About this time, in their house in Dukes’s place, Edward and Alice Southworth received a letter written by Robert Cushman, while at Dartmouth, relating the unpleasant events that had transpired. Their sympathies were doubtless awakened, but even more their surprise, when, not long after, Robert and Mary Cushman and their son, returned to London; they and a number of others both from choice and necessity had left the company at Plymouth when it was finally decided to abandon the thought of the Speedwell making the voyage and that the Mayflower would go on alone.
Such of the passengers who had come from Leyden and who were to continue their voyage, were transferred with their effects to the other ship, and in this unexpected turn of their affairs, all had to make themselves as comfortable as possible. Disappointment and the discouraging delay could not have lent much enthusiasm to the re-arranging of themselves and their family belongings, especially in such crowded quarters as now became necessary. Finally, all being adjusted, the Speedwell sailed for London and the Mayflower for her long voyage.
Compactness could never have had a more effective demonstration, when one considers what actually was required by these colonists in the way of equipment, the number of people and the size of the ship. Though the Leyden contingent had brought little more than personal belongings, and as few as possible, the Speedwell had little spare space, while on board the Mayflower when she sailed from London were not only the passengers and their accessories, but supplies for the enterprise as a whole—other necessaries being added at Southampton—also the regular ship’s supplies for the vessel and crew for a long voyage and return.
Let us glance at a list of articles which we know were part of the load: building materials for houses and boats, clothing materials, beds and bedding, rugs, spinning-wheels, chairs, chests, cradles, cooking utensils, carpentering tools, books, weapons, gunpowder and shot, cannon, garden and farm implements, seeds and plants, medicines, trinkets for trading with the Indians, goats, chickens, pigs, pigeons, dogs, beer and butter, food for the animals, dried and salted foods for the people. And some of these things we may see this day, as they have been seen on any day of these three hundred years since they were shipped on the Mayflower.
We have heard careless or would-be witty remarks as to the countless china tea pots, which came in the Mayflower and are in every state in the Union, or household furnishings which would supply largely populated cities by the number claimed as authentic. Such amusing remarks cause a smile indeed, not however, from the cause the sarcastic authors assume, but from the ignorance or exaggeration willingly or unconsciously evinced. The known freight the Mayflower carried was a ship load and no more—and some of it remains to the present hour. China tea pots, or even one, never was part of her invoice; tea and coffee were not then known as beverages to these people, nor in their world; what a solace and comfort therefore was missing for the women of the voyage—for at sea, how seemingly indispensable are these important factors of present day life.
The women of the Mayflower—let us look at them now, since all who ever may be called by that name are together on the ship, and fair days and moonlight nights give possible encouragement to them as the voyage opens. We see the forms of those we have known in England and Leyden, heretofore, some more familiar to us than others, but we are interested in all, however slight our acquaintance: and their new companions, lately from London, claim our attention likewise. Among these latter we note Mrs. Stephen Hopkins as an addition of great advantage; her vigor of mind and body, her decidedly wholesome and attractive personality wins regard from all. Her own little daughter, Damaris, and her step-daughter, Constantia, added one each to the quota of childhood and girlhood on board. Against the name of Elizabeth Hopkins, as against the names of two others of the matrons of this passenger list, (Mary Brewster and Susanna White) destiny set a shining mark.
Mrs. John Carver has her maid and her young ward, Desire Minter, also the frequent company of her dear friends, Mrs. Myles Standish and Mrs. Edward Winslow. It needed not for John Carver to be one of the leading men of this company, nor for him and his wife to have more of worldly goods than many, for Katherine Carver to have the love and admiration of all who knew her.
Quite a stranger to all is Mrs. Christopher Martin, and scarcely known during her brief stay among them; she and her husband were among the passengers from London.
Two pairs of mothers and daughters,—Mrs. Chilton and Mary, Mrs. Mullins and Priscilla—engage our attention, as Cupid’s entanglements are even in this serious adventure, since Mary has lost an admirer and Priscilla gained one. There was not room for both of Edward Winslow’s brothers on the larger ship, when the Speedwell failed their hopes, so John had to seek the new world and his winsome Mary, at a later day. John Alden, the young cooper, engaged for the voyage at Southampton, has already met his fate in acquaintance with the buoyant Priscilla. The names of these two sweet maids of the Mayflower, (soon to become sorrow-touched women of the new colony) ripple as music through poetry and romance, or staid fact and history to our imagination.
Here is a group whom we know far less well; Mrs. Thomas Tinker, Mrs. John Rigdale, Mrs. Francis Eaton, yet we feel sure their qualities of mind and heart must be the equal of many of their companions.