The Mayflower and Her Log Part 22

Master Martin died this day. He had been a "governour" of the pa.s.sengers on the ship, and an "a.s.sistant," and was an Adventurer.

One of the Master-mates took a musket, and went with young Francis Billington to find the great inland sea the latter had seen from the top of a tree, and found a great water, in two great lakes [Billington Sea,]

also Indian houses.

TUESDAY, Jan. 9/Jan. 19 At anchor in harbor. Fair day. Sent burying-party ash.o.r.e after services aboard, with the body of Master Martin, and he was buried with some ceremony on the hill near the landing-place. The settlers drew lots for their meersteads and garden-plots. The common-house nearly finished, wanting only covering.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10/Jan. 20 At anchor in harbor. Party went aland from ship. Frosty.

THURSDAY, Jan. 11/Jan. 21 At anchor in harbor. A fair day. Party ash.o.r.e from ship and coming off at night, reported Master William Bradford very ill: Many ill aboard.

FRIDAY, Jan. 12/Jan. 22 At anchor in harbor. Began to rain at noon and stopped all work. Those coming aboard ship at night reported John Goodman and Peter Browne, two of the colonists, missing, and fears entertained that they may have been taken by Indians. Froze and snowed at night. The first snow for a month. An extremely cold night.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Jan. 13/Jan. 23 At anchor in harbor. The Governor sent out an armed party of ten or twelve to look for the missing men, but they returned without seeing or hearing anything at all of them.

Those on shipboard much grieved, as deeming them lost. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Jan. 14/Jan. 24 At anchor in harbor. About six o'clock in the morning, the wind being very great, the watch on deck spied the great new rendezvous on sh.o.r.e on fire and feared it fired by Indians, but the tide being out, men could not get ash.o.r.e for three quarters of an hour, when they went armed. At the landing they heard that the lost men were returned, some frost-bitten, and that the thatch of the common-house only was burnt by a spark, but no other harm done the roof. The most loss was Governor Carver's and Master Bradford's, both of whom lay sick in bed, and narrowly missed being blown up with powder. The meeting was to have been kept ash.o.r.e to-day, the greater number of the people now being there, but the fire, etc., prevented. Some of those sick in the common-house were fain to return aboard for shelter. Fifth Sunday in this harbor.

MONDAY, Jan. 15/Jan. 25 At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Rained much all day. They on shipboard could not go ash.o.r.e nor they on sh.o.r.e do any labor, but were all wet.

TUESDAY, Jan. 16/Jan. 26 At anchorage. A fine, sunshining day like April. Party went aland betimes. Many ill both on ship and on sh.o.r.e.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17/Jan. 27 At anchorage. Another fine, sunshining day. Working-party went aland early. Set on sh.o.r.e some of the Planters' goods.

[Mourt's Relation, Dexter's ed. p. 77. Bradford states (op. cit.

Ma.s.s. ed. p. 110) that they were hindered in getting goods ash.o.r.e by "want of boats," as well as sickness. Mention is made only of the "long-boat" and shallop. It is possible there were no others, except the Master's skiff]

THURSDAY, Jan. 18/Jan. 28 At anchorage. Another fine, bright day.

Some of the common goods [i.e. belonging to all] set on sh.o.r.e.

FRIDAY, Jan. 19/Jan. 29 At anchorage. A shed was begun on sh.o.r.e to receive the goods from the ship. Rained at noon but cleared toward night.

[Cleared toward evening (though wet at noon), and John Goodman went out to try his frozen feet, as is recorded, and had his encounter with wolves.]

SAt.u.r.dAY, Jan. 20/Jan. 30 At anchorage. Shed made ready for goods from ship. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Jan. 21/Jan. 31 At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Sixth Sunday in this harbor. Many ill. The Planters kept their meeting on land to-day for the first time, in the common-house.

MONDAY, Jan. 22/Feb. 1 At anchorage. Fair day. Hogsheads of meal sent on sh.o.r.e from ship and put in storehouse.

TUESDAY, Jan. 23/Feb. 2 At anchorage. The general sickness increases, both on shipboard and on land.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 24/Feb. 3 At anchor in harbor. Fair weather. Party on sh.o.r.e from ship and returned at night.

THURSDAY, Jan. 25/Feb. 4 At anchorage. Weather good. Party set ash.o.r.e and came aboard at night.

FRIDAY, Jan. 26/Feb. 5 At anchorage. Weather good. Party set ash.o.r.e. The sickness increases.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Jan. 27/Feb. 6 At anchorage. Weather fair. Good working weather all the week, but many sick.

Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Jan. 28/Feb. 7 At anchorage, Plymouth harbor. Seventh Sunday in this harbor. Meeting kept on sh.o.r.e. Those of Planters on board who were able, and some of the ship's company, went ash.o.r.e, and came off after service.

MONDAY, Jan. 29/Feb. 8 At anchor, Plymouth harbor. Morning cold, with frost and sleet, but after reason ably fair. Both long-boat and shallop carrying Planters' goods on sh.o.r.e. Those returning reported that Mistress Rose Standish, wife of Captain Standish, died to-day.

TUESDAY, Jan. 30/Feb. 9 At anchorage. Cold, frosty weather, so no working-party went on sh.o.r.e from ship. The Master and others of the ship's company saw two savages that had been on the island near the ship [Clarke's Island]. They were gone so far back again before they were discovered that could not speak with them.

The first natives actually seen since the encounter on the Cape.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31/Feb. 10 At anchor in harbor. Still cold and frosty, with sleet. No party went on sh.o.r.e. Eight of the colonists have died this month on the ship and on sh.o.r.e.

THURSDAY, Feb. 1/Feb. 11 At anchor in harbor. Weather better, and some of those on board the ship went on sh.o.r.e to work, but many ill.

FRIDAY, Feb. 2/Feb. 12 At anchorage. The same.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Feb. 3/13 At anchorage. Weather threatening. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Feb. 4/14 At anchor, Plymouth harbor. The eighth Sunday in this harbor, and now inexpedient to think of getting away, till both Planters and crew in better condition as to health.

[Bradford, Historie, p. 92; Young, Chronicler, p. 198. Bradford says (op. cit. Ma.s.s. ed, pp. 120, 121): "The reason on their parts why she stayed so long was ye necessitie and danger that lay upon them, for it was well toward ye ende of December before she could land anything here, or they able to receive anything ash.o.r.e. After wards, ye 14 of January the house which they had made for a general randevoze by casulty fell afire, and some were faine to retire aboard for shelter. Then the sickness begane to fall sore amongst them, and ye weather so bad as they could not make much sooner dispatch. Againe, the Governor & chiefe of them seeing so many dye, and fall down sick dayly, thought it no wisdom to send away the ship, their condition considered, and the danger they stood in from ye Indians, till they could procure some shelter; and therefore thought it better to draw some more charge upon themselves & friends ["demurrage?"] than hazard all. The Mr. and sea-men likewise; though before they hasted ye pa.s.sengers a sh.o.r.e to be goone [gone], now many of their men being dead, and of ye ablest of them [as is before noted, and of ye rest many lay sick & weake, ye Mr, durst not put to sea till he saw his men begine to recover, and ye hart of winter over."]]

A very rainy day with the heaviest gusts of wind yet experienced. The ship in some danger of oversetting, being light and unballasted.

MONDAY, Feb. 5/15 At anchor in harbor. Clearing weather.

TUESDAY, Feb. 6/16 At anchor in harbor. Cold and clear.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7/17 At anchor in harbor. Much colder.

THURSDAY, Feb. 8/18 At anchorage. Hard, cold weather.

FRIDAY, Feb. 9/19 At anchorage. Cold weather continues.

Little work possible. The little house for the sick people on sh.o.r.e took fire this afternoon, by a spark that kindled in the roof. No great harm done. The Master going ash.o.r.e, killed five geese, which he distributed among the sick people. He also found a good deer the savages had killed, having also cut off his horns. A wolf was eating him. Cannot conceive how he came there.

SAt.u.r.dAY, Feb. 10/20 At anchor in harbor. Getting goods on sh.o.r.e, but sickness makes both Planters and crew shorthanded. Fetched wood and water.

SUNDAY, Feb. 11/21 At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Ninth Sunday in this harbor.

MONDAY, Feb. 12/22 At anchorage. Getting goods on sh.o.r.e.

TUESDAY, Feb. 13/23 At anchorage. Rainy.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14/24 At anchorage. More sickness on ship and on sh.o.r.e than at any time, and more deaths.

Rainy, clearing.

[The sickness and mortality had rapidly increased and was now at its height]

THURSDAY, Feb. 15/25 At anchorage. Northerly wind and frost.

FRIDAY, Feb. 16/26 At anchorage. Northerly wind continues, which continues the frost. Those from sh.o.r.e reported that one of the Planters, being out fowling and hidden in the reeds, about a mile and a half from the settlement, saw twelve Indians marching toward the plantation and heard many more.

He hurried home with all speed and gave the alarm, so all the people in the woods at work returned and armed themselves, but saw nothing of the Indians. Captain Standish's and Francis Cooke's tools also stolen by Indians in woods. A great fire toward night seen from the ship, about where the Indians were discovered.