COLD, FROSTY WEATHER. 179 X. our houses; and in the afternoon carried up our hogs- CHAP. heads of meal to our common storehouse. The rest of the week we followed our business likewise. 1621. Jan. Monday, the 29th, in the morning, cold, frost, and 29. sleet; but after reasonable fair. Both the long-boat and the shallop brought our common goods on shore.' Tuesday and Wednesday, 30th and 31st of January, 30, 31. cold, frosty weather and sleet, that we could not work. In the morning, the master and others saw two savages, that had been on the island near our ship. What they came for we could not tell. They were going so far back again before they were descried, that we could not speak with them. 2 4. Sunday, the 4th of February, was very wet and Feb. rainy, with the greatest gusts of wind that ever we had since we came forth; that though we rid in a very good harbour, yet we were in danger, because our ship was light, the goods taken out, and she unballasted; and it caused much daubing of our houses to fall down. Friday, the 9th, still the cold weather continued, 9. that we could do little work. That afternoon, our little house for our sick people was set on fire by a spark that kindled in the roof; but no great harm was done. That evening, the master going ashore, killed five geese, which he friendly distributed among the sick people. He found also a good deer killed. The savages had cut off the horns, and a wolf was eating of him. How he came there we could not conceive. 1 "Jan. 29, dies Rose, the wife of Captain Standish. N. B. This month eight of our number die." Bradford, in Prince, p. 184. 2 Probably a typographical error for gone. Their houses were probably log-huts, thatched, and the interstices filled with clay. 180 CHAP. Feb. TWO INDIANS MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE. Friday, the 16th, was a fair day; but the northerly X. wind continued, which continued the frost. This day, 1621. after noon, one of our people being a fowling, and hav16. ing taken a stand by a creek side in the reeds, about a mile and a half from our plantation, there came by him twelve Indians, marching towards our plantation, and in the woods he heard the noise of many more. He lay close till they were passed, and then with what speed he could he went home and gave the alarm. So the people abroad in the woods returned and armed themselves, but saw none of them; only, toward the evening, they made a great fire about the place where they were first discovered. Captain Miles Standish and Francis Cooke being at work in the woods, coming home left their tools behind them; but before they returned, their tools were taken away by the savages. This coming of the savages gave us occasion to keep more strict watch, and to make our pieces and furniture ready, which by the moisture and rain were out of temper. 17. Saturday, the 17th day, in the morning, we called a meeting for the establishing of military orders among ourselves; and we chose Miles Standish our captain, and gave him authority of command in affairs. And as we were in consultation hereabouts, two savages presented themselves upon the top of a hill,' over against our plantation, about a quarter of a mile and less, and made signs unto us to come unto them; we likewise made signs unto them to come to us. Whereupon we armed ourselves and stood ready, and sent Watson's Hill, called by the levelled in 1814, Indian relics of various kinds were found. See Mass. Hist. Coll. iii. 177. THE ARTILLERY PLANTED ON THE HILL. 181 X. two over the brook' towards them, to wit, Captain CHAP. Standish and Steven Hopkins, who went towards them. Only one of them had a musket, which they 1621. laid down on the ground in their sight, in sign of peace, and to parley with them. But the savages would not tarry their coming. A noise of a great many more was heard behind the hill; but no more came in sight. This caused us to plant our great ordnances in places most convenient. 21. Wednesday, the 21st of February,3 the master came Feb. on shore, with many of his sailors, and brought with him one of the great pieces, called a minion, and helped us to draw it up the hill, with another piece that lay on shore, and mounted them, and a saller, and two bases. He brought with him a very fat goose to eat with us, and we had a fat crane and a mallard, and a dried neat's tongue; and so we were kindly and friendly together. 3 Saturday, the 3d of March, the wind was south, the Mar. morning misty, but towards noon warm and fair weather. The birds sang in the woods most pleasantly. At one of the clock it thundered, which was The Town Brook. See note 3 Morton, in his Memorial, p. 50, as on page 172. 2 See note on page 126. "February 21. Die Mr. William White, Mr. William Mullins, with two more; and the 25th dies Mary, the wife of Mr. Isaac Allerton. N. B. This month seventeen of our number die." Bradford, in Prince, p. 184. Mullins and White were the 10th and 11th signers of the Compact; each of them brought his wife over, and each had three others, probably children, in his family. White was the father of the first child born in New England, as mentioned on page 148. William Mullins is described by "a man pious and well deserving, The minion was a piece of 182 X. WELCOME, SAMOSET. CHAP. the first we heard in that country. It was strong and great claps, but short; but after an hour it rained very 1621. sadly till midnight. Mar. Wednesday, the 7th of March, the wind was full 7. east, cold, but fair. That day Master Carver, with five others, went to the great ponds,' which seem to be excellent fishing places. All the way they went they found it exceedingly beaten, and haunted with deer; but they saw none. Amongst other fowl they saw one, a milk-white fowl, with a very black head. This day some garden seeds were sown. 16. Friday, the 16th, a fair warm day towards. This morning we determined to conclude of the military orders, which we had begun to consider of before, but were interrupted by the savages, as we mentioned formerly. And whilst we were busied hereabout, we were interrupted again; for there presented himself a savage, which caused an alarm. He very boldly came all alone, and along the houses, straight to the rendezvous; where we intercepted him, not suffering him to go in, as undoubtedly he would out of his boldness. He saluted us in English, and bade us "Welcome;" for he had learned some broken English among the Englishmen that came to fish at Monhiggon, and knew by name the most of the captains, commanders, and masters, that usually come. He was a man free in 5 DESCRIPTION OF SAMOSET. 183 X. Mar. speech, so far as he could express his mind, and of a CHAP. seemly carriage. We questioned him of many things; he was the first savage we could meet withal. He 1621. said he was not of these parts, but of Morattiggon,' 16. and one of the sagamores or lords thereof; and had been eight months in these parts, it lying hence a day's sail with a great wind, and five days by land. He discoursed of the whole country, and of every province, and of their sagamores, and their number of men and strength. The wind beginning to rise a little, we cast a horseman's coat about him; for he was stark naked, only a leather about his waist, with a fringe about a span long or little more. He had a bow and two arrows, the one headed, and the other unheaded. He was a tall, straight man, the hair of his head black, long behind, only short before, none on his face at all. He asked some beer, but we gave him strong water, and biscuit, and butter, and cheese, and pudding, and a piece of mallard; all which he liked well, and had been acquainted with such amongst the English. He told us the place where we now live is called Patuxet, and that about four years ago all the inhabitants died of an extraordinary plague, and there is more intercourse with the natives, 3 All the early writers on New |