In May the Sparrow, a fishing vessel, arrived bringing seven more passengers. In July two more vessels, the Charity, and the Swan, belonging to Mr. Weston, arrived with about sixty men who were left at the Plymouth settlement. They remained there through the summer when, upon the return of one of Weston’s ships from Virginia, they were transferred to Weymouth, their original destination.
These ships had brought the information that Mr. Weston had withdrawn from the Merchant Adventurers and had acquired a patent to land in the vicinity of Massachusetts Bay, that the men sent over were destined therefore, that they were a rough lot and, according to a letter from Mr. Cushman “were no men for them.” They were, however, as well provided for as the circumstances under this added burden and their strained supply of provisions would permit, until their removal to the Weymouth Colony.
After their departure and when the supply of food was well nigh exhausted, a fishing vessel came into the harbor, from which they were able to secure a small supply of provisions that helped sustain them until the next harvest. This vessel also brought report of the Indian massacre in Virginia.
It was during the succeeding weeks that the fort was built on the hill (Burial Hill). As Bradford says, “This summer they built a fort of good timber both strong and comely, which was of good defence, made with a flat roof and battlements on which their ordinance were mounted and where they kept constant watch, especially in time of danger. It served them also for a meeting-house and was fitted accordingly for that use. It was a great work for them in this weakness and time of wants; but the danger of the time required it, and both the continual rumors of the fears from the Indians here, especially the Narragansetts, and also the hearing of that great massacre in Virginia, made all hands willing to despatch the same.”
Capt. Standish Slays Pecksuot
The next harvest turned out to be a poor one owing partly to their weakened condition and to other necessary work that they were called upon to do. But again Providence came to the rescue. Another ship, the Discovery, Captain Jones (Not Captain Christopher Jones of the Mayflower) came into the harbor. She had been sent out from England to “discover all the harbors between this and Virginia and the sholes of Cape Cod and to trade along the coast where they could.”
From this ship they obtained articles which they in turn were able to exchange with the Indians for corn which they sorely needed and for beaver skins to apply to their obligations to the Adventurers.
The Swan, having been left by Mr. Weston at Weymouth and the colony there being destitute of provisions, arrangement was made with the Plymouth Colony to join them in a trading expedition along the Cape. This was made under the direction of Governor Bradford who went with them, taking Squanto as guide. At Chatham Squanto was stricken with fever and died, wherein they sustained a great loss. They succeeded in getting “about 26 or 28 hogsheads of corn and beans from the Indians,” after which “the Governor took a few men and went to the inland places, to get what he could, and to fetch it home at the spring, which did help them something.”
1623