CHAPTER VI.

The Pilgrims decide to settle at Plymouth—The Landing—The First Law—The Pioneers at Work—Plan of the Town—The Weather—Satisfaction of the Pilgrims with the Site of their Colony—The Journal—Pilgrim Traits—A Page from Cotton Mather—The Frenchman’s Prophecy—Social Arrangements—Standish chosen Captain—Births and Deaths—The Block-Citadel—Isolation of the Pilgrims—Combination of Circumstances which produced the Settlement of Plymouth in 1620

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CHAPTER VII.

The Early Spring of 1621—The Pilgrims Buoyant and Hopeful-Planting—In the Woods—The Tyro Hunters—A Forest Adventure—The Storm—On the Skirts of the Settlement—“Welcome, Englishmen”—The Solitary Indian—His Entertainment—Samoset’s Story—Valuable Information—The Kidnapper— The Nausets—Pilgrim Description of Samoset—“What shall we do with our Dusky Guest?”—Samoset’s Embassy—His Return—Squanto—His Romantic History—Massasoit—The Redman and the Pale-face—Negotiations—The Treaty—Its Faithful Observance—A Picture of Massasoit—Billington’s Offence—The Lackey duelists—Death—Frightful Mortality—Burial hill—Death of Governor Carver—Bradford elected Governor—Departure of the “Mayflower”—Feeling of the Pilgrims—The “Orphans of Humanity”

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CHAPTER VIII.

The Pilgrim Panacea—The Summer—The Prospect—Wild Fowl, Shell-fish, and Berries—A Glimpse at Plymouth in 1621—The Pioneers open the Volume of Nature—Lessons in Woodcraft—Bradford and the Deer-trap—Explorations—The Embassy to Massasoit—Its Object—The Indian Guide—The Pause at Namasket—A New “Kind of Bread”—The “Deserted Village”—The Wigwam “Palace” of Massasoit—Presents—The Sachem and the Horseman’s Coat—The “Pipe of Peace”—The Sagamore’s Cordiality—Massasoit’s Housekeeping—A Full Bed—Indian Games—The Feast—The Return—Honorable and Amicable Treatment of the Indians by the Pilgrim Fathers—Advantages of this Course—Barbarism makes an Obeisance to Civilization—End of the Indian’s Lease of Ages of the Forest—The New Tenant takes Possession in the Name of God and Liberty

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