The Pilgrim Story / Being largely a compilation from the documents of Governor Bradford and Governor Winslow, severally and in collaboration; together with a list of Mayflower passengers.

by William Franklin Atwood

Search for Permanent Settlement

On November 25th, a party of sixteen men under the leadership of Captain Standish set out on foot looking for a place for permanent settlement “having such instructions as was thought meet.” They had proceeded but a short distance when they met a small party of Indians who fled upon approach. They were followed for some miles, when, darkness coming on, they made camp for the night.

Nov. 26 to 28

The following day further exploration was made. Some Indian corn was discovered, also fresh water from which they drank being sorely in need thereof “this being the first New England water drunk of.”

Returning from the vicinity of Truro and the Pamet River to which their exploration had taken them, they saw deer and “great flocks of wild geese and ducks, but they were fearful of us.”[6] Also signs of Indian habitation and “heaps of sand newly padled with their hands, which they, digging up, found in them divers fair Indian baskets filled with corn, and some in ears, fair and good, of divers colors, which seemed to them a goodly sight (having never seen any such before). So their time limited to them being expired, they returned to the ship, lest they should be in fear of their safety; and took with them part of the corn ... of which on their return they were marvellously glad....”

The days immediately following were occupied in completing repairs to the shallop, in cutting wood and getting tools in readiness, in anticipation of a permanent landing.

With this in view a party of thirty set forth on Dec. 7, “for the better discovery of this place.” They found signs of Indian habitation also “more of their corn and of their beans of various colors. The corn and beans they brought away proposing to give them good satisfaction when they should meet with any of them (as about 6 months afterward they did, to their good content).” “And here it is to be noted a special Providence of God, and a great mercy to this poor people that here they got seed to plant them corn the next year or else they might have starved, for they had none, nor any likelihood to get any until the season had been past (as the sequel did manifest).”

Not finding the desired harborage or place for permanent settlement this party returned to the Mayflower.

During their absence and while the Mayflower lay in the Harbor of Provincetown, a son was born to Susanna White, wife of William White. He was named Peregrine.

THE SHALLOP ARRIVES AT PLYMOUTH
The Landing

Wed. Dec. 16

On the sixteenth of December another party set out in the shallop “upon further discovery intending to circulate that deep bay of Cape Cod.” This party consisted of Myles Standish, John Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, John Tilley, Edward Tilley, John Howland, Richard Warren, Stephen Hopkins, Edward Dotey, John Allerton, Thomas English, the ship’s mates, Mr. Clark and Mr. Coppin, and the master gunner and three sailors.

“The weather was very cold and it froze so hard as the spray of the sea lighting on their coats, they were as if they had been glazed.”

Proceeding as far as Wellfleet they discovered a party of “ten or twelve Indians very busy about a black thing,—what it was we could not tell,—until afterwards they saw us, and ran to and fro, as if they had been carrying something away. We landed a league or two from them where we made us a barricade and got firewood and set out sentinels and betook us to our lodging, such as it was.” This landing was at Eastham ten miles distant.

Thurs. Dec. 17

When morning came the company was divided, eight cruising along shore in the shallop while the remainder explored the land bordering thereon. They came to the spot “where they saw the Indians the night before and found they had been cutting up a great fish like a grampus.” (small whale or blackfish).

Nothing of importance having been discovered this day, they returned to the shallop which had come ashore at their calling. “So being weary and faint,—for we had eaten nothing all day,—we fell to make our rendezvous and get firewood and we fed upon such victuals as we had, and betook us to our rest, and we had set out our watch.”

Fri. Dec. 18

In the early morning of the 18th, they had their first encounter with the Indians “some thirty or forty of them, though some thought that they were many more.” Many arrows were shot but “none of them either hit or hurt us, though many came close by us and on every side of us and some coats which hung up in our barricade were shot through and through.” But after several shots were fired at them, they all left with apparently no casualties. This was the first actual encounter with the Indians.

During the day the reunited party skirted the coast, the wind increasing during the afternoon to gale force. The boat’s rudder was broken and the mast split and they were dependent upon their oars for steering. In this condition they were driven across the bay toward Saquish where the high seas prevented landing. By skillful maneuvering however they managed to round Saquish head and “although it was very dark and rained sore, yet in the end they got under the lee of a small island,[7] and remained there all the night in safety.”

Sat. Dec. 19

“Yet, God gave them a morning of comfort and refreshment for the next day was a fair and sunshiny day and they found themselves to be on an island secure from the Indians, where they might dry their stuff, fix their pieces and rest themselves. And this being the last day of the week, they prepared there to keep the Sabbath.”