Part 23 (1/2)

SAt.u.r.dAY, Feb. 17/27 At anchorage. All the colonists on the s.h.i.+p able to go on sh.o.r.e went this morning to attend the meeting for the establishment of military orders among them. They chose Captain Standish their captain, and gave him authority of command in affairs. Two savages appeared on the hill, a quarter of a mile from the plantation, while the Planters were consulting, and made signs for Planters to come to them. All armed and stood ready, and sent two towards them, Captain Standish and Master Hopkins, but the natives would not tarry. It was determined to plant the great ordnance in convenient places at once. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Feb. 18/28 At anchor in Plymouth harbor. The Feb.

tenth Sunday in this harbor. Many sick, both on board the s.h.i.+p and on sh.o.r.e.

MONDAY, Feb. 19/Mar. 1 At anchorage. Got one of the great guns on sh.o.r.e with the help of some of the Planters.

TUESDAY, Feb. 20/Mar. 2 At anchorage. Getting cannon ash.o.r.e and mounted.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21/Mar. 3 At anchorage. The Master, with many of the sailors, went on sh.o.r.e, taking one of the great pieces called a minion, and with the Planters drew it up the hill, with another piece that lay on the sh.o.r.e, and mounted them and a saller and two bases--five guns --on the platform made for them. A hard day's work. The Master took on sh.o.r.e with him a very fat goose he had shot, to which the Planters added a fat crane, a mallard, and a dried neat's tongue (ox tongue), and Planters and crew feasted together. When the Master went on sh.o.r.e, he sent off the Governor to take the directions of Master Mullens as to his property, as he was lying near to death,--as also Master White.

Master Mullens dictated his will to the Governor, which he noted down, and Giles Heale, the chirurgeon, and Christopher Joanes, of the crew, witnessed, they being left aboard to care for the sick, keep the s.h.i.+p, etc. Master Mullens and Master White both died this day. Two others also died.

Got the men aboard about nightfall.

THURSDAY, Feb. 22/Mar. 4 At anchorage. Large burial-party went ash.o.r.e with bodies of Masters Mullens and White, and joined with those on sh.o.r.e made the chief burial thus far had. The service on sh.o.r.e, the most of the people being there, Master Mullens being one of the chief subscribing Adventurers, as well as one of the chief men of the Planters, as was Master White. Their deaths much deplored.

FRIDAY, Feb. 23/Mar. 5 At anchorage. Party from the s.h.i.+p went on sh.o.r.e to help finish work on the ordnance.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Feb. 24/Mar. 6 At anchorage. Same. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Feb. 25/Mar. 7 At anchorage in Plymouth harbor. Eleventh Sunday in this harbor. Mistress Mary Allerton, wife of Master Isaac Allerton, one of the chief men of the colonists, died on board this day, not having mended well since the birth of her child, dead-born about two months agone.

MONDAY, Feb. 26/Mar. 8 At anchor in harbor. Burying-party went ash.o.r.e to bury Mistress Allerton, services being held there.

TUESDAY, Feb. 27/Mar. 9 At anchorage. The sickness and deaths of the colonists on sh.o.r.e have steadily increased, and have extended to the s.h.i.+p, which has lost several of its petty officers, including the master gunner, three quarter-masters, and cook, and a third of the crew, many from scurvy.

[There can be no doubt that both planters and s.h.i.+p's crew suffered severely from scurvy. The conditions all favored it, the sailors were familiar with it, and would not be likely to be mistaken in their recognition of it, and Dr. Fuller, their competent physician, would not be likely to err in his diagnosis of it. Tuberculosis was its very natural a.s.sociate.]

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 28/Mar. 10 At anchorage. The last day of the month.

The fifty-third day the s.h.i.+p has lain in this harbor, and from the present rate of sickness and death aboard, no present capacity or prospect of getting away, those better being yet weak. The Planters have lost seventeen this month, their largest mortality.

THURSDAY, Mar. 1/11 At anchorage. Bl.u.s.tering but milder weather.

FRIDAY, Mar. 2/12

At anchorage. Same.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Mar. 3/13 At anchorage. Wind south. Morning misty [foggy]. Towards noon warm and fine weather. At one o'clock it thundered. The first heard. It rained sadly from two o'clock till midnight. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Mar. 4/14 At anchor in Plymouth harbor. The twelfth Sunday in this harbor. Cooler. Clear weather.

MONDAY, Mar. 5/15 At anchorage. Rough weather.

TUESDAY, Mar. 6/16 At anchorage. Same.

WEDNESDAY, Mar. 7/17 At anchor in harbor. Wind full east, cold but fair. The Governor went this day with a party of five, to the great ponds, discovered by one of the s.h.i.+p's mates and Francis Billington. Some planting done in the settlement.

THURSDAY, Mar. 8/18 At anchor in harbor. Rough easterly weather.

FRIDAY, Mar. 9/19 At anchorage. Same. Many sick aboard.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Mar. 10/20 At anchorage. Same. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Mar. 11/21 At anchorage, Plymouth harbor. The thirteenth Sunday the s.h.i.+p has lain in this harbor. Many of crew yet ill, including boatswain.