dwellings, they were gathering in their harvest, provisions were plenty, water fowl and fish abounded, deer and wild turkeys were in the forest, they had opened a successful traffic with the natives, and their houses were in good condition for the approaching winter.

On the ninth of November, the Fortune, a vessel of fifty-five tons burthen, arrived at Cape Cod, bringing Mr. Robert Cushman, and thirty-five more passengers, whose names follow :*

Thomas Prence, (Prince)

wards Governor,

Stephen Dean,

James Steward, (Stewart,)
William Pitts,

William Palmer, probably two
in his family,

Jonathan Brewster,
Bennet Morgan,

Thomas Flavil, and his son,

Hugh Stacie, (Stacy,)
William Beale,

after-Thomas Cushman,

Moses Simonson, (Simmons,)

Austin Nicolas, (Nicholas,) Widow Foord, probably four in her family,

Philip De La Noye, (Delano,) Thomas Morton,

Edward Bompasse, (Bumpus, William Bassite, (Bassett,) two probably in his family.

and Bump,)

Clement Brigges, (Briggs,)

It was unfortunate that this ship was so long on the voyage, as she had expended nearly all her provisions. She was soon laden with a cargo, valued at £500, consisting of furs, clapboards, and sassafras, and being provisioned by the planters, (though greatly to their damage) she was despatched on her return voyage, on the 13th of December; but near the English coast she was captured and carried into France, but afterwards released. Mr. Cushman returned in the ship, as the adventurers had directed, to give them information respecting the plantation.

Soon after the departure of the Fortune, the new comers were distributed amongst the several families, and, on taking an estimate of their provisions, it was found necessary to put the whole company on half allowance, to which they cheerfully submitted. At this critical juncture, the Narragansets,

*Four more of the first company in the Mayflower had died since March, leaving but fifty-one survivors.

learning that the ship brought neither arms nor provisions, began to manifest hostile intentions. Their threats and preparations were well known to the English. At length they sent messengers to the plantation, with a bundle of arrows tied together with a snake skin. This the English received as a war challenge, and governor Bradford informed the chief sachem, Cannonicus, that if they loved war they might begin it, as he was not unprepared. By an Indian, the governor, after consulting the settlers, sent back the snake's skin stuffed with gunpowder and bullets, with a verbal message of defiance. This produced the desired effect. The sachem was intimidated, dared not touch the snake's skin, nor let it remain in his house, but returned it to the English unopened. The settlers now judged it prudent to enclose their houses by a strong impalement, which was completed in February. They also, for further security, enclosed part of the hill, and formed bulwarks with gates to be locked at night, and watch and ward was kept during the day. The enclosed ground afforded a garden for each family. The whole company was divided into four squadrons, and each one had its particular posts assigned it, in case of alarm. One of the companies was directed to attend particularly to any fires that might happen, while others were to serve as guards with their muskets. In all these military arrangements for the security of the town, Captain Standish was their main dependence, and he proved himself well deserving their confidence.

1622. About the beginning of April, another expedition on a trading voyage to the Massachusetts was in preparation, when Hobomak intimated his fears that the Narragansetts and the Massachusetts had formed a private league against the English for their destruction, and, by sending off a part of their force, the town would be exposed to great danger from the Narragansetts, while those on the expedition would be destroyed by the Massachusetts. These apprehensions, however, did not prevent the expedition. Captain Standish, with ten principal men, taking both Squanto and Hobomak, proceeded on the voyage. Having reached the mouth of the harbor near the Gurnet's nose, they were becalmed, and came to anchor. While there, an Indian of Squanto's family came running into town with his face covered with blood, calling to the people abroad to make haste home, saying he received the wound in his face for speaking for the English, and frequently looking back as if the assailants were fast behind him. He informed the Governor that there were many Narragansetts, together with Massasoit and Corbitant and others, approaching to as

sault the town, in the absence of Captain Standish. Upon this information, the governor ordered three pieces of cannon to be fired. Standish and his crew, taking the alarm, immediately returned, and prepared for action. Hobomak was positive that it was all fiction, as it proved. He was a Pinese, he said, and such an enterprise would not be undertaken by Massasoit without consulting him. At the request of the Governor, he sent his wife to Massasoit's residence, pretending other business, to inform herself of the true state of things. She found all quiet, and that no mischief had been intended. She then informed Massasoit of what had occurred at Plymouth, who was much offended with Squanto for his conduct. After this affair, Standish prosecuted his voyage to the Massachusetts, made a good trade, and returned in safety. It was now seen by the English that Squanto was not be relied on, that he was actuated by selfish views, endeavoring to make his countrymen believe that he had great influence with the English, as he understood their language; in consequence of which he deluded many, and gained some advantages to himself. He made the natives believe, that the English were their enemies, that they kept the plague buried in the ground, and could spread it through the country at pleasure, which created great terror among the Indians, and induced them to place much dependence on him, to secure for them the friendship of the English. Some barrels of gunpowder were buried under ground in the store-house, and when taken out, Hobomak inquired of Squanto what they were? He replied, that they contained the plague, which he had formerly mentioned. Hobomak inquired of an Englishman if this was true; he answered, no! but the God of the English possessed it, and could use it for the destruction of his enemies, and the enemies of the English. Such were the devices, and such the duplicity of Squanto, to increase his influence among his brethren; and it was perceived that he had succeeded but too well in obtaining for himself the respect due to Massasoit only. The planters spared no pains to counteract these proceedings, by assuring the natives that Squanto was a deceiver, and that they had no reason to fear the English, so long as they conducted peaceably towards them. Massasoit, at length, became so embittered against Squanto, that, on a visit at Plymouth, he demanded of governor Bradford, that he should be put to death; but this was refused, and after his return home, he sent messengers to repeat the demand, asserting his claim to Squanto as his subject, according to the terms of the existing treaty. The demand was repeated with such pressing importunity, that the governor admitted that he de

served death, and was about to deliver him up, though with great reluctance, as Squanto was the only one who understood both languages, by which the necessary intercourse could be kept up. Massasoit offered many beaver skins in exchange for Squanto, but the governor disdained to sell his life, but assured the messengers that Squanto had justly forfeited it by his falsehood and deceit. With the messengers, Massasoit sent his own knife for the avowed purpose of cutting off Squanto's head and hands, and the culprit readily yielded himself and submitted his life, without the least apparent reluctance to the will of the governor. At the moment when he was about to be delivered into the hands of the messengers, a shallop appeared in the offing; the governor having heard many rumors of the French, and, doubtful whether there were not combinations between them and the savages, refused to deliver Squanto up, until he should first have ascertained what boat was approaching. Thus Squanto escaped, for the messengers, vexed at the delay, immediately departed in great rage. The boat in question proved to be a shallop belonging to a fishing vessel, the property of Thomas Weston, a merchant in London, which, with about thirty others, was employed in the fishing business, on the eastern shore near Penobscot. This was in the month of May, when the whole colony was entirely destitute of bread, and their other provisions were almost expended. It was out of season for sea-fowl, and they were unprovided with seins and hooks for fishing. They had subsisted on clams and other shell fish, until they were greatly debilitated. The shallop, above mentioned, brought six or seven passengers from the fishing vessels from London to be added to the planters, but no supply of provisions. Governor Bradford despatched Edward Winslow, to purchase articles of provision of the fishermen, but none could be obtained, excepting from the generosity of one Captain, who supplied them gratuitously with bread, sufficient to give each person in the plantation a quarter of a pound daily until the harvest. This was the daily portion,' says Mr. Winslow, 'which was distributed until now, we were never without some bread, the want whereof much abated the strength and flesh of some, and swelled others-and, indeed, had we not been in a place where divers sorts of shell fish are, that may be taken with the hand, we must have perished, unless God had raised some unknown or extraordinary means for our preservation.'

In addition to this calamity, the Indians threatened them, and boasted how easily they could effect their destruction, and Massasoit, even manifested a coolness and indifference about

his English friends. In the mean time, news arrived of a hor-c rible massacre of the English in Virginia on the 27th of March, 1622. Three hundred and forty-seven of the English were a slain by the Indians. 'The massacre was conducted with indiscriminate barbarity. No regard was shown to dignity, no gratitude for benefits.' Justly alarmed for their safety, they immediately began to build a strong and handsome fort, taking in the top of the hill under which our town is seated, with a flat roof and battlement, on which cannons were mounted, and a watch kept. The lower part was used as a place of public worship. Thus did these pious people offer their devout aspirations to God with the sword in one hand and the bible in the other. 'About the end of March,' says Mr. Winslow, 'our store of victuals was wholly spent, having lived long before on a bare and short allowance.' As to the insufficient stock of provisions brought by the Fortune, he suggests as an apology for their friends in England, 'certain among ourselves were too prodigal in writing and reporting that we enjoyed a plenty.'

The colony now in June and July, consisted of about one hundred persons in tolerable health; who had, this season, planted sixty acres of corn, and whose gardens afforded ample supplies of vegetables.

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Thomas Weston, a merchant in London, was originally one of the merchant adventurers. He encouraged the emigration, and actively promoted the Plymouth settlement, until this year. Why he now withdrew his patronage, could not be known, but by a letter from him, addressed to governor Carver, find,' says governor Bradford, he has quite deserted us, and is going to settle a plantation of his own. And having procured for himself a patent of a tract of land in Massachusetts Bay, he sent two ships, the Charity and the Swan, with fifty or sixty men, at his own charge, to settle a plantation. These adventurers arrived at Plymouth about June or July, many of them in a sickly condition; and most of them remained there the greater part of the summer, and received from the inhabitants every hospitality and kindness which the place could afford. But they were ungrateful enough to commit numerous thefts, and waste the provisions of the planters who furnished them. At length they located themselves on Weston's land, at a place called Wessagusset, in the Massachusetts Bay, (now Weymouth). This was a rival settlement, and consisted of profligate miscreants altogether unfit for such an enterprise, and proved very troublesome neighbors.

In the month of August, another ship arrived from England, called the Discovery, commanded by Captain Jones, the former