WANT OF FOOD. 211 shooting with hail-shot, they wondered to see the CHAP. mark so full of holes. XI. About one o'clock Massasoyt brought two fishes that 1621. he had shot; they were like bream, but three times so big, and better meat.' These being boiled, there were at least forty looked for share in them; the most eat of them. This meal only we had in two nights and a day; and had not one of us bought a partridge, we had taken our journey fasting. Very importunate he was to have us stay with them longer. But we desired to keep the Sabbath at home; and feared we should either be light-headed for want of sleep, for what with bad lodging, the savages' barbarous singing, (for they use to sing themselves asleep,) lice and fleas within doors, and mosquitoes without, we could hardly sleep all the time of our being there; we much fearing that if we should stay any longer, we should not be able to recover home for want of strength. So that on the Friday July morning, before sunrising, we took our leave and departed, Massasoyt being both grieved and ashamed that he could no better entertain us; and retaining Tisquantum to send from place to place to procure truck for us, and appointing another, called Tokamahamon, in his place, whom we had found faithful before and after upon all occasions. 2 At this town of Massasoyt's, where we before eat, we were again refreshed with a little fish, and bought about a handful of meal of their parched corn, which was very precious at that time of the year, and a small string of dried shell-fish, as big as oysters.3 big as oysters. The latter we gave to the six savages that accompanied us, keep 1 Probably the fish called tataug. Belknap's Am. Biog. ii. 288. 3 ? See note on page 187. These were probably clams. 6. 212 A NIGHT AT TITICUT. CHAP. ing the meal for ourselves. When we drank, we eat XI. each a spoonful of it with a pipe of tobacco, instead of 1621. other victuals; and of this also we could not but give July them so long as it lasted. Five miles they led us to a house out of the way in hope of victuals; but we found nobody there, and so were but worse able to return home. That night we reached to the wear where we lay before; but the Namascheucks were returned, so that we had no hope of any thing there. One of the savages had shot a shad in the water, and a small squirrel, as big as a rat, called a neuris; the one half of either he gave us, and after went to the wear to fish. From hence we wrote to Plymouth, and sent Tokamahamon before to Namasket, willing him from thence to send another, that he might meet us with food at Namasket. Two men now only remained with us; and it pleased God to give them good store of fish, so that we were well refreshed. After supper we went to rest, and they to fishing again. More they gat, and fell to eating afresh, and retained sufficient ready roast for all our breakfasts. About two o'clock in the morning, arose a great 7. storm of wind, rain, lightning, and thunder, in such violent manner that we could not keep in our fire; and had the savages not roasted fish when we were asleep, we had set forward fasting; for the rain still continued with great violence, even the whole day through, till we came within two miles of home. Being wet and weary, at length we came to Namaschet. There we refreshed ourselves, giving gifts to all such as had showed us any kindness. Amongst others, one of the six that came with us from Packanokick, having before this on the way unkindly forsaken us, marvelled we THE MESSENGERS REACH HOME. 213 XI. July gave him nothing, and told us what he had done for CHAP. us. We also told him of some discourtesies he offered us, whereby he deserved nothing. Yet we gave him 1621. a small trifle; whereupon he offered us tobacco. But 7. the house being full of people, we told them he stole some by the way, and if it were of that, we would not take it; for we would not receive that which was stolen, upon any terms; if we did, our God would be angry with us, and destroy us. This abashed him, and gave the rest great content. ure, he would needs carry him' on his back through a river whom he had formerly in some sort abused. Fain they would have had us to lodge there all night, and wondered we would set forth again in such weather. But, God be praised, we came safe home that night, though wet, weary, and surbated.2 But, at our depart and reached Pokanoket on Wed- CHAPTER XII. A VOYAGE MADE BY TEN OF OUR MEN TO THE KINGDOM CHAP. XII. THE 11th of June2 we set forth, the weather being very fair. But ere we had been long at sea, there arose 1st a storm of wind and rain, with much lightning and thunday. der, insomuch that a spout arose not far from us. But, 1621. God be praised, it dured not long, and we put in that 'The name of this boy was John Billington, according to Bradford, in Prince, p. 192. He was the brother of Francis, who discovered Billington Sea, and the son of John, the first culprit. See note' on page 149, and note on page 172. Massasoit had sent word he was at Nauset. See Prince, p. 192. 2 "This date being inconsistent with several hints in the foregoing and following stories, I keep to Governor Bradford's original manuscript, and place it between the end of July and the 13th of August." Prince, p. 192. The one was Tisquantum, 3 Barnstable harbour; which is formed by a neck of land, about half a mile wide, called Sandy Neck, which projects from Sandwich on the north shore, and runs east almost the length of the town. The harbour is about a mile wide, and four miles long. The tide rises in it from 10 to 14 feet. It has a bar running off northeast from the neck several miles, which prevents the entrance of large ships. Mass. Hist. Coll. iii. 12. See note 3 page 159. on BARNSTABLE HARBOUR. 215 XII. 2d friend. It being night before we came in, we anchored CHAP. in the midst of the bay, where we were dry at a low water. In the morning we espied savages seeking 1621. lobsters, and sent our two interpreters to speak with day. them, the channel being between them; where they told them what we were, and for what we were come, willing them not at all to fear us, for we would not hurt them. Their answer was, that the boy was well, but he was at Nauset; yet since we were there, they desired us to come ashore, and eat with them; which, as soon as our boat floated, we did, and went six ashore, having four pledges for them in the boat. They brought us to their sachim, or governor, whom they call Iyanough,' a man not exceeding twenty-six years of age, but very personable, gentle, courteous, and fair conditioned, indeed not like a savage, save for his attire. His entertainment was answerable to his parts, and his cheer plentiful and various. One thing was very grievous unto us at this place. There was an old woman, whom we judged to be no less than a hundred years old, which came to see us, because she never saw English; yet could not behold us without breaking forth into great passion, weeping and crying excessively. We demanding the reason of it, they told us she had three sons, who, when Master Hunt was in these parts, went aboard his ship to trade with him, and he carried them captives into Spain, (for Tisquantum at that time was carried away also,) by which means she was deprived of the comfort of her children in her old age. We told them we were sorry 2 1 Sometimes called Iyanough of Cummaquid, and sometimes Iyanough of Mattakiest, which seems to be the country between Barn stable and Yarmouth harbours. |