174 FOUR MEN SENT TO CUT THATCH. CHAP. This time of the year seldom could we work half the X. 1621. Jan. week. Thursday, the 11th, William Bradford being at 11. work, (for it was a fair day,) was vehemently taken with a grief and pain, and so shot to his huckle-bone,' it was doubted that he would have instantly died. He got cold in the former discoveries, especially the last; and felt some pain in his ankles by times; but he grew a little better towards night, and in time, through God's mercy in the use of means, recovered. 12. Friday the 12th we went to work; but about noon it began to rain, that it forced us to give over work. This day two of our people put us in great sorrow and care. There was four sent to gather and cut thatch in the morning; and two of them, John Goodman and Peter Browne, having cut thatch all the forenoon, went to a further place, and willed the other two to bind up that which was cut, and to follow them. So they did, being about a mile and a half from our plantation. But when the two came after, they could not find them, nor hear any thing of them at all, though they hallooed and shouted as loud as they could. So they returned to the company, and told them of it. Whereupon Master Carver, and three or four more 3 cattle in 1627, with Martha and Mary Brown, the former of whom was probably his wife, and the latter his daughter. In the original, Leaver; unquestionably a typographical_error. There is no such name as Leaver among the signers of the Compact, and it is not at all probable that one of the ship's crew would be distinguished by the title of Mr. or be sent on such an errand. This error escaped the acute observation of Prince, who copies the TWO OF THEM LOST IN THE WOODS. 175 X. Jan. went to seek them; but could hear nothing of them. CHAP. So they returning, scnt more; but that night they could hear nothing at all of them. The next day 1621. they armed ten or twelve men out, verily thinking 12. the Indians had surprised them. They went seeking seven or eight miles; but could neither see nor hear any thing at all. So they returned, with much discomfort to us all. These two that were missed at dinner time, took their meat in their hands, and would go walk and refresh themselves. So going a little off, they find a lake of water,' and having a great mastiff bitch with them and a spaniel, by the water side they found a great deer. The dogs chased him; and they followed so far as they lost themselves, and they could not find the way back. They wandered all that afternoon, being wet; and at night it did freeze and snow. They were slenderly apparelled, and had no weapons but each one his sickle, nor any victuals. They ranged up and down and could find none of the salvages' habitations. When it drew to night, they were much per passage, p. 183. Edward Wins- 176 ROARING OF LIONS. X. CHAP. plexed; for they could find neither harbour nor meat; but, in frost and snow, were forced to make the earth 1621. their bed and the element their covering. And another thing did very much terrify them; they heard, as they thought, two lions' roaring exceedingly for a long time together, and a third that they thought was very near them. So not knowing what to do, they resolved to climb up into a tree, as their safest refuge, though that would prove an intolerable cold lodging. So they stood at the tree's root, that when the lions came, they might take their opportunity of climbing up. The bitch they were fain to hold by the neck, for she would have been gone to the lion. But it pleased God so to dispose, that the wild beasts came not. So they walked up and down under the tree all night. It was an extreme cold night. So soon as it was light, they 13. travelled again, passing by many lakes and brooks Jan. Several of the first settlers of New England supposed that the lion existed here. Higginson, in his New-England's Plantation says, "For beasts, there are some bears, and they say some lions also; for they have been seen at Cape Ann." Wood, in his New-England's Prospect, ch. 6, says, "Concerning lions will not say that I ever saw any myself; but some affirm that they have seen a lion at Cape Ann. Some likewise being lost in the woods, have heard such terrible roarings, as have made them much aghast; which must be either devils or lions; there being no other creatures which use to roar, saving bears, which have not such a terrible kind of roaring." Josselyn, in his New-England's Rarities, p. 21, says, "The Jackal is a creature that hunts the lion's prey, a shrewd sign that there are lions upon the continent. There are those that are yet living in the country that do constantly affirm, that about 36 or 37 years since, an Indian shot a young lion, sleeping upon the body of an oak blown up by the roots, with an arrow, not far from Cape Ann, and sold the skin to the English." Lechford, too, in his Plain Dealing, p. 47, and Johnson, in his Wonderworking Providence, b. ii. ch. 21, mention the lion among the beasts of New England. Vanderdonck also enumerates lions among the wild animals of New Netherlands. But Morton, in his New English Canaan, ch. 5, remarks, "Lions there are none in New England; it is contrary to the nature of the beast to frequent places accustomed to snow. Dr. Freeman observes, that Goodman and Brown, coming from England, where both the lion and the wolf are unknown, might easily, under the impression of fear, mistake the howling of the one for the roaring of the other. 2 Plymouth abounds with ponds, that would be called lakes in England. It is supposed that within THE COMMON HOUSE BURNT. X. 177 and woods, and in one place where the salvages had CHAP. burnt the space of five miles in length, which is a fine champaign country, and even. In the afternoon, it 1621. pleased God from a high hill they discovered the two2 isles in the bay, and so that night got to the plantation, being ready to faint with travail and want of victuals, and almost famished with cold. John Goodman was fain to have his shoes cut off his feet, they were so swelled with cold; and it was a long while after ere he was able to go. Those on the shore were much comforted at their return; but they on shipboard were grieved at deeming them lost. 14. But the next day, being the 14th of January, in the Jan. morning about six of the clock, the wind being very great, they on shipboard spied their great new rendezvous on fire; which was to them a new discomfort, fearing, because of the supposed loss of the men, that the salvages had fired them. Neither could they presently go to them for want of water. But after three quarters of an hour they went, as they had purposed the day before to keep the Sabbath on shore, because now there was the greater number of people. At their landing they heard good tidings of the return of the two men, and that the house was fired occasionally by a spark that flew into the thatch, which instantly burnt it all up; but the roof stood, and little hurt. The most loss was Master Carver's and William Bradford's, who the bounds of the town there are more than two hundred. See Mass. Hist. Coll. xiii. 180, and Thacher's Plymouth, p. 320. A plain commences two miles from the town, and extends six miles southwest. F. 2 See note on page 163. This seems to be the first sab 4 bath which they kept on shore. The omission of Mr. before 178 A SHED BUILT FOR THE PROVISIONS. CHAP. then lay sick in bed, and if they had not risen with X. good speed, had been blown up with powder; but, 1621. through God's mercy, they had no harm. The house was as full of beds as they could lie one by another, and their muskets charged; but, blessed be God, there was no harm done. Jan. 15. 19. 20. 21. 22. Monday, the 15th day, it rained much all day, that they on shipboard could not go on shore, nor they on shore do any labor, but were all wet. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, were very fair, sunshiny days, as if it had been in April; and our people, so many as were in health, wrought cheerfully. The 19th day we resolved to make a shed to put our common provision in, of which some were already set on shore; but at noon it rained, that we could not work. This day, in the evening, John Goodman went abroad to use his lame feet, that were pitifully ill with the cold he had got, having a little spaniel with him. A little way from the plantation two great wolves ran after the dog; the dog ran to him. and betwixt his legs for succour. He had nothing in his hand, but took up a stick and threw at one of them and hit him, and they presently ran both away, but came again. He got a pale-board in his hand; and they sat both on their tails grinning at him a good while; and went their way and left him. Saturday, 20th, we made up our shed for our common goods. Sunday, the 21st, we kept our meeting on land. where, whilst it is prefixed to the this Relation was written by Bradford. If any other person had been the author, he would have prefixed Mr. to Bradford's name. |