Part 20 (2/2)

Masters William Bradford, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Tilley being joined to him for council. The party to be gone from the s.h.i.+p a day or two. Weather mild and ground not frozen.

THURSDAY, Nov. 16/26 Lying at anchor in harbor. Exploring party still absent from s.h.i.+p. Weather continues open.

FRIDAY, Nov. 17/27 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Weather open.

Saw signal-fire on the other side of bay this morning, built by exploring party as arranged. The Master, Governor Carver, and many of the company ash.o.r.e in afternoon, and met exploring party there on their return to s.h.i.+p. Hearing their signal-guns before they arrived at the sh.o.r.e, sent long-boat to fetch them aboard. They reported seeing Indians and following them ten miles without coming up to them the first afternoon out, and the next day found store of corn buried, and a big s.h.i.+p's kettle, which they brought to the s.h.i.+p with much corn. Also saw deer and found excellent water.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Nov. 18/28 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Planters helving tools, etc. Carpenter at work on shallop, which takes more labor than at first supposed. Weather still moderate.

Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Nov. 19/29 At anchor, Gape Cod harbor. Second Sunday in harbor. Services aboard s.h.i.+p. Seamen ash.o.r.e. Change in weather. Colder.

MONDAY, Nov. 20/30 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Carpenter and others at work on shallop, getting out stock for a new shallop, helving tools, making articles needed, etc.

TUESDAY, Nov. 21/Dec. 1 At anchor in harbor. Much inconvenienced in going ash.o.r.e. Can only go and come at high water except by wading, from which many have taken coughs and colds.

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 22/Dec. 2 At anchor in harbor. Weather cold and stormy, having changed suddenly.

THURSDAY, Nov. 23/Dec. 3 At anchor in harbor. Cold and stormy.

Work progressing on shallop.

FRIDAY, Nov. 24/Dec. 4 At anchor in harbor. Continues cold and stormy.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Nov. 25/Dec. 5 At anchor in harbor. Weather same. Work on shallop pretty well finished and she can be used, though more remains to be done.

Another exploration getting ready for Monday. Master and crew anxious to unlade and return for England. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Nov. 26/Dec. 6 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Third Sunday here. Master notified Planters that they must find permanent location and that he must and would keep sufficient supplies for s.h.i.+p's company and their return.

[Bradford, Historie, Ma.s.s. ed. p. 96. The doubt as to how the s.h.i.+p's and the colonists' provisions were divided and held is again suggested here. It is difficult, however, to understand how the Master ”must and would” retain provisions with his small force against the larger, if it came to an issue of strength between Jones and Standish.]

MONDAY, Nov. 27/Dec. 7 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Rough weather and cross winds. The Planters determined to send out a strong exploring party, and invited the Master of the s.h.i.+p to join them and go as leader, which he agreed continued to, and offered nine of the crew and the long-boat, which were accepted. Of the colonists there were four-and-twenty, making the party in all four-and-thirty.

Wind so strong that setting out from the s.h.i.+p the shallop and long-boat were obliged to row to the nearest sh.o.r.e and the men to wade above the knees to land. The wind proved so strong that the shallop was obliged to harbor where she landed. Mate in charge of s.h.i.+p. Blowed and snowed all day and at night, and froze withal.

Mistress White delivered of a son which is called ”Peregrine.” The second child born on the voyage, the first in this harbor.

TUESDAY, Nov. 28/Dec. 8 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Cold. Master Jones and exploring party absent on sh.o.r.e with long-boat and colonists' shallop. The latter, which beached near s.h.i.+p yesterday in a strong wind and harbored there last night, got under way this morning and sailed up the harbor, following the course taken by the long-boat yesterday, the wind favoring. Six inches of snow fell yesterday and last night. Crew at work clearing snow from s.h.i.+p.

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29/Dec. 9 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Cold. Foul weather threatening. Master Jones with sixteen men in the long-boat and shallop came aboard towards night (eighteen men remaining ash.o.r.e), bringing also about ten bushels of Indian corn which had been found buried. The Master reports a long march, the exploration of two creeks, great numbers of wild fowl, the finding of much corn and beans,' etc.

[This seems to be the first mention of beans (in early Pilgrim literature) as indigenous (presumably) to New England. They have held an important place in her dietary ever since.]

THURSDAY, Nov. 30/Dec. 10 At anchor in harbor. Sent shallop to head of harbor with mattocks and spades, as desired by those ash.o.r.e, the seamen taking their muskets also. The shallop came alongside at nightfall with the rest of the explorers--the tide being out--bringing a lot of Indian things, baskets, pottery, wicker-ware, etc., discovered in two graves and sundry Indian houses they found after the Master left them. They report ground frozen a foot deep.

FRIDAY, Dec. 1/11 At anchor, Cape Cod harbor. Carpenter finis.h.i.+ng work on shallop. Colonists discussing locations visited, as places for settlement.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Dec. 2/12 At anchor in harbor. Much discussion among colonists as to settlement, the Master insisting on a speedy determination.

Whales playing about the s.h.i.+p in considerable numbers. One lying within half a musket-shot of the s.h.i.+p, two of the Planters shot at her, but the musket of the one who gave fire first blew in pieces both stock and barrel, yet no one was hurt.

Fetched wood and water.

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