his Account of New England, compiled about this time. 2 Mass. Hist. Soc. Proceedings, 1. 242. This reduces the possible source to Scott and Baxter, both of whom had long associated with the Dutch. The mention of the "west end of Long Island" in the Williamson statement offers a clue, as it points to Captain Scott, whose great grievance was the situation of the English at that point, "inslaved by the Dutch their cruell and rapatious. neighbours." Letter to Joseph Williamson, December 14, 1663. New York Colonial Documents, 111. 48. The fact remains that in Williamson's memorandum is found the first mention of the plot. Hubbard, following Morton (New Englands Memoriall, *12), is not entirely correct in believing that a settlement could not have been made on the Hudson, because "the Indians in those parts were so numerous and sturdy in their disposition" that the Pilgrims, in their enfeebled condition, could never have defended themselves against them. History, 51. The situation as to Indian dangers on the Hudson was not different from that at New Plymouth. The Mohicans on the east bank were at constant enmity against the Mincees (Sanhikans, as the Dutch called them) on the west side of the Hudson, but both were at war with the confederated Iroquois. Like the Massachusetts against the Tarrentines, either would welcome so powerful an aid as an armed Englishman would give. The tribes on Long Island, Manhattan Island and in New Jersey did not possess sufficient strength to oust the new-comers, and the Dutch succeeded in keeping on fair terms with their uncomfortable neighbors. This arose from their trading instincts and methods, which catered to the immediate desires of the Indian without raising his suspicion and hostility by acts of fraud or force. The 10 Chap[ter] Showing how they sought out a place of habitation, and what befell them theraboute. [48] B EING thus arrived at Cap-Cod the 11. of November, and necessitie calling them to looke out a place for habitation, (as well as the maisters, and mariners importunitie,) they having brought a large shalop with them out of England, stowed in quarters in the ship, they now gott her out and sett their carpenters to worke to trime her up; but being much brused and shatered in the shipe with foule weather, they saw she would be longe in mending. Wherupon a few of them tendered them selves to goe by land and discovere those nearest places, whilst the shallop was in mending; 1 and the rather because as they wente into that harbor ther seemed to be an opening some 2. or.3. leagues of, which the maister judged to be a river. It was conceived ther might be some danger in the attempte, yet seeing them resolute, they were permited to goe, being. 16. of them well armed, under the conduct of Captein Standish, having shuch instructions given them as was thought meete. They sett forth the 15. of Nove[m]b[e]r: and when they had marched aboute the space of a mile by the sea side, they espied .5. or 6. persons with a dogg coming towards them, who were salvages; but they fled from them, and ranne up into the 1 As the shallop was disabled, the ship's long boat was used. This was usually the largest boat in the ship, and may have been fitted with sails. Smith says the long boat was in charge of the boatswain's mate, "for the setting forth of Anchors, waying and fetching home an Anchor, warping, towing, and moreing." An Accidence, *3. 2 Pamet River. 3 With Standish went William Bradford, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Tilley. Mourt is much more full than Bradford on this expedition, and should be read in this connection. woods, and the English followed them, partly to see if they could speake with them, and partly to discover if ther might not be more of them lying in ambush. But the Indeans seeing them selves thus followed, they againe forsooke the woods, and rane away on the sands as hard as they could, so as they could not come near them, but followed them by the tracte of their feet sundrie miles, and saw that they had come the same way. So, night coming on, they made their randevous and set out their sentinels, and rested in quiete that night, and the next morning followed their tracte till they had headed a great creeke,1 and so left the sands, and turned an other way into the woods. But they still followed them by geuss, hopeing to find their dwellings; but they soone lost both them and them selves, falling into shuch thickets as were ready to tear their cloaths and armore in peeces, but were most distressed for wante of drinke. But at length they found water and refreshed them selves, being the first New-England water they drunke of, and was now in thir great thirste as pleasante unto them as wine or bear had been in for-times. Afterwards they directed their course to come to the other shore, [49] for they knew it was a necke of land they were to crosse over, and so at length gott to the sea-side, and marched to this supposed river, and by the way found a pond of clear fresh water, and shortly after a good quantitie of clear ground wher the Indeans had formerly set corne, and some of their graves.3 And proceeding furder they saw new-stuble wher corne had been set the same year, also they found wher latly a house had been, wher some 1 East-Harbor Creek. 2 The lake gave its name to Pond Village, in North Truro. It lies three miles north of Pamet River. • "The whole vicinity of Great Hollow to Little Harbor was famous Indian quarters. Only a few years since, where the wind had blown away the sand near the bank on Cornhill, several Indian skeletons were discovered, one in perfect condition, with every tooth white and sound. Indians' graves containing skulls and bones, abundance of arrow heads, and stone hatchets, have been found within a few years. Great deposits of shells marked by a darker belt of green, tell where stood their old wigwams." Rich, Truro-Cape Cod, 65. |