Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

[1620 A.D.]

The stillness of the Sabbath (November 12th, 1620) was consecrated to worship- the first, probably, ever observed by Christians in Massachusetts and on the morrow the shallop was drawn to the beach for repairs, and for the first time the whole company landed for refreshment. The adventurous; impatient of delay, were eager to prosecute a journey by land for discovery. Sixteen were detailed under Captain Standish - their military leader, who Captain_Standish had served in the armies both of Elizabeth and James-and the party debarked (November 15th) at Stevens' Point, at the western extremity of the harbour, and marching in single file, at the distance of about a mile, five savages were espied, who, at their approach, hastily fled. Graves were discovered; and at another spot the ruins of a house, and heaps of sand filled with corn stored in baskets. With hesitancy-so scrupulous were they of wilfully wronging the natives-an old kettle, a waif from the ruins, was filled with this corn, for which the next summer the owners were remunerated. In the vicinity of the Pamet were the ruins of a fort, or palisade; and encamping for the night near the Pond in Truro, on November 17th they returned to the ship.

Ten days after another expedition was fitted out, in which twenty-five of the colonists were engaged, and visited the mouth of the Pamet, called by them Cold Harbour. A third expedition was agreed upon December 6th; and though the weather was unfavourable, and some difficulty was experienced in clearing Billingsgate point, they reached the weather shore, and there "had better sailing." Yet bitter was the cold, and the spray, as it froze on them, gave them the appearance of being encased in glittering mail. The next day (December 9th) the island was explored-now known as Clarke's Island. On Monday, December 11th (December 21st, new style), a landing was effected upon Forefather's Rock.' The site of this stone was preserved by tradition, and a venerable cotemporary of several of the Pilgrims, whose head was silvered with the frosts of ninety-five winters, settled the question of its identity in 1741. Borne in his arm-chair by a grateful populace, Elder Faunce took his last look at the spot so endeared to his memory, and bedewing it with tears, he bade it farewell! In 1774 this precious boulder, as if seized with the spirit of that bustling age, was raised from its bed to be consecrated to Liberty, and in the act of its elevation it split in twain! — an occurrence regarded by many as ominous of the separation of the colonies from England -and the lower part being left in the spot where it still lies, the upper part, weighing several tons, was conveyed, amidst the heartiest rejoicings, to Libertypole square, and adorned with a flag bearing the imperishable motto: "Liberty or Death!" On the 4th of July, 1834. the natal day of the freedom of the colonies, this part of the rock was removed to the ground in front of Pilgrim Hall, and there it rests, encircled with a railing, ornamented with heraldic wreaths, bearing the names of the forty-one signers of the compact in the Mayflower.

On the day of the landing the harbour was sounded, and the land was

['Plymouth Rock has been generally granted the honour of receiving the first permanent landing of Pilgrims on the mainland, but no rock is mentioned in the so-called Relation of Mourt of which he wrote only the preface, the main text being the work of Bradford and Winslow. In the latter part of last century a controversy was started by S. H. Gay," who declared that the landing must have been at the present Duxbury or Kingston, not at the present Plymouth. H. M. Dexter however, brought strong evidence from channel-soundings to support the tradition. Legend credits John Alden and Mary Chilton with being the first to set foot on the rock, but according to F. B. Dexter they could not have landed on December 11th. The very date of the landing has been the subject of mistake. In calculating the New Style for purposes of fixing a day of celebration December 22nd was taken instead of December 21st, and in spite of efforts to correct the date, the 22nd has fastened on popular usage.]

[1620 A.D.] explored; and the place inviting settlement, the adventurers returned with tidings of their success; the Mayflower weighed anchor to proceed to the spot; and ere another Sabbath dawned she was safely moored in the desired haven. Monday and Tuesday were spent in exploring tours; and on Wednesday, December 20th, the settlement at Plymouth was commenced - twenty persons remaining ashore for the night. On the following Saturday the first timber was felled; on Monday their storehouse was commenced; on Thursday preparations were made for the erection of a fort, and allotments of land were made to the [nineteen] families; and on the following Sunday religious worship was performed for the first time in their storehouse.

For a month the colonists were busily employed. The houses were arranged in two rows, on Leyden street, each man building his own. The whole of this first winter was a period of unprecedented hardship and suffering. Mild as was the weather, it was far more severe than that of the land of their birth; and the diseases contracted on shipboard, aggravated by colds caught in their wanderings in quest of a home, caused a great and distressing mortality to prevail. In December, six died; in January, eight; in February, seventeen; and in March, thirteen-a total of forty-four died in four months, of whom twenty-one were signers of the compact. It is remarkable that the leaders of the colony were spared. The first burial place was on Cole's Hill; and as an affecting proof of the miserable condition of the sufferers, it is said by Baylies that, knowing they were surrounded by warlike savages, and fearing their losses might be discovered, and advantage be taken of their weakness and helplessness to attack and exterminate them, the sad mounds formed by rude coffins hidden beneath the earth were carefully leveled and sowed with grain.9

RELATIONS WITH THE INDIANS: CAPTAIN MILES STANDISH

On John Smith's map the harbour where the Pilgrims had come to anchor was designated by the English name of Plymouth, and was indicated on it as a fit place for settlement. In compliment, it is said, to the kind treatment received at the English city of Plymouth, the name of New Plymouth was retained. The settlers themselves are often designated as the Plymouth pilgrims.y

The Indians, remembering the kidnapping exploits of Hunt and others, were hostile. More than half the colonists, including John Carver, their governor, died before spring. Those who retained their strength were hardly sufficient to minister to the urgent wants of the sick and dying. In this employment no one distinguished himself more than Carver, the governor. He was a man of fortune, who had spent all in the service of the colony, and readily sacrificed his life in discharging the humblest offices of kindness to the sick. He was succeeded by William Bradford, who was re-elected for many successive years, notwithstanding his remonstrance that "if this office were an honour, it should be shared by his fellow citizens and if it were a burden, the weight of it should not always be imposed on him."

Previous to the arrival of the Pilgrims in New England, a sweeping pestilence had, as we have seen, carried off whole tribes of natives, in the region where they had now settled. The traces of former habitation were apparent; but no Indians were found residing in their immediate vicinity. The spring, which restored health to the colonists, brought them also an agreeable surprise, in the visit of some Indians whose disposition was friendly. The visit of Samoset, whose previous intercourse with the English fishermen enabled

[graphic][merged small][merged small]

[1621 A.D.]

him to salute them with "Welcome, welcome, Englishmen!" was followed by that of Massasoit, the principal sachem of the country, with whom the celebrated treaty was concluded, which was inviolably observed, for more than fifty years, and contributed, during that period, more than any other circumstance, to secure New England from the horrors of Indian warfare.

In the fall of 1621 the first harvest of the colonists was gathered. The "corn" yielded well, and the "barley" was "indifferently good," but the 'peas" were a failure, owing to drought and late sowing. Satisfied, however, with the abundance of their fruits, four huntsmen were sent for fowl; and at their return, "after a special manner" the Pilgrims rejoiced together, feasting King Massasoit and ninety men for three days, and partaking of venison, wild turkeys, water fowl, and other delicacies for which New England was then famous. Thus the time-honoured festival of Thanksgiving was instituted—a festival which, originally confined in its observance to the sons of the Pilgrims and the state of Massachusetts, has now become almost a national festival.g

The treaty with Massasoit was one of the most important events in the history of New England. Another efficient means of preserving the colony from Indian hostility was found in the courage, ability, and military experience of Captain Miles Standish. He was the hero of New England, says Doctor Belknap,bb as Captain Smith had been of Virginia. Though small in stature, he had an active genius, a sanguine temper, and a strong constitution. He had early embraced the profession of arms; and the Netherlands being, in his youth, the theatre of war, he had entered into the service of Queen Elizabeth, in aid of the Dutch, and, after the truce, steped with the English refugees at Leyden. He came over with the Pilgrims, and on their arrival at Cape Cod, he was appointed commander of the first party of sixteen men, who went ashore on discovery; and when they began their settlement at Plymouth, he was unanimously chosen captain, or chief military commander. In several interviews with the natives, he was the first to meet them, and was generally accompanied by a very small number of men, selected by himself.

After the treaty was made with Massasoit, one of his petty sachems, Corbitant, became discontented, and was preparing to join with the Narragansetts against the English. Standish, with fourteen men and a guide, went to Corbitant's residence and surrounded his house; but, not finding him at home, he informed the Indians of his intention of destroying him, if he should persist in his rebellion. This decisive proceeding struck terror into the turbulent chieftain, who promptly submitted to Massasoit, and entreated his mediation with the English. The example was not lost upon the neighbouring sachems, eight of whom came forward in September, 1621, to subscribe an instrument of submission to the English government. When the town of Plymouth was enclosed and fortified, the defence of it was committed to the captain, who organised the military force, made the appointments of subordinate officers, and took efficient measures against sudden surprise by the natives.

The Narragansetts were the enemies of Massasoit's people. Indeed, Captain Smith, in his history, says it was to secure a powerful ally against this tribe that the great chieftain made his treaty with the English. Their chief, Canonicus, sent a bundle of arrows tied up with a rattlesnake's skin to the governor, in token of hostility; but when Bradford filled the rattlesnake's skin with powder and shot, and sent it back in defiance, the sachem was intimidated, and gladly consented to a treaty. The Indians were afraid to

« ElőzőTovább »