1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis III.—Spain, Philip III. discovery of the aforesaid harbor; but the weather growing rough and the winds cross, they are soon obliged to row for the nearest shore, and then wade above their knees to land. It blows, snows and freezes all this day and night; and here some receive the seeds of those fatal illnesses that quickly seized them. The next day they sail to their designed port; but find it unfit for shipping, land between the two creeks, and marching four or five miles by the greater, are tired with travelling up and down the steep hills and vallies, covered half a foot with snow, and lodge under pine trees. The next morning return to the other creek, and thence to the place of their former digging, where they dig again, though the ground be frozen a foot deep, and find more corn and beans, make up their corn to ten bushels; which they send with Mr. Jones and fifteen of their sick and weaker people to the ship; eighteen staying and lodging there this night, next day they dig in several such like places, but find no more corn nor any thing else but graves; discover two Indian wigwams, but see no natives; and the shallop returning, they get aboard at night, and the next day, December 1, return to the ship. M The corn they found happily serves for their planting on the spring ensuing, or they would have been in great danger of perishing; BM for which they gave the owners entire content about six months after. B Before the end of November, M Susanna, wife of William White, B bn was delivered of a son, who is called Peregrine, M being the first born since their arrival, bn and I conclude the first of the European extract in New England.* bn Boston News Letter. *He lives to July 22, 1704, when he dies at Marshfield. bn 1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis III.-Spain, Philip III. December 4. Dies Edward Thomson, servant of Mr. White, bp the first that dies since their arrival. December 6, dies Jasper, a boy of Mr. Carver's. December 7, Dorothy, wife to Mr William Bradford. December 8, James Chilton. bp December 6. They again send out their shallop, with ten of their principal men, B viz. Mr. Carver, Bradford, Winslow, captain Standish, &c. with eight or ten seamen, M to circulate the bay and find a better place; though the weather is very cold and the spray of the sea freezes on them, that their clothes look as if they were glazed, B and feel like coats of iron. M This night they get to the bottom of the bay, see ten or twelve Indians ashore, B busy a cutting up a grampus. M By reason of the flats they land with great difficulty, make a barricado, lodge therein, and see the smoke of the Indian fires that night B about four or five miles from them. M December 7. This morning, they divide their company, some travelling on shore, B eight M others coasting in the shallop by great flats of sand. B About ten o'clock, the shore people find a great burying place; part thereof encompassed with a large palisade, full of graves, some paled about, others having small poles turned and twisted over them; without the palisade were graves also, but not so costly. Then they come to four or five deserted wigwams, but see no people. M Towards night, they hasten out of the woods to meet the shallop, and making a signal for her to bear into a creek, she comes in at high water to their mutual joy, having not seen each other since morning; but found no people nor any place they liked; and at night, make another barricado,and lodge therein. B 1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis XIII.-Spain, Philip III. December 8. At five this morning they rise; and after prayer, the day dawning, and the tide high enough to call them down to the shallop, they suddenly hear a great and strange cry, one of their company running towards them calling out Indians! Indians! And therewith arrows come flying about them. B Upon discharging their pieces, the Indians soon get away, the English following a quarter of a mile shouting, return to their shallop, B having left six men to keep her, M and not one of the company wounded, though the arrows flew close on every side. Upon which they give God solemn thanks; then sail along the coast B about fifteen leagues, M find no convenient harbor, and hasten on to a port, which Mr. Coppin their pilot assures them is a good one, which he had been in, and they might reach before night. But after some hours sailing it begins to snow and rain; at midafternoon the wind rising, the sea grows very rough, they break their rudder, it is as much as two men can steer her with a couple of oars; and the storm increasing, the night approaching, and bearing what sail they can to get in, they break their mast in three pieces, their sail falls over board into a very grown sea, and they are like to founder suddenly; yet by the mercy of heaven, they recover themselves, and the flood being with them strike into the imagined harbor; but the pilot being deceived cries out, Lord be merciful! my eyes never saw this place before! And he and the mate would have run her ashore in a cove full of breakers before the wind ;* but a steersman calling to the rowers, 'about with her, or we are cast away,' they get her about immediately, and providence showing a fair * Mr. Morton says, this is between the place since called the Gurnet's Nose and Sagaquab. 1620. King of G. Britain, James I.-France, Lewis XIII.-Spain, Philip III. sound before them, though it be very dark and And December 9. In the morning they find the place December 11. Monday, they sound the harbor, December 15. The ship sails for this new found port, comes within two leagues of it, when a northwest wind springs up and forces her back; but the next day the wind comes fair, and she arrives in the desired harbor, B quickly after, the wind chops about; so that had they been hindered but half an hour, they would have been forced back to the Cape again. M December 18. Monday, they land with the master of the ship and three or four sailors; march along the coast seven or eight miles, but see neither wigwam, Indian, nor navigable river, but only four or five brooks of sweet fresh water running * Mr. Morton says, this is since called Clark's Island, because Mr. Clark This was the day at our landin ес The 18th DJce, old Style) but the (new style) (22 1620. King of G. Britain, James I.—France, Lewis XIII.—Spain, Philip III. into the sea, with choice ground formerly possessed and planted, and at night return to the ship; next day they go again to discover, some on land, others in the shallop, find a creek into which they pass three miles, and return. M December 20. This morning, after calling to heaven for guidance, they go ashore again, to pitch on some place for immediate settlement. After viewing the country they conclude to settle on the main, on a high ground, facing the bay where corn had been planted three or four years before; a sweet brook running under the hill with many delicate springs. On a great hill they intend to fortify, which will command all around, whence they may see across the bay to the Cape. And here being in number twenty, they rendezvous this evening; but a storm rising, it blows and rains hard all night, continues so tempestuous for two days that they cannot get aboard, and have nothing to shelter them. M December 21. Dies Richard Britterige, bp the first who dies in this harbor. December 23. Saturday, as many as can, go ashore, cut and carry timber for a common building. M December 24. Lord's Day, our people ashore are alarmed with the cry of savages, expect an assault, but continue quiet. M And this day dies Solomon Martin, bp the sixth and last who dies this month. December 25. Monday, they go ashore ag again, felling timber, sawing, riving, carrying.M Begin to erect the first house B about twenty foot square, M for their common use, to receive them and their goods; B and leaving twenty to keep a court of guard, the rest return aboard at evening; but in the |