V.—Governor Winthrop’s Night out of Doors.
GOVERNOR WINTHROP.
GOVERNOR WINTHROP.
The governor, being at his farm-house at Mistick,[457] walked out after supper,and took a piece[458] in his hand, supposing he might see a wolf; for they came daily about the house, and killed swine and calves, &c. And, being about half a mile off, it grew suddenly dark, so as in coming home he mistook his path, and went till he came to a little house ofSagamore John,[459] which stood empty. There he staid; and, having a piece of match in his pocket,—for he always carried about him match and a compass, and, in summer-time, snakeweed,—he made a good fire near the house, and lay down upon some old mats which hefound there, and so spent the night, sometimes walking by the fire, sometimes singing psalms, and sometimes getting wood, but could not sleep. It was, through God’s mercy,a warm night,[460] but, a little before day, it began to rain; and, having no cloak, he made shift by a long pole to climb up into the house. In the morning, there came thither an Indian squaw; but, perceiving her before she had opened the door, he barred her out: yet she staid there a great while, essaying to get in, and at last she went away, and he returned safe home, his servants having been much perplexed for him, and having walked about, and shot off pieces, and hallooed in the night; but he heard them not.
VI.—The Privations of the Puritans.
Now coming into this country, I found it a vacant wilderness in respect of English. There were, indeed, some English at Plymouth and Salem, and some few at Charlestown, who were very destitute when we came ashore; and, planting-time being past shortly after, provision was not to be had for money. I wrote to my friends, namely, to my dear father, to send me some provision; which accordingly he did, and also gave order to one of his neighbors to supply me with what I needed, he being a seaman, who, coming hither, supplied me with divers things.… Fish was a good help to me and others. Bread was so very scarce, that sometimes I thought the very crusts of my father’stable would have been very sweet unto me. And, when I could have meal and water and salt boiled together, it was so good, who could wish better?
