlough of the same; in which time two were very sick, and
Edward Tilley had liked to have sounded[404] with cold. The gunner also
was sick unto death; but hope of trucking[405] made him to go, and so
remained all that day and the next night. At length we got clear of the
sandy point, and got up our sails, and, within an hour or two, we got
under the weather-shore, and then had smoother water and better sailing.
But it was very cold; for the water froze on our clothes, and made them
many times like coats of iron.
Illustration: GOVERNOR WINSLOW.
We sailed six or seven leagues by the shore, but saw neither river
nor creek. At length we met with a tongue of land, being flat off from
the shore, with a sandy point.[406] We bore up to gain the point, and
found there a fair income[407] or road of a bay, being a league over
at the narrowest, and some two or three in length; but we made right
over to the land before us, and left the discovery of this income till
the next day. As we drew near to the shore,[408] we espied some ten or
twelve Indians very busy about a black thing,――what it was we could not
tell,――till afterwards they saw us, and ran to and fro, as if they had
been carrying something away. We landed a league or two from them, and
had much ado to put ashore anywhere, it lay so full of flat sands. When
we came to shore, we made us a barricado, and got firewood, and set
out sentinels, and betook us to our lodging, such as it was. We saw the
smoke of the fire which the savages made that night, about four or five
miles from us.
In the morning we divided our company, some eight in the shallop; and
the rest on the shore went to discover this place. But we found it only
to be a bay,[409] without either river or creek coming into it. Yet
we deemed it to be as good a harbor as Cape Cod; for they that sounded
it found a ship might ride in five fathom water. We on the land found
it to be a level soil, though none of the fruitfulest. We saw two
becks[410] of fresh water, which were the first running streams that
we saw in the country; but one might stride over them. We found also
a great fish, called a grampus,[411] dead on the sands. They in the
shallop found two of them also in the bottom of the bay, dead in like
sort. They were cast up at high water, and could not get off for the
frost and ice. They were some five or six paces long, and about two
inches thick of fat, and fleshed like swine. They would have yielded a
great deal of oil, if there had been time and means to have taken it.
So we, finding nothing for our turn, both we and our shallop returned.
We then directed our course along the sea-sands to the place where we
first saw the Indians. When we were there, we saw it was also a grampus
which they were cutting up. They cut it into long rands, or pieces,
about an ell long, and two handful broad. We found here and there a
piece scattered by the way, as it seemed, for haste. This place the
most were minded we should call the Grampus Bay, because we found so
many of them there. We followed the track of the Indians’ bare feet
a good way on the sands. At length we saw where they struck into the
woods by the side of a pond.[412] As we went to view the place, one
said he thought he saw an Indian house among the trees, so went up to
see. And here we and the shallop lost sight one of another till night,
it being now about nine or ten o’clock: so we light[413] upon a path,
but saw no house, and followed a great way into the woods. At length we
found where corn had been set, but not that year.
Anon we found a great burying-place, one part whereof was encompassed
with a large palisado, like a churchyard with young spires,[414] four
or five yards long, set as close one by another as they could, two or
three foot in the ground. Within, it was full of graves, some bigger,
and some less. Some were also paled[415] about, and others had like
an Indian house made over them, but not matted. These graves were
more sumptuous than those at Cornhill;[416] yet we digged none of them
up, but only viewed them, and went our way. Without the palisado were
graves also, but not so costly. From this place we went and found
more corn-ground, but not of this year. As we ranged, we light on four
or five Indian houses which had been lately dwelt in; but they were
uncovered, and had no mats about them, else they were like those we
found at Cornhill, but had not been so lately dwelt in. There was
nothing left but two or three pieces of old mats, and a little sedge.
Also, a little further, we found two baskets full of parched acorns hid
in the ground, which we supposed had been corn when we began to dig the
same. We cast earth thereon again, and went our way. All this while we
saw no people.
We went ranging up and down till the sun began to draw low, and then we
hasted out of the woods, that we might come to our shallop, which, when
we were out of the woods, we espied a great way off, and called them
to come unto us; the which they did as soon as they could, for it was
not yet high water. They were exceeding glad to see us; for they feared
because they had not seen us in so long a time, thinking we would
have kept by the shore-side. So, being both weary and faint,――for we
had eaten nothing all day,――we fell to make our rendezvous, and get
firewood, which always costs us a great deal of labor. By that time we
had done, and our shallop come to us, it was within night; and we fed
upon such victuals as we had, and betook us to our rest, after we had
set our watch. About midnight we heard a great and hideous cry; and our
sentinels called, “Arm, arm!” So we bestirred ourselves, and shot off
a couple of muskets, and the noise ceased. We concluded that it was a
company of wolves or foxes; for one told us he had heard such a noise
in Newfoundland.
About five o’clock in the morning, we began to be stirring; and two
or three, which doubted whether their pieces would go off or no, made
trial of them, and shot them off, but thought nothing at all. After
prayer, we prepared ourselves for breakfast, and for a journey; and,
it being now twilight in the morning, it was thought meet to carry
the things down to the shallop. Some said it was not best to carry
the armor down. Others said they would be readier. Two or three said
they would not carry theirs till they went themselves, but mistrusting
nothing at all. As it fell out, the water not being high enough, they
laid the things down upon the shore, and came up to breakfast. Anon,
all of a sudden, we heard a great and strange cry, which we knew to be
the same voices, though they varied their notes. One of the company,
being abroad, came running in, and cried, “They are men! Indians,
Indians!” and withal their arrows came flying amongst us.
Our men ran out with all speed to recover their arms, as by the good
providence of God they did. In the mean time, Captain Miles Standish,
having a snaphance[417] ready, made a shot; and after him another.
After they two had shot, other two of us were ready: but he wished
us not to shoot till we could take aim, for we knew not what need we
should have; and there were four only of us which had their arms there
ready, and stood before the open side of our barricado, which was first
assaulted. They thought it best to defend it, lest the enemy should
take it and our stuff, and so have the more vantage[418] against us.
Our care was no less for the shallop; but we hoped all the rest would
defend it. We called unto them to know how it was with them; and they
answered, “Well, well,” every one; and, “Be of good courage.” We heard
three of their pieces go off; and the rest called for a firebrand to
light their matches. One took a log out of the fire on his shoulder,
and went and carried it unto them, which was thought did not a little
discourage our enemies. The cry of our enemies[419] was dreadful,
especially when our men ran out to recover their arms. Their note was
after this manner, “Woach, woach, ha ha hach woach!” Our men were no
sooner come to their arms, but the enemy was ready to assault them.
Illustration: SWORD OF STANDISH.
There was a lusty man, and no whit less valiant, who was thought to
be their captain, stood behind a tree, within half a musket-shot of us,
and there let his arrows fly at us. He was seen to shoot three arrows,
which were all avoided; for he at whom the first arrow was aimed saw
it, and stooped down; and it flew over him. The rest were avoided also.
He stood three shots of a musket. At length one took, as he said, full
aim at him, after which he gave an extraordinary cry, and away they
went all. We followed them about a quarter of a mile: but we left six
to keep our shallop; for we were very careful of our business. Then
we shouted all together two several times, and shot off a couple of
muskets, and so returned. This we did, that they might see we were not
afraid of them, nor discouraged.
Thus it pleased God to vanquish our enemies, and give us deliverance.
By their noise we could not guess they were less than thirty or forty,
though some thought that they were many more; yet, in the dark of the
morning, we could not so well discern them among the trees as they
could see us by our fireside. We took up eighteen of their arrows,
which we have sent to England by Master Jones, some whereof were headed
with brass, others with harts’ horn, and others with eagles’ claws.
Many more, no doubt, were shot, for these we found were almost covered
with leaves: yet, by the especial providence of God, none of them
either hit or hurt us, though many came close by us, and on every side
of us; and some coats which hung up in our barricado were shot through
and through. So, after we had given God thanks for our deliverance,
we took our shallop, and went our journey, and called this place “The
First Encounter.”
IV.――THE LANDING ON PLYMOUTH ROCK.
The same exploring-party, in a shallop, finally reached Plymouth
harbor.
HAVING the wind good, we sailed all that day along the coast about
fifteen leagues, but saw neither river nor creek to put into. After
we had sailed an hour or two, it began to snow and rain, and to be
bad weather. About the midst of the afternoon, the wind increased, and
the seas began to be very rough; and the hinges of the rudder broke,
so that we could steer no longer; but two men, with much ado, were fain
to serve with a couple of oars. The seas were grown so great, that we
were much troubled and in great danger; and night drew on. Anon Master
Coppin bade us be of good cheer: he saw the harbor. As we drew near,
the gale being stiff, and we bearing great sail to get in, split our
mast in three pieces, and were like to have cast away our shallop. Yet
by God’s mercy, recovering ourselves, we had the flood[420] with us,
and struck into the harbor.
Now he that thought that had been the place was deceived, it being a
place where not any of us had been before; and, coming into the harbor,
he that was our pilot did bear up northward, which if we had continued
we had been cast away. Yet still the Lord kept us, and we bare up
for an island[421] before us; and recovering of that island, being
compassed about with many rocks, and dark night growing upon us,
it pleased the divine Providence that we fell upon a place of sandy
ground, where our shallop did ride safe and secure all that night;
and, coming upon a strange island, kept our watch all night in the rain
upon that island. And in the morning we marched about it, and found no
inhabitants at all; and here we made our rendezvous all that day, being
Saturday, 9th of December.
Illustration: SUNDAY ON CLARK’S ISLAND.
On the sabbath day we rested; and on Monday we sounded the harbor, and
found it a very good harbor for our shipping. We marched also into the
land,[422] and found divers cornfields, and little running brooks,――a
place very good for situation: so we returned to our ship again with
good news to the rest of our people, which did much comfort their
hearts.
V.――PLYMOUTH VILLAGE FOUNDED.
[The expedition having returned to the ship, the “Mayflower”
came to Plymouth harbor, and landed the colonists.]
SO in the morning, after we had called on God for direction, we came
to this resolution, to go presently ashore again, and to take a better
view of two places which we thought most fitting for us; for we could
not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals
being much spent, especially our beer, and it being now the 19th of
December. After our landing and viewing of the places, so well as we
could, we came to a conclusion, by most voices, to set on the mainland,
on the first place, on a high ground, where there is a great deal
of land cleared, and hath been planted with corn three or four years
ago; and there is a very sweet brook runs under the hillside, and many
delicate springs of as good water as can be drunk, and where we may
harbor our shallops and boats exceeding well; and in this brook much
good fish in their seasons: on the farther side of the river also
much corn-ground cleared. In one field is a great hill, on which we
point[423] to make a platform, and plant our ordnance, which will
command all round about. From thence we may see into the bay, and far
into the sea; and we may see thence Cape Cod. Our greatest labor will
be fetching of our wood, which is half a quarter of an English mile;
but there is enough so far off. What people inhabit here we yet know
not; for as yet we have seen none. So there we made our rendezvous, and
a place for some of our people, about twenty, resolving in the morning
to come all ashore, and to build houses.
But the next morning, being Thursday, the 21st of December, it was
stormy and wet, that we could not go ashore; and those that remained
there all night could do nothing, but were wet, not having daylight
enough to make them a sufficient court of guard[424] to keep them dry.
All that night it blew and rained extremely. It was so tempestuous,
that the shallop could not go on land so soon as was meet, for they had
no victuals on land. About eleven o’clock, the shallop went off with
much ado, with provisions, but could not return, it blew so strong; and
was such foul weather that we were forced to let fall our anchor, and
ride with three anchors ahead.
Friday, the 22d, the storm still continued, that we could not get
a-land, nor they come to us aboard.
Saturday, the 23d, so many of us as could went on shore, felled and
carried timber, to provide themselves stuff for building.
Sunday, the 24th, our people on shore heard a cry of some savages,
as they thought, which caused an alarm, and to stand on their guard,
expecting an assault; but all was quiet.
Monday, the twenty-fifth day, we went on shore,――some to fell timber,
some to saw, some to rive,[425] and some to carry: so no man rested all
that day. But towards night, some, as they were at work, heard a noise
of some Indians, which caused us all to go to our muskets; but we heard
no further. So we came aboard again, and left some twenty to keep the
court of guard. That night we had a sore storm of wind and rain....
Thursday, the 28th of December, so many as could went to work on the
hill, where we purposed to build our platform for our ordnance, and
which doth command all the plain and the bay, and from whence we may
see far into the sea, and might be easier impaled,[426] having two rows
of houses and a fair street. So in the afternoon we went to measure
out the grounds; and first we took notice how many families there were,
willing[427] all single men that had no 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. To greater families
we allowed larger plots,――to every person half a pole in breadth, and
three in length; and so lots were cast where every man should lie;
which was done, and staked out. We thought this proportion was large
enough at the first, for houses and gardens to impale them round,
considering the weakness of our people, many of them growing ill with
colds; for our former discoveries in frost and storms, and the wading
at Cape Cod, had brought much weakness amongst us, which increased so
every day more and more, and after was the cause of many of their
deaths....
Illustration: LANDING OF MARY CHILTON.
Monday, the 8th of January, was a very fair day, and we went betimes
to work. Master Jones sent the shallop, as he had formerly done, to
see where fish could be got. They had a great storm at sea, and were
in some danger. At night they returned with three great seals, and an
excellent good cod, which did assure us that we should have plenty of
fish shortly.
This day Francis Billington, having the week before seen from the top
of a tree on a high hill a great sea,[428] as he thought, went with one
of the master’s mates to see it. They went three miles, and then came
to a great water, divided into two great lakes; the bigger of them five
or six miles in circuit, and in it an isle a cable-length square; the
other three miles in compass, in their estimation. They are fine fresh
water, full of fish and fowl. A brook[429] issues from it. It will be
an excellent place for us in time. They found seven or eight Indian
houses, but not lately inhabited. When they saw the houses, they were
in some fear; for they were but two persons, and one piece.
Tuesday, the 9th of January, was a reasonable fair day; and we went to
labor that day in the building of our town, in two rows of houses,[430]
for more safety. We divided by lot the plot of ground whereon to build
our town, after the proportion formerly allotted. We agreed that every
man should build his own house, thinking, by that course, men would
make more haste than working in common. The common house, in which,
for the first, we made our rendezvous, being near finished, wanted only
covering, it being about twenty foot square. Some should make mortar,
and gather thatch; so that in four days half of it was thatched. Frost
and foul weather hindered us much.[431] This time of the year, seldom
could we work half the week.
VI.――“WELCOME, ENGLISHMEN!”
Illustration: MEETING OF CAPT. STANDISH AND MASSASOIT.
AND, whilst we were busied hereabout, we were interrupted again;
for there presented himself a savage, which caused an alarm. He very
boldly came all alone, and along the houses, straight to the rendezvous;
where we intercepted him, not suffering him to go in, as undoubtedly he
would out of[432] his boldness. He saluted us in English, and bade us
“Welcome;” for he had learned some broken English among the Englishmen
that came to fish at Monhiggon,[433] and knew by name the most of
the captains, commanders, and masters that usually come. He was a man
free in speech, so far as he could express his mind, and of a seemly
carriage. We questioned him of many things. He was the first savage
we could meet withal. He said he was not of these parts, but of
Morattiggon, and one of the sagamores or lords thereof, and had been
eight months in these parts, it lying hence a day’s sail with a great
wind, and five days by land. He discoursed of the whole country, and
of every province, and of their sagamores, and their number of men,
and strength. The wind beginning to rise a little, we cast a horseman’s
coat about him; for he was stark naked, only a leather about his waist,
with a fringe about a span long, or little more. He had a bow and two
arrows,――the one headed, the other unheaded. He was a tall, straight
man; the hair of his head black, long behind, only short before,
none on his face at all. He asked some beer; but we gave him strong
water,[434] and biscuit, and butter, and cheese, and pudding, and a
piece of mallard;[435] all which he liked well, and had been acquainted
with such amongst the English.
He told us the place where we now live is called Patuxet, and that,
about four years ago, all the inhabitants died of an extraordinary
plague, and there is neither man, woman, nor child remaining, as indeed
we have found none; so as there is none to hinder our possession, or to
lay claim unto it. All the afternoon we spent in communication with him.
We would gladly have been rid of him at night; but he was not willing
to go this night. Then we thought to carry him on shipboard, wherewith
he was well content, and went into the shallop; but the wind was high,
and the water scant, that it could not return back. We lodged him that
night at Stephen Hopkins’s house, and watched him.
The next day, he went away back to the Massasoits,[436] from whence
he said he came, who are our next bordering neighbors. They are sixty
strong, as he saith. The Nausites are as near, south-east of them, and
are a hundred strong; and those were they of[437] whom our people were
encountered, as we before related. They are much incensed and provoked
against the English, and, about eight months ago, slew three Englishmen;
and two more hardly escaped by flight to Monhiggon. They were Sir
Ferdinando Gorges’ men, as this savage told us; as he did likewise of
the _huggery_, that is, fight,[438] that our discoverers had with the
Nausites, and of our tools that were taken out of the woods, which we
willed him should be brought again: otherwise we would right ourselves.
These people are ill affected towards the English by reason of one
Hunt,[439] a master of a ship, who deceived the people, and got them,
under color of trucking with them,――twenty out of this very place
where we inhabit, and seven men from the Nausites;――and carried them
away, and sold them for slaves, like a wretched man――for twenty pound
a man――that cares not what mischief he doth for his profit.
Saturday, in the morning, we dismissed the savage, and gave him a knife,
a bracelet, and a ring. He promised within a night or two to come again,
and to bring with him some of the Massasoits, our neighbors, with such
beavers’ skins as they had to truck[440] with us.
Saturday and Sunday, reasonable fair days. On this day came again
the savage, and brought with him five other tall, proper men. They
had every man a deer’s skin on him; and the principal of them had a
wildcat’s skin, or such like, on the one arm. They had, most of them,
long hose up to their groins, close made, and above their groins,
to their waist, another leather: they were altogether like the Irish
trousers. They are of complexion like our English gypsies; no hair,
or very little, on their faces; on their heads, long hair to their
shoulders, only cut before,――some trussed up before with a feather,
broad-wise, like a fan; another, a fox-tail hanging out. These
left――according to our charge given him before――their bows and arrows
a quarter a mile of from our town.
We gave them entertainment as we thought was fitting them. They did
eat liberally of our English victuals. They made semblance unto us
of friendship and amity. They sang and danced after their manner like
antics.[441] They brought with them in a thing like a bow-case――which
the principal of them had about his waist――a little of their corn
pounded to powder, which, put to a little water, they eat. He had a
little tobacco in his bag; but none of them drank[442] but when he
liked. Some of them had their faces painted black, from the forehead
to the chin, four or five fingers broad; others after other fashions,
as they liked.
They brought three or four skins; but we would not truck with them at
all that day, but wished them to bring more, and we would truck for all;
which they promised within a night or two, and would leave these behind
them, though we were not willing they should; and they brought us all
our tools again, which were taken in the woods, in our men’s absence.
So, because of the day, we dismissed them as soon as we could. But
Samoset, our first acquaintance, either was sick, or feigned himself so,
and would not go with them, and staid with us till Wednesday morning.
Then we sent him to them to know the reason they came not according
to their words; and we gave him a hat, a pair of stockings and shoes,
a shirt, and a piece of cloth to tie about his waist.
Illustration: GOV. CARVER’S CHAIR.