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1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis XIII.--Spain, Philip III.

England, August 22, or 23; Sm. and Pur. but having gone about a hundred leagues beyond the land's end of England, Brad. the next day Sm. and Pur. Mr. Reynolds complained of her leaking again, that they must either return or sink; for they could scarce free her by pumping. Upon which they both put back to Plymouth, where finding no defect, they judged her leakiness owing to her general weakness. They therefore agree to dismiss her, and those who are willing, to return to London, though this was very grievous and discouraging; Mr. Cushman and family returning with them;* the rest taking what provision they could well stow in the larger ship, resolve to proceed on the voyage alone. В

Sept. 6. They make another sad parting, and the greater ship sets sail again. But about half seas over meet with cross winds and many fierce storms, which often force them to hull for diverse days together, not being able to bear a knot of sail; make her upper works very leaky, and bow and wrack a main beam in the midship; which puts them in such fear, as the chief of the company enters into a serious consultation with the ship officers about returning. But a passenger having brought a great iron screw from Holland, they with it raise the beam into its place; and then committing themselves to the Divine will, pro

ceed. B

Nov. 6. 'Dies at sea, William Butten, a youth and servant to Samuel Fuller, bp being the only passenger who dies on the voyage. B

1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis XIII.-Spain, Philip III.

Nov. 9. At break of day, M after long beating the sea, they make the land of Cape Cod. Whereupon they tack and stand to the southward, the wind and weather being fair, to find some place about Hudson river for settlement. But sailing this course about half the day, they fall among roaring shoals and breakers, and are so entangled with them as they find themselves in great hazard,* and the wind shrinking upon them at the same time, they bear up for the Cape, get out of those dangers before night; and the next day into the Cape harbor, where they ride in safety. B

Nov. 11. Saturday, being thus arrived, they first fall on their knees and bless the God of Heaven, &c. But their design and patent being for Virginia, and not New England, which belongs to another jurisdiction, wherewith the Virginia Com.. pany have no concern, before they land, they this day combine into a body politic by a solemn contract, to which they set their hands, as the basis of their government in this new found country; choose Mr. John Carver, a pious and well approved gentleman, their governor for the first year; B and then set ashore fifteen or sixteen men well armed to fetch wood and discover the land, who at night return, but found neither house nor person. M

Nov. 13. Monday, the people go ashore to refresh themselves, and every day the whales play round about them and the greatest store of fowls they ever saw. But the earth here a company of sandhills; and the water so shallow near the

shore, they are forced to wade a bowshot or two

M Relation of their proceedings published by Mourt.

*

They are the same which captain Gosnold, in 1602 called Point Care 1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis XIII.-Spain, Philip III.

to get to land; which being freezing weather, affecteth them with grievous colds and coughs, which after proves the death of many, and renders the place unfit for settlement. M

Nov. 15. While the shallop is fitting, Capt. Standish, with sixteen men well armed, sets out on the Cape, to search for a convenient place to settle. B William Bradford, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Tilley are of the number, adjoined to the captain for Council. M When they had marched a mile southward they see five or six savages, B whom they follow ten miles M till night, but could not overtake them, and lodge in the woods. The next day day they head a great creek, B and travel on to a valley, wherein is a fine, clear pond of fresh water, a musket shot wide, and two long. Then they come to a place of graves; then to the remainder of an old fort or palisade, which they conceive had been made by christians; Mand then to a harbor opening into two creeks with an high cliff of sand at the entrance, B the western creek being twice as large as the eastern. M * Near which they meet with heaps of sand, dig into them, find several baskets full of Indian corn, and taking some, for which they purpose to give the natives full satisfaction, as soon as they could meet with any of them, B return to the pond, where they make a barricado, and lodge this night, being very rainy ; and the next day, wading in some places up to the knees, get back to the ship, M to the great joy of their brethren. B

November 27. The shallop being fitted, twenty-four of their men, with Mr. Jones and nine sailors, thirty-four in all, set forth on a more full 1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis III. - Spain, Philip III. discovery of the aforesaid harbor; but the weather growing rough and the winds cross, they are soon obliged to row for the nearest shore, and then wade above their knees to land. It blows, snows and freezes all this day and night; and here some receive the seeds of those fatal illnesses that quickly seized them. The next day they sail to their designed port; but find it unfit for shipping, land between the two creeks, and marching four or five miles by the greater, are tired with travelling up and down the steep hills and vallies, covered half a foot with snow, and lodge under pine trees. The next morning return to the other creek, and thence to the place of their former digging, where they dig again, though the ground be frozen a foot deep, and find more corn and beans, make up their corn to ten bushels; which they send with Mr. Jones and fifteen of their sick and weaker people to the ship; eighteen staying and lodging there this night, next day they dig in several such like places, but find no more corn nor any thing else but graves; discover two Indian wigwams, but see no natives; and the shallop returning, they get aboard at night, and the next day, December 1, return to the ship. MThe corn they found happily serves for their planting on the spring ensuing, or they would have been in great danger of perishing; BM for which they gave the owners entire content about six months after. B

Before the end of November, M Susanna, wife of William White, B bn was delivered of a son, who is called Peregrine, Mbeing the first born since their arrival, bn and I conclude the first of the European extract in New England.*

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1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis III.-Spain, Philip III.

December 4. Dies Edward Thomson, servant of Mr. White, bp the first that dies since their arrival. December 6, dies Jasper, a boy of Mr. Carver's. December 7, Dorothy, wife to Mr William Bradford. December 8, James Chilton. bp

December 6. They again send out their shallop, with ten of their principal men, B viz. Mr. Carver, Bradford, Winslow, captain Standish, &c. with eight or ten seamen, M to circulate the bay and find a better place; though the weather is very cold and the spray of the sea freezes on them, that their clothes look as if they were glazed, B and feel like coats of iron. M This night they get to the bottom of the bay, see ten or twelve Indians ashore, B busy a cutting up a grampus. M By reason of the flats they land with great difficulty, make a barricado, lodge therein, and see the smoke of the Indian fires that night B about four or five miles from them. M

December 7. This morning, they divide their company, some travelling on shore, B eight M others coasting in the shallop by great flats of sand. B About ten o'clock, the shore people find a great burying place; part thereof encompassed with a large palisade, full of graves, some paled about, others having small poles turned and twisted over them; without the palisade were graves also, but not so costly. Then they come to four or five deserted wigwams, but see no people. M Towards night, they hasten out of the woods to meet the shallop, and making a signal for her to bear into a creek, she comes in at high water to their mutual joy, having not seen each other since morning; but found no people nor any place they liked; and at night, make another barricado, and lodge therein. B