Artist: George Henry Boughton (bȏ´´tȯn).
Birthplace: Norwich, England.
Dates: Born, 1833; died, 1905.
The story of the picture. We all know how, long ago, that sturdy band of one hundred and two Puritans left England in the small and storm-beaten ship called the Mayflower. They were called Puritans because they were dissatisfied with the religion of the Church of England, and demanded purification of all the old observances and doctrines.
When they began to establish in England separate churches of their own, they were driven from place to place. They longed for a land where they could worship God in their own way, so they came to America, determined to endure every danger and to trust in God to care for them. Their wanderings from place to place had given them a new name, "Pilgrim," which means "wanderer." Then, ever since their landing on the rock at Plymouth, they have been called Pilgrim Fathers.
There were many women and children in this band of wanderers. On the journey a little baby was born and was called Oceanus after the great rolling ocean.
The Pilgrims endured many hardships in those first few years, and none more distressing than the frequent attacks by the Indians, who resented the strangers' presence in a land which belonged to them. The Pilgrims carried their guns with them even when they went to church, for they never knew just when they might be attacked.
They arrived in the fall of the year, too late to plant grain or to put by enough provisions for the winter, so they were quite dependent upon the provision boat from England. Often this boat was long delayed because of storms at sea, or because the people in England did not send it on time. This caused much suffering and distress.
In our picture we see three of the first settlers of our New England coast, waiting for the provision ship. The waves come rolling in to this rough and barren shore, but as far as the eye can see there is yet no sign of the awaited boat. On that point of land in the distance are a few rude houses which must be the homes of the Pilgrims. This dreary place, so bleak and barren, makes us wonder how they could ever hope to survive the perils of a winter there.
Our interest is centered upon the three figures at the right in the picture. One can almost read the thoughts expressed in the three faces. The figure of the man stands out strong and erect, and there is that in his fixed gaze which tells us his thoughts are far away. No doubt he is thinking of his old home across the ocean. He is homesick, yet go back he would not; there is no sign of discouragement. His wife, standing beside him, places her hand on his shoulder to comfort him, but she too looks as if she were thinking of that other home and the friends across the sea. Her gentle, refined face is saddened for the moment, yet in it we see expressed the fine courage which has carried her thus far along the way.
The mother, seated on the great rock, has the same thoughtful, far-away gaze. Her hands, clasped in her lap, have more of resignation and patience in them. Probably her thoughts and affections are centered in the two dear ones beside her, and in their welfare, rather than in the friends across the sea.
Notice the Puritan dress, cloaks, shoes, caps, and collars. These people are well dressed, and do not seem to be poor. Perhaps they are simply longing to hear from their friends, and hoping the ship will bring some news of them. It may be that it has been due for several days, and each day they have walked out to this same rocky point, hoping to see it on the distant horizon.