Part 18 (1/2)
That a considerable ”stock of trading goods” was included in the MAY-FLOWER'S lading is mentioned by at least one writer, and that this was a fact is confirmed by the records of the colonists' dealings with the Indians, and the enumeration of not a few of the goods which could have had, for the most part, no other use or value. They consisted largely of knives, bracelets (bead and metal), rings, scissors, copper-chains, beads, ”blue and red trading cloth,” cheap (gla.s.s) jewels (”for the ears,” etc.), small mirrors, clothing (e. g. ”red-cotton horseman's coats--laced,” jerkins, blankets, etc.), shoes, ”strong waters,” pipes, tobacco, tools and hard ware (hatchets, nails, hoes, fish-hooks, etc.), rugs, twine, nets, etc., etc. A fragment of one of the heavy hoes of the ancient pattern--”found on the site of the Pilgrim trading house at Manomet”--is owned by the Pilgrim Society, and speaks volumes of the labor performed by the Pilgrims, before they had ploughs and draught-cattle, in the raising of their wonderful crops of corn. Such was the MAY-FLOWER'S burden, animate and inanimate, whe --the last pa.s.senger and the last piece of freight transferred from the SPEEDWELL--her anchor ”hove short,” she swung with the tide in Plymouth roadstead, ready to depart at last for ”the Virginia plantations.”
CHAPTER IX
THE JOURNAL OF THE s.h.i.+P MAY-FLOWER
Thomas Jones, Master, from London, England, towards ”Hudson's River” in Virginia
[The voyage of the MAY-FLOWER began at London, as her consort's did at Delfshaven, and though, as incident to the tatter's brief career, we have been obliged to take note of some of the happenings to the larger s.h.i.+p and her company (at Southampton, etc.), out of due course and time, they have been recited only because of their insuperable relation to the consort and her company, and not as part of the MAY-FLOWER'S own proper record]
SAt.u.r.dAY, July 15/25, 1620 Gravesend. Finished lading. Got pa.s.sengers aboard and got under way for Southampton. Dropped down the Thames to Gravesend with the tide.
[Vessels leaving the port of London always, in that day, ”dropped down with the tide,” tug-boats being unknown, and sail-headway against the tide being difficult in the narrow river.]
Masters Cushman and Martin, agents of the chartering--party, came aboard at London.
SUNDAY, July 16/26 Gravesend. Channel pilot aboard. Favoring wind.
MONDAY, July 17/27 In Channel. Course D.W. by W. Favoring wind.
TUESDAY, July 18/28 In Channel. Southampton Water.
WEDNESDAY, July 19/29 Southampton Water. Arrived at Southampton and came to anchor.
[Both s.h.i.+ps undoubtedly lay at anchor a day or two, before hauling in to the quay. The MAY-FLOWER undoubtedly lay at anchor until after the SPEEDWELL arrived, to save expense]
THURSDAY, July 20/30 Lying at Southampton off north end of ”West Quay.”
FRIDAY, July 21/31 Lying at Southampton. Masters Carver, Cushman, and Martin, three of the agents here. Outfitting s.h.i.+p, taking in lading, and getting ready for sea.
SAt.u.r.dAY, July 22/Aug 1 Lying off Quay, Southampton.
SUNDAY, July 23/Aug 2 Lying off Quay, Southampton.
MONDAY, July 24/Aug 3 Lying off Quay, Southampton.
TUESDAY, July 25/Aug 4 Lying off Quay, Southampton. Waiting for consort to arrive from Holland.
WEDNESDAY, July 26/Aug 5 Lying off Quay, Southampton. Pinnace SPEEDWELL, 60 tons, Reynolds, Master, from Delfshaven, July 22, consort to this s.h.i.+p, arrived in harbor, having on board some 70 pa.s.sengers and lading for Virginia. She came to anchor off north end ”West Quay.”
THURSDAY, July 27/Aug. 6 Lying at Quay, Southampton, SPEEDWELL warped to berth at Quay near the s.h.i.+p, to transfer lading.
[Some of the cargo of the SPEEDWELL is understood to have been here transferred to the larger s.h.i.+p; doubtless the cheese, ”Hollands,”
and other provisions, ordered, as noted, by Cushman]
FRIDAY, July 28/Aug. 7 Lying at Quay, Southampton, Much parleying and discontent among the pa.s.sengers.
[Bradford gives an account of the bickering and recrimination at Southampton, when all parties had arrived. Pastor Robinson had rather too strenuously given instructions, which it now began to be seen were not altogether wise. Cushman was very much censured, and there was evidently some acrimony. See Cushman's Dartmouth letter of August 17 to Edward Southworth, Bradford's Historie, Ma.s.s. ed.
p. 86.]
SAt.u.r.dAY, July 29/Aug. 8 Lying at Quay, Southampton. Some of the pa.s.sengers transferred from SPEEDWELL and some to her. Master Christopher Martin chosen by pa.s.sengers their ”Governour” for the voyage to order them by the way, see to the disposing of their pro visions, etc.