Page images
PDF
EPUB

us in the best manner they can. Having traded with us, and the day near spent, we return to the shallop. Within this bay the savages say are two rivers, one of which we saw, having a fair entrance; better harbor for shipping cannot be than here; most of the islands have been inhabited, being cleared from end to end; but their inhabitants all dead or removed. Having a light moon, we set sail at evening, and before next day noon get home with a considerable quantity of beaver, and a good report of the place, wishing we had been seated

there.

All the summer no want, while some were trading, others were fishing cod, bass, etc. We now gather in our harvest; and as cold weather advances, come in store of water fowl wherewith this place abounds, though afterwards they by degrees decrease; as also abundance of wild turkies with venison, etc. Fit our houses against winter, are in health and have all things in plenty.

November 9. Arrives a ship at Cape Cod, and the tenth the Indians bring us word of her being near, but think her a Frenchman, upon her making for our bay, the governor orders a piece to be fired, to call home such as are abroad at work, and we get ready for defence, but unexpectedly find her a friend, of fifty-five ton, called the Fortune, in which comes Mr. Cushman with thirty-five persons, to live in the plantation, which not a little rejoices us. But both ship and passengers poorly furnished with provisions; so that we are forced to spare her some to carry her home, which threatens a famine among us, unless we have a timely supply. She sailed from London the beginning of July, could not clear the channel until the end of August, and brings a letter for Mr. Carver from Mr. Weston, dated London, July 6, wherein he writes, we (that is, the adventurers) have procured you a Charter, the best we could, better than your former, and with less limitation. She finds all our people she left in April, in health, except six who died, and stays a month ere she sails for England.

December 11. We have built seven dwelling-houses; four for the use of the plantation, and have made provision for

divers others. Both Massasoit, the greatest king of the natives and all the princes and people round us have made peace with us, seven of them at once sent their messengers for this end. And as we cannot but account it an extraordinary blessing of God in directing our course for these parts, we obtained the honor to receive allowance of our possessing and enjoying thereof under the authority of the President and Council for the affairs of New England.

December 13. The ship sails, namely, the Fortune, laden with two hogsheads of beaver and other skins, and good clapboards as full as she can hold; the freight estimated near five hundred pounds; Mr. Cushman returning in her, as the adventurers had appointed for their better information. But in her voyage as she draws near the English coast, is seized by the French, carried to France, into the Isle Deu, kept there fourteen or fifteen days, robbed of all she had worth taking; then the people and ship released, get to London, February 14 or 17.

Upon her departure, the governor and his assistant dispose the late comers into several families, find their provisions will now scarce hold out six months at half allowance, and therefore put them to it, which they bear patiently.

1622.

Soon after the ship's departure, that great people of the Narragansets, said to be many thousands strong, can raise above five thousand fighting men, notwithstanding they desired and obtained peace with us in the foregoing summer, begin to breathe forth many threats against us; so that it is the common talk of all the Indians round us, of their preparations to come against us. At length Canonicus, their chief sachem, in a braving manner sends us a bundle of arrows tied with a snakeskin, which Squanto tells us is a challenge and threatening. Whereupon our governor with advice of others, sends them an answer, that if they had rather war than peace, they might begin when they would; we had done

them no wrong, nor do we fear them, nor should they find us unprovided. By another messenger we send back the snakeskin charged with powder and bullets; but they refuse to receive it, and return it to us. Since the death of so many Indians they thought to lord it over the rest, conceive we are a bar in their way, and see Massasoit already take shelter under our wings.

This makes us more carefully to look to ourselves, and agree to inclose our dwellings with strong pales, flankers, gates, etc.

February. We impale our town, taking in the top of the hill under which our own town is seated; make four bulwarks or jetties, whence we can defend the whole town, in three whereof are gates, which are locked every night; a watch and ward kept in the day. The governor and captain divide the company into four squadrons with commanders, every one its quarter assigned, to repair to in any alarm. And if there be a cry of fire, a company is appointed for a guard with muskets, while others quench it, to prevent treachery.

May. Our provision being spent, a famine begins to pinch us, and we look hard for supply, but none arrives.

May e. We spy a boat at sea, which we take to be a Frenchman, but proves a shallop from a ship called the Sparrow, which Mr. Weston and Beachamp set out a fishing at Damarin's Cove, forty leagues to the eastward, where this year are thirty sail of ships a fishing. She brings a letter to Mr. Carver from Mr. Weston, of January 17, with seven passengers on his account; but no victuals, nor hope of any; nor have we ever any afterwards; and by his letter find he has quite deserted us, and is going to settle a plantation of his own.

The boat brings us a kind letter from Mr. John Huddleston, or Hudston, a captain of a ship, fishing at the eastward, whose name we never heard before, to inform us of a massacre of four hundred English by the Indians in Virginia, whence he came. By this boat, the governor returns a grateful answer; and with them sends Mr. Winslow in a boat of ours to get provisions of the fishing ships; whom Captain

Huddleston receives kindly, and not only spares what he can, but writes to others to do the like. By which means he gets as much bread as amounts to a quarter of a pound a person per day, till harvest, and returns in safety. The governor causing their portion to be daily given them, or some had starved. And by this voyage we not only got a present supply, but also learn the way to those parts for our future benefit.

At Mr. Winslow's return, he finds the colony much weaker than he left it. The want of bread had abated the strength and flesh of some, had swelled others; and had they not been where are diverse sorts of shell fish, they must have perished. These extremities befell us in May and June; and in the time of these straits, and indeed before Mr. Winslow went to Monhiggon, the Indians began to cast forth many insulting speeches, glorying in our weakness, and giving out how easy it would be ere long to cut us off; which occasions us to erect a fort on the hill above us.

June e, or July b. Come into our harbor two ships of Mr. Weston's, the Charity of one hundred tons, and Swan of thirty, with his letter of April 10, and fifty or sixty men, sent at his own charge, to settle a plantation for him in the Massachusetts Bay, for which he had procured a patent, they sailed from London about the last of April, the Charity, the bigger ship, leaves them, having many passengers to carry to Virginia. We allow this people housing, and many being sick, they have the best means our place affords.

By Mr. Weston's ship comes a letter from Mr. John Pierce, in whose name the Plymouth patent is taken; signifying that whom the governor admits into the association he will

approve.

July 16. Our number is about one hundred persons, all in health, [that is, free from sickness, though not from weakness,] near sixty acres of ground well planted with corn, besides gardens replenished with useful fruits.

This summer we build a timber fort, both strong and comely, with flat roof and battlements; on which ordnance are mounted, a watch kept, and it also serves as a place of public worship.

Mr. Weston's people stay here the most part of the summer, while some seek out a place for them. They exceed ingly waste and steal our corn, and yet secretly revile us. At length their coasters return, having found in the Massachusetts Bay a place they judged fit for settlement, named Wichaguscusset, or Wesagusquasset, or Wessa gusset, since called Weymouth; whither upon their ship (that is, the Charity,) returning from Virginia, the body of them go, leav ing their sick and lame with us till they had built some housing, whom our surgeon by God's help, recovers gratis, and they afterwards fetch home, nor have we any recompense for this courtesy, nor desire it. They prove an unruly company, have no good government over them; by disorder will soon fall to want if Mr. Weston come not quickly among them. Nor had they been long from us ere the Indians fill our ears with clamors against them, for stealing their corn, and other abuses.

Our crop proving scanty, partly through weakness for want. of food, to tend it, partly through other business, and partly by much being stolen, a famine must ensue next year, unless prevented. But

Aug. e. By an unexpected Providence, come into our harbor two ships; namely, the Sparrow, Mr. Weston's, who having made her voyage of fish, goes to Virginia, where both she and her fish are sold. The other called the Discovery, Captain Jones, commander, on her way from Virginia, homeward, being sent out by some merchants to discover the shoals about Cape Cod, and harbors between this and Virginia. Of her we buy knives and beads, which are now good trade, though at cent per cent or more, and yet pay away coat beaver at 3s. a pound (which a few years after yields 20s.) By which means we are fitted to trade, both for corn and beaver.

In this ship comes Mr. John Porey, who had been secretary in Virginia, and is going home in her; who after his departure sends the governor a letter of thanks, dated August 28; wherein he highly commends Mr. Ainsworth's and Robinson's

« PreviousContinue »