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diff --git a/44616-0.txt b/44616-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d052cc --- /dev/null +++ b/44616-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3714 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44616 *** + +Transcriber's Note: + + Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have + been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. + + Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. + + + + + MARY OF PLYMOUTH + + A STORY OF THE PILGRIM SETTLEMENT + + BY + JAMES OTIS + + + NEW YORK -:- CINCINNATI -:- CHICAGO + AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY + JAMES OTIS KALER + + ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL, LONDON + + + + +FOREWORD + + +The purpose of this series of stories is to show the children, and +even those who have already taken up the study of history, the _home +life_ of the colonists with whom they meet in their books. To this end +every effort has been made to avoid anything savoring of romance, and +to deal only with facts, so far as that is possible, while describing +the daily life of those people who conquered the wilderness whether for +conscience sake or for gain. + +That the stories may appeal more directly to the children, they are +told from the viewpoint of a child, and purport to have been related +by a child. Should any criticism be made regarding the seeming neglect +to mention important historical facts, the answer would be that these +books are not sent out as histories,--although it is believed that they +will awaken a desire to learn more of the building of the nation,--and +only such incidents as would be particularly noted by a child are used. + + +Surely it is entertaining as well as instructive for young people to +read of the toil and privations in the homes of those who came into a +new world to build up a country for themselves, and such homely facts +are not to be found in the real histories of our land. + + JAMES OTIS. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + Why This Story Was Written 9 + The Leaking "Speedwell" 10 + Searching for a Home 13 + After the Storm 15 + Wash Day 16 + Finding the Corn 17 + Attacked by the Savages 20 + Building Houses 22 + Miles Standish 24 + The Sick People 26 + The New Home 27 + Master White and the Wolf 29 + The Inside of the House 30 + A Chimney Without Bricks 32 + Building the Fire 33 + Master Bradford's Chimney 34 + Scarcity of Food 36 + A Timely Gift 38 + The First Savage Visitor 39 + Squanto's Story 41 + Living in the Wilderness 42 + The Friendly Indians 44 + Grinding the Corn 46 + A Visit From Massasoit 47 + Massasoit's Promise 50 + Massasoit's Visit Returned 52 + The Big House Burned 53 + The "Mayflower" Leaves Port 54 + Setting the Table 56 + What and How We Eat 58 + Table Rules 60 + When the Pilgrim Goes Abroad 62 + Making a Dugout 63 + Governor Carver's Death 65 + William Bradford Chosen Governor 67 + Farming in Plymouth 68 + Ways of Cooking Indian Corn 70 + The Wedding 72 + Making Maple Sugar 73 + Decorating the Inside of the House 74 + Trapping Wolves and Bagging Pigeons 76 + Elder Brewster 77 + The Visit to Massasoit 79 + Keeping the Sabbath Holy 80 + Making Clapboards 81 + Cooking Pumpkins 82 + A New Oven 83 + Making Spoons and Dishes 84 + The Fort and Meeting-House 86 + The Harvest Festival 89 + How to Play Stoolball 91 + On Christmas Day 93 + When the "Fortune" Arrived 94 + Possibility of Another Famine 96 + On Short Allowance 98 + A Threatening Message 99 + Pine Knots and Candles 101 + Tallow from Bushes 102 + Wicks for the Candles 103 + Dipping the Candles 105 + When James Runs Away 106 + Evil-Minded Indians 109 + Long Hours of Preaching 110 + John Alden's Tubs 112 + English Visitors 113 + Visiting the Neighbors 115 + Why More Fish Are Not Taken 116 + How Wampum is Made 118 + Ministering to Massasoit 119 + The Plot Thwarted 121 + The Captain's Indian 122 + Ballots of Corn 123 + Arrival of the "Ann" 123 + The "Little James" Comes to Port 125 + The New Meeting-House 125 + The Church Service 127 + The Tithingmen 129 + Master Winslow Brings Home Cows 130 + A Real Oven 131 + Butter and Cheese 132 + The Settlement at Wessagussett 133 + The Village of Merrymount 135 + The First School 136 + Too Much Smoke 138 + School Comforts 139 + How the Children Were Punished 140 + New Villages 142 + Clothing for the Salem Company 146 + Preparing Food For the Journey 147 + Before Sailing for Salem 148 + Beginning the Journey 150 + The Arrival at Salem 153 + Sight-Seeing in Salem 154 + Back to Plymouth 155 + + + + +MARY OF PLYMOUTH + + + + +WHY THIS STORY WAS WRITTEN + + +My name is Mary, and I am setting down all these things about our +people here in this new world, hoping some day to send to my dear +friend, Hannah, who lives in Scrooby, England, what may really come to +be a story, even though the writer of it is only sixteen years old, +having lived in Plymouth since the day our company landed from the +_Mayflower_ in 1620, more than eleven years ago. + + [Illustration] + +If Hannah ever really sees this as I have written it, she will, I know, +be amused; for it is set down on pieces of birch bark and some leaves +cut from the book of accounts which Edward Winslow brought with him +from the old home. + +Hannah will ask why I did not use fair, white paper, and, if I am +standing by when she does so, I shall tell her that fair, white paper +is far too precious in this new world of ours to be used for the +pleasure of children. + +In the last ship which came from England were large packages of white +paper for the settlers at Salem, who came over to this wild land eight +years after we landed, and when I asked my father to buy for me three +sheets that I might make a little book, he told me the price would +be more for the three sheets than he paid for the two deer skins with +which to make me a winter coat. + + [Illustration] + +Of course I put from my mind all hope of having paper to write on; but +these sheets of bark take very well the ink made from elderberries +which mother and I brewed the second winter after our new home was +built. The pen is a quill taken from the wing of a wild goose shot by +Captain Standish. + + + + +THE LEAKING "SPEEDWELL" + + +Hannah's father must have told her how much of trouble we had in +getting here, for when the first vessel in which we set sail, named +the _Speedwell_, put back to Plymouth in England because of leaking so +badly, her master could not have failed to tell the people of Scrooby +how all the hundred and two of us, men, women and children, were +crowded into the _Mayflower_. + + [Illustration] + +From the sixth day of September until the eleventh day of November, +which is over sixty long dreary days, we were on the ocean, and then +our vessel was come into what Captain John Smith had named Cape Cod +Bay. + +Mother believed, as did the other women, and even we children, that we +would go on shore as soon as the _Mayflower_ had come near to the land; +but before many hours were passed, after the anchor had been dropped +into the sea, even the youngest of us knew that it could not be. + +We were weary with having been on board the vessel so long, and had +made ourselves believe that as soon as we were arrived in the new +world, food in plenty, with good, comfortable homes, would be ours. + + [Illustration] + +Master Brewster, as well as the other men, said that houses must be +built before we could leave the ship, and it was only needed we should +go on deck and look about us, to know why this was so. Everywhere, +except on the water, were snow and trees. It was a real forest as far +as I could see in either direction, and everywhere the cold, white snow +was piled in drifts, or blowing like feathers when the wind was high. + +So deeply was the land covered that we, who watched the men when they +went ashore for the first time to seek out some place whereon to make +a village, thought that they had fallen into a hole while stepping off +the rocks, because we lost sight of them so soon. Instead of its being +an accident, however, we could see that they were floundering in the +snow, Master Bradford, whose legs are the shortest, being nearly lost +to view. + +We waited as patiently as possible for them to come back, though I +must confess that Sarah, a girl of about my own age who came aboard the +_Mayflower_ at Plymouth when we put back because of the _Speedwell's_ +leaking so badly, and I could not keep in check our eagerness to hear +from those people in Virginia, who it was said were living in comfort. + +Not for many days did we come to realize that the settlers in Virginia +were far, very far away from where we were to land, and to see them we +should be forced to take another long voyage in a ship. We had come +amidst the snow and the savage Indians, instead of among people from +England, as had been planned when we set out on the journey. + + + + +SEARCHING FOR A HOME + + +Father was wet, cold, weary, and almost discouraged when he came on +board the vessel after that first day on shore. The men had found no +place which looked as if it might be a good spot for our village. +Father said that he was not the only member of the company who had +begun to believe it would have been better had we stayed in Leyden, or +in any other place where we would have been allowed to worship God in +our own way, rather than thus have ventured into a wild forest where +were fierce animals, and, perhaps, yet more cruel savages. + +On that very night, soon after our fathers were on board again, a +great storm came up. The vessel tumbled about as if she had been on the +broad ocean, and when we heard the men throwing out more anchors, we +children were afraid and cried, for Sarah's father said he believed the +_Mayflower_ would be cast ashore and wrecked on the cruel rocks over +which the waves were dashing themselves into foam. + + [Illustration] + +Some of the women were frightened, although my mother was not of the +number, and it was only when Master Brewster came among us, praying +most fervently, and saying that God would watch over us even as He had +on the mighty ocean, that the cries and sobs of fear were checked. +Truly did I think, while Sarah and I hugged each other very hard so +that we might not be heard to cry, that this was a most wretched place +in which to make a new home, and how I wished we had never left Leyden, +or that we had gone back to Scrooby instead of coming here! + + + + +AFTER THE STORM + + +It was Saturday when our vessel first came to anchor, and the storm +held furious until Monday morning, when the snow was piled up higher +than before, and many of the smaller trees were hidden from sight; but +yet our fathers went on shore when the sun shone once more, while the +sailors made ready to launch the big boat which they call the shallop. +It had been tied down on the deck of the _Mayflower_, taking up so +much space that, because of her, we children could not move around +comfortably on deck even when the weather permitted. + +Some of the upper timbers had been broken by the waves during the +storms which came upon us while we were on the ocean, and it was said +that much in the way of mending must be done before she could be made +seaworthy. Therefore, owing to the need of room in which to work, +the sailors took her ashore where it could be done with somewhat of +comfort. + +You must know that a shallop is a large boat, much larger than the one +belonging to our ship, which is called a longboat. To my mind a shallop +is like unto a vessel such as the _Speedwell_, except that it is much +smaller, capable of holding no more than twenty-five or thirty people. +It has one mast, a sail, and oars, and, as father has told me, any one +might safely make a long voyage in such a craft. + + + + +WASH DAY + + +Captain Standish led the company of men, among which was my father, +into the forest to search for a place in which to make our new home, +and when we lost sight of them among the trees, it seemed as if we were +more alone than before. + + [Illustration] + +Sarah and I could not stay on deck to watch the men while they worked, +because the cold was too severe, therefore we went into the cabin +where were other children huddled around the stove, and there tried to +imagine what our homes would be like in such a desolate place. + +While the sailors worked on the shallop, many of the women went on +shore to wash clothes near the fire which had been built by the men, +and a most dismal time they had, as we children heard when they came +back at night. They were forced to melt snow in Master Brewster's +big iron pot, and when the hot water had been poured into the tub, it +speedily began to freeze. Mother said that the clothes were but little +improved by having been washed in such a manner. + +Next morning the cold was so bitter that the women and children did not +venture much out on the deck of the vessel, save when one or another +ran up to see if those who had set off to find a place for our new +home were returning. The sailors continued work on the shallop during +two days, and each time on coming back to the _Mayflower_ for food or +shelter, brought a load of wood in their boat so that we might have +fuel in plenty for our fires on the ship. + + + + +FINDING THE CORN + + +Not until Friday evening did our fathers come back; no one of all the +party of seventeen was missing, although it seemed to me they had been +in great danger. + +Before they had gone on their journey more than a mile from the +_Mayflower_, they saw five savages and a dog coming toward them, and +hastened forward to learn what they might about this new world. The +Indians ran among the trees as soon as they saw our people, and they +ran so swiftly it was impossible to overtake them. + + [Illustration] + +After making chase without coming upon the savages, Captain Standish +led the way along the shore until next day they came upon what looked +as if an Indian village had once been in that place, for the land +had been dug over much as though to raise crops, and there were what +appeared to be many graves. On opening one of these piles of sand, +there were found two baskets full of what one of the sailors said was +Indian corn; but another declared it was Turkish wheat, while Captain +Standish believed it should be called Guinny wheat. It had been left +near the graves, for these savages believe that even after people are +dead, they need food. + +Later, when we had become acquainted with Samoset and Squanto, we came +to know that on the spot which had been chosen for our home, there had +been a large Indian village. Four years before we of the _Mayflower_ +came, a terrible sickness had attacked the settlement of savages, and +more than two hundred died. Those who were alive and able to walk, +deserted the place to go many miles into the forest away from the sea, +and, except for the graves which our people found, every trace of the +town was wiped out, the savages believing that only by the destruction +of everything connected with the settlement, could the evil spirit of +the mysterious sickness be cast out. + +Our men were very glad to find this wheat, and as soon as they had +brought it aboard the vessel, the women set about boiling some, for +that seemed to be the only way in which it could be eaten, since it is +hard, almost like flint. Neither Sarah nor I, hungry though we were, +felt like eating what had been left for dead people; but we did taste +of it, and found it very good, even though it had not been cooked quite +enough. + +It was not long, however, before we found out how to prepare it, and +many a time since then has it saved us from starving, but of that I +will tell you later. + + + + +ATTACKED BY THE SAVAGES + + +On the sixth of December, the shallop having been made ready for sea, +the men started away to search once more for a place in which to build +homes, and on the very next day, while they were sleeping in the forest +in a hut that had been built of dead tree trunks and bushes, they were +set upon by savages, who shot arrows among them. + +There were thirty or forty of these savages, but as soon as our men +fired upon them, they speedily disappeared. Our men then picked up the +arrows, some of which were fashioned with heads of brass or eagles' +claws. + +No one was hurt by these weapons, although one of them passed through +father's coat, and many were found sticking in the logs. Then our +people gave solemn thanks to God because of having been saved from the +savage foe, and afterward gathered up many of the arrows to be sent +back to England, that our friends there might see what were the dangers +to be met with in the woods of this new world. + + [Illustration] + +Five long, dreary days went by before the company came back once more, +and then we were made happy by being told that a place for our village +had been found. It was a long distance from where the _Mayflower_ lay +at anchor; and on the next morning another great storm came up, which +forced us to stay on board the vessel until the fifteenth of December, +when we set sail, and Sarah and I hugged each other fervently, for at +last did it appear as if we could begin to make our homes. + +Even then we were forced to stay in the _Mayflower_ yet longer, for +after we were come into the bay where it had been said we should live, +the men spent a long while choosing a place in which to build the +houses. + + + + +BUILDING HOUSES + + +It was agreed to build first one large house of logs, where we could +all live until each man had chosen a place for himself, and both Sarah +and I were on shore, standing almost knee-deep in the snow on that +twenty-fifth of December, as we watched the men hew down trees, trim +off the branches, and dig in the frozen ground to set up the first +dwelling in this strange land. + + [Illustration] + +The first thing done was to build a high platform, where the cannon +that had been brought from England could be placed, so that the savages +might be beaten off if they came to do us harm, and then the big house +was begun. + +Of course we women and children were forced to go back on board the +vessel while the work was being done, and very slowly was it carried +on, because of the cold's being so great, and the storms so many, that +our people could not work out of doors long at a time. + +Our village was begun in the midst of the forest not very far from the +seashore, where had been huts built by the savages; and because of the +Indians having chosen that place in which to live, our people believed +it would be well for them to make there the town which was to be called +Plymouth, since it was from Plymouth in England that we had started on +the voyage which ended in this wild place. + +When mother asked father why the men did not search longer, instead of +fixing upon a spot to which the savages might come back at any moment, +he told her that much time must be spent in building houses, and not an +hour should be wasted. They ought to get on shore as soon as possible +in order to begin hunting, for the food we had on the _Mayflower_ +was by this time so poor that neither Sarah nor I could swallow the +smallest mouthful with any pleasure. + +Sarah and I were eager to be living on dry land once more, where we +could move about as we pleased; for, large though the _Mayflower_ had +seemed to us when we first went on board, there was little room for all +our company, and very many were grown so sick that they could not get +out on deck even when the sun shone warm and bright. + +There were nineteen plots for houses laid out in all, because of the +company's being divided into nineteen families. The plots were on two +sides of a way running along by a little brook, where, so I heard my +father say, one could get sweet fresh water to drink. It was decided +that each man should build his own house. + +The plot of land where father was to build our house was quite near the +bay, but yet so far in among the trees as to be shaded from the sun in +the summer, while Master Carver, who was chosen to be our governor, was +to build his only a short distance away. + + + + +MILES STANDISH + + +You must know that Captain Standish is not of the same faith as are +we. He calls himself a "soldier of fortune," which means that he is +ready to do battle wherever it seems as if he could strike a blow for +the right. He, and his wife Rose, became friendly with us while we were +at Leyden, for he was, although an Englishman, a captain in one of the +Holland regiments, having enlisted in order to help the Dutch in their +wars. + +Because of liking a life of adventure, and also owing to the fact +that he and his wife had become warm friends with Elder Brewster and +my parents, Captain Standish declared that he would be our soldier, +standing ever ready to guard us against the wild beasts, or the +savages, if any should come to do us harm. Right gallantly has he kept +his promise, and unless he had been with us this village of ours might +have been destroyed more than once, and, perhaps, those of our people +whose lives God had spared would have gone back to Holland or England, +ceasing to strive for a foothold in this new world which is so desolate +when covered with snow and ice. + +A most kindly-hearted man is Captain Standish, and yet there are times +when he has but slight control over his temper. Like a flash of powder +when a spark falls upon it, he flares up with many a harsh word, and +woe betide those against whom he has just cause for anger. + + [Illustration: Swords of Captain Standish] + + [Illustration] + +After coming to know him for one who strove not to control his tongue +in moments of wrath, the Indians gave him the name of "Little pot that +soon boils over," which means that his anger can be aroused quickly. He +is not small, neither is he as tall as my father or Elder Brewster; but +the savages spoke of him as "little," measuring him, I suppose, with +many others of our people. + +We had not been long in Plymouth, however, before the Indians +understood what a valiant soldier he is, and then they began to call +him "Strong Sword." + + + + +THE SICK PEOPLE + + +It was yet very cold while our fathers were putting up the houses, +and the sickness increased, so that at one time before the women and +children could go on shore, nearly one half of our company were unable +to sit up. All the while the food was very bad, save when more baskets +of Indian corn were found. + +One evening, when father had come on board the vessel after working +very hard on our house, I heard him say to mother that we must try +to be cheerful, praying to God that the sickness which was upon our +people so sorely would pass us by until we could build the home, plant +a garden, and raise food from the earth. + +Sarah and I often asked each other when we were alone, whether the good +Lord, whom we strove to serve diligently, would allow us to starve to +death in this strange land where we had hoped to be so very near Him; +for, indeed, as the days passed and the food we had brought with us +from England became more nearly unfit to eat, it was as if death stood +close at hand. + + + + +THE NEW HOME + + + [Illustration] + +It seemed like a very long while before the houses were ready so that +we who were well could go on shore to live. I must tell you what our +home is like. In Scrooby, when one builds a house, he has the trees +sawed into timbers and boards at a mill; but in this new land we had no +mills. When a man in England wants to make a chimney, he buys bricks +and mortar; but here, as father said, we had plenty of clay and lime, +yet could not put them to proper use until tools were brought across +the sea with which to work such material into needed form. + +There was plenty of granite and other rock out of which to make cellars +and walls; but no one could cut it, and even though it was already +shaped, we had no horses with which to haul it. Think for a moment what +it must mean not to have cows, sheep, oxen, horses or chickens, and we +had none of these for three or four years. + +My father built the house we are now living in, almost alone, having +but little help from the other men when he had to raise the heavy +timbers. First, after clearing away the snow, he dug a hole in the +frozen ground, two or three feet deep, making it of the same shape as +he had planned the house. Then, having cut down trees for timbers, he +stood them upright all around the inside of this hole, leaving here a +place for a door, and there another for a window, until the sides and +ends of the building were made. + +On the inside he filled the hole again with the earth he had taken out +at the beginning, pounding it down solid to form a floor, and at the +same time to help make the logs more secure in an upright position. +Where the floor of earth does not hold the timbers firmly enough, what +are called puncheons are fastened to the outside just beneath the roof. + +Puncheons are logs that have been split and trimmed with axes until +they are something like planks, and you will see very many in our +village of Plymouth. Hard work it is indeed to make these puncheon +planks; but they were needed to fasten crosswise on the sides and ends +of our house, in order to hold the logs more firmly in place. + +Across the top of the house, slanting them so much that the water would +run off, father placed a layer of logs to make the roof. + + [Illustration] + +Three puncheons were put across the inside of the roof, being fastened +with pegs of wood, for the few nails we have among us are of too much +value to be used in house building. + +That the roof might prevent the water from running into the house, +father stripped bark from hemlock trees, and placed it over the logs +two or three layers deep, fastening the whole down with poles cut from +young trees. + + + + +MASTER WHITE AND THE WOLF + + +Of course, when this home was first built, there were many cracks +between the logs on the sides and ends; but these mother and I stuffed +full of moss and clay, while father was cutting wood for the fire, +until the wind no longer finds free entrance, and we are not like to be +in the same plight as was Master White, less than two months after we +came ashore to live. + + [Illustration] + +He would not spend the time to fill up the cracks, as we had done, and +one night while he lay in bed, a hungry wolf thrust his paw through and +scratched the poor man's head so severely that the blood ran freely. +Sarah thinks he must have awakened very quickly just then. + + + + +THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE + + +We have a partition inside our house, thus dividing the lower part +into two rooms. It is made of clay, with which has been mixed beach +grass. Mother and I made a white liquid of powdered clam shells and +water, with which we painted it until one would think it the same kind +of wall you have in Scrooby. With pieces of logs we children helped to +pound the earth inside until the floor was smooth and firm; but father +promised that at some later time we should have a floor of puncheons, +as indeed we have now, and very nice and comfortable it is. + + [Illustration] + +I wish you might see it after mother and I have covered it well with +clean white sand from the seashore, and marked it in pretty patterns of +vines and leaves: but this last we do only when making the house ready +for meeting, or for some great feast. + +At the windows are shutters made of puncheons, as is also the door, and +both are hung with straps of leather in the stead of real hinges. + +Perhaps you may think that with only a puncheon shutter at the window, +we must perforce sit in darkness when it storms, or in cold weather +admit too much frost in order to have light. But let me tell you that +our windows are closed quite as well as yours, though not so nicely. +We brought from home some stout paper, and this, plentifully oiled, +we nailed across the window space. Of course we cannot look out to see +anything; but the light finds its way through readily. + + + + +A CHIMNEY WITHOUT BRICKS + + +I had almost forgotten to tell you how father built a chimney without +either bricks or mortar, for of course we had none of those things when +we first made our village. + + [Illustration] + +Our chimney is of logs plastered plentifully with clay, and fastened +to the outside of the building, with a hole cut through the side of the +house that the fireplace may be joined to it. + +The fireplace itself is built of clay, made into walls as one would +lay up bricks, and held firmly together by being mixed with dried beach +grass. + +It looks somewhat like a large, square box, open in front, and with +sides and ends at least two feet thick. It is so large that Sarah and I +might stand inside, if so be the heat from the fire was not too great, +and look straight out through it at the sky. + +Father drags in, as if he were a horse, logs which are much larger +around than is my body, and mother, or one of the neighbors, helps him +roll them into the big fireplace where, once aflame, they burn from one +morning until another. + + + + +BUILDING THE FIRE + + +The greatest trouble we have, or did have during our first winter +here, was in holding the fire, for the wood, having just been cut in +the forest, is green, and the fire very like to desert it unless we +keep close watch. Neither mother nor I can strike a spark with flint +and steel as ably as can many women in the village; therefore, when, +as happened four or five times, we lost our fire, one of us took a +strip of green bark, or a shovel, and borrowed from whosoever of our +neighbors had the brightest blaze, enough of coals to set our own +hearth warm again. + + [Illustration] + +Some of the housewives who are more skilled in the use of firearms than +my mother or myself, kindle a blaze by flashing a little powder in the +pan of a gun, allowing the flame to strike upon the tinder, and thus be +carried to shavings of dry wood. It is a speedy way of getting fire; +but one needs to be well used to the method, else the fingers or the +face will get more of heat than does the tinder. Father cautions us +against such practice, declaring that he will not allow his weapons to +remain unloaded simply for kitchen use, when at any moment the need may +arise for a ready bullet. + +But we have in Plymouth one chimney of which even you in Scrooby might +be proud. + + + + +MASTER BRADFORD'S CHIMNEY + + +Master Bradford built what is a perfect luxury of a chimney, which +shows what a man can do who has genius, and my mother says he showed +great skill in thus building. If you please, his chimney is of stone, +even though we have no means of cutting rock, such as is known at +Scrooby. He sought here and there for flat stones, laying them one +upon another with a plentiful mixture of clay, until he built a chimney +which cannot be injured by fire, and yet is even larger than ours. + +Its heart is so big that I am told Master Bradford himself can climb +up through it without difficulty, and at the bottom, or, rather, where +the fireplace ends and the chimney begins, is a shelf on either side, +across which is laid a bar of green wood lest it burn too quickly; on +this the pot-hooks and pot-claws may be hung by chains. + + [Illustration] + +It would seem as if all this had made Master Bradford over vain, for +because the wooden bar, which he calls a backbar, has been burned +through twice, thereby spoiling the dinner, he has sent to England for +an iron one, and when it comes his family may be proud indeed, for only +think how easily one can cook when there are so many conveniences! + +We are forced to put our pots and pans directly on the coals, and +it burns one's hands terribly at times, if the fire is too bright. +Besides, the cinders fall on the bread of meal, which causes much delay +in the eating, because so much time is necessary in scraping them off, +and even at the best, I often get more of ashes than is pleasant to the +taste. + + [Illustration: Skillets from the "Mayflower"] + +Bread of any kind is such a rarity with us that we can ill afford to +have it spoiled by ashes. During the first two years we had only the +meal from Indian corn with which to make it; but when we were able to +raise rye, it was mixed with the other, and we had a most wholesome +bread, even though it was exceeding dark in color. + + + + +SCARCITY OF FOOD + + +In Scrooby one thinks that he must have bread of some kind for +breakfast; but we here in Plymouth have instead of wheaten loaves, +pudding made of ground Indian corn, sometimes sweetened, but more often +only salted, and with it alone we satisfy our hunger during at least +two out of the three meals. I can remember of two seasons when all the +food we had for more than three months, was this same hasty pudding, as +we soon learned to call it. + +That first winter we spent here was so dreadful and so long that I do +not like even to think of it. Nearly all the food we had brought from +England was spoiled before we came ashore. + +There were many times when Sarah and I were so hungry that we cried, +with our arms around each other's neck, as if being so close together +would still the terrible feeling in our stomachs. + + [Illustration] + +All the men who were able to walk went hunting; but at one time, before +the warm weather came again, only five men were well enough to tramp +through the forest, and these five had, in addition, to chop wood for +the whole village. + +Mother and the other women who were not on beds of sickness, went from +house to house, doing what they might for those who were ill, while we +children were sent to pick up dead branches for the fires, because at +times the men were not able to cut wood enough for the needs of all. + +Then so many died! Each day we were told that this neighbor or that had +been called to Heaven. I have heard father often say since then, that +the hardest of the work during those dreadful days, was to dig graves +while the earth was frozen so solidly. + +Think! Fifty out of our little company of one hundred and two, Captain +Standish's wife among the others, were called by God, and as each went +out into the other world, we who were left on earth felt more and more +keenly our helplessness and desolation. + + + + +A TIMELY GIFT + + +It was fortunate indeed for us that Captain Standish was among those +able to labor for others, else had we come much nearer dying by +starvation. A famous hunter is the captain, and one day, when I was +searching for leaves of the checkerberry plant under the snow, mother +having said the chewing of them might save me from feeling so hungry, +Captain Standish dropped a huge wild turkey in front of me. + +It seemed like a gift from God, and although it was very heavy, I +dragged it home, forgetting everything except that at last we should +have something to eat. + +Many days afterward I heard that the captain went supperless to bed +that day, and when I charged him with having given to me what he needed +for himself, he laughed heartily, as if it were a rare joke, saying +that old soldiers like himself had long since learned how to buckle +their belts more tightly, thus causing it to seem as if their stomachs +were full. + + [Illustration] + +A firm friend is Captain Standish, and God was good in that he was sent +with us on the _Mayflower_. + +It was when our troubles were heaviest, that Sarah came to my home +because her mother was taken sick, and Mistress Bradford, who went +there to do what she might as nurse, told Sarah to stay in some other +house for a time. + + + + +THE FIRST SAVAGE VISITOR + + +We two were standing just outside the door of my home, breaking twigs +to be used for brightening the fire in the morning, when suddenly a +real savage, the first I had ever seen, dressed in skins, with many +feathers on his head, came into the village crying: + +"Welcome English!" + +Women and children, all who were able to do so, ran out to see him, +the first visitor we had had in Plymouth. His skin was very much darker +than ours, being almost brown, and, save for the color, one might have +believed him to be a native of Scrooby dressed in outlandish fashion to +take part in some revel. + + [Illustration] + +Father was the more surprised because of hearing him speak in our +language, than because of his odd dress; but we afterward learned that +he had met, two or three years before, some English fishermen, and they +had taught him a few words. + +Very friendly he was, so much so that when he put his hand on my head +I was not afraid, and I myself heard him talking with Master Brewster, +during which conversation he spoke a great many Indian words, and some +in English that I could understand. + +His name was Samoset, and after he had looked around the village, +seeming to be surprised at the manner in which our houses of logs +were built, he went away, much to my disappointment, for I had hoped, +without any reason for so doing, that he might give me a feather from +the splendid headdress he wore. + +As I heard afterward, he promised to come back again, and when, six +days later, he did so, there was with him another Indian, one who could +talk almost the same as do our people. His was a strange story, or so +it seemed to me, so strange and cruel that I wondered how he could be +friendly with us, as he appeared to be, because of having suffered so +much at the hands of people whose skins were white. + +Squanto had been a member of the same tribe that owned the land where +our village of Plymouth was built, and his real name, so Governor +Bradford says, is Squantum. + + + + +SQUANTO'S STORY + + +Seven years before the _Mayflower_ came, he had been stolen by one +Captain Hunt, who had visited these shores on a fishing voyage, and +by him was sent to Spain and sold as a slave. There a good Englishman +saw him and bought him of his master. He was taken to London, where +he worked as a servant until an exploring party, sent out by Sir +Ferdinando Gorges, was about to set sail for this country, when he was +given passage. + +While he had been in slavery, the dreadful sickness broke out, which +killed or drove away all his people; therefore, when the poor fellow +came back, he found none to welcome him. + +How it was I cannot say, but in some way he wandered about until coming +among the tribe of Indians called the Wampanoags, where he lived until +Samoset happened to come across him. + +As soon as he knew that we of Plymouth were English people, he had a +desire to be friendly, because of what the good Englishman had done for +him. + +I have heard father say many times that but for Squanto, perhaps all +of us might have died during that terrible winter when the good Lord +took fifty of our company, which numbered, when we left England, but an +hundred and two. + + + + +LIVING IN THE WILDERNESS + + +You must know that in this land everything is different from what you +see in England. Of course the trees are the same; but oh, so many of +them! We are living now, even after our homes have been made, in the +very midst of the wilderness, and in that winter time when Squanto and +Samoset came to us, bringing the corn we needed so sorely, we were much +like prisoners, for the snow was piled everywhere in great drifts. + + [Illustration] + +The trees, growing thickly over the ground, save where they had been +cut down to build our homes and to provide us with wood for the fires, +prevented all, except such of the men as were well enough to go out +with their guns in the hope of shooting animals that could be eaten as +food, from going abroad, save from one house to the other. + +And little heart had we for leaving the shelter of our homes. In nearly +every house throughout the village was there sickness or death; the +cold was piercing, and, however industriously we had worked filling +the cracks between the logs with clay, the wind came through in many +places, so that for the greater part of the time we needed to hug +closely to the fire lest we freeze to death. + +There were days when it seemed indeed as if the Lord had forgotten us; +when, with the hunger, and the cold, and the sickness on every hand, it +was as if we had been abandoned by our Maker. + + + + +THE FRIENDLY INDIANS + + +With the coming of Samoset and Squanto, however, although the illness +was not abated, and one after another of our company died, it seemed, +perhaps only to us children, as if things were changed. These Indians +were the only two persons in all the great land who were willing to +take us by the hand and do whatsoever they might to cheer, and because +of this show of kindness did we feel the happier. + +Squanto, as father has said again and again, did very much to aid. +First he showed our people how to fish, and this may seem strange to +you, for the English had used hooks and lines many years before the New +World was dreamed of; yet, it is true that the savages could succeed, +even without proper tackle, better than did our people. + +Squanto showed father how, by treading on the banks of the brooks, to +force out the eels which had buried themselves in the mud during the +cold weather, and then taught him how to catch them with his hands, so +that many a day, when there was nothing whatsoever in our home to eat, +we hunted for eels, boiling rather than frying them, because the little +store of pork was no longer fit to cook with. + + [Illustration] + +Another thing which Squanto did that was wondrously helpful, was to +teach us how to grind this Indian corn, Guinny wheat, or Turkie wheat, +which ever it should be called, for none of us seemed to know which was +the right name for it. The wheat that we found among the Indian graves +could be made ready for the table, as we believed, only by boiling it a +full day, and then it was not pleasing to the taste. But when Squanto +came, he explained that it should be pounded until it was like unto +a coarse flour, when it might be made into a pudding that, eaten with +salt, is almost delicious. + + + + +GRINDING THE CORN + + +When I heard him telling father that it must be ground, I said to +myself that we were not like to know how it might taste, for there +is not a single mill in this land; but Squanto first cut a large tree +down, leaving the stump a full yard in height. Then, by building a fire +on the stump, scraping away with a sharp rock the wood as fast as it +was charred, he made a hollow like unto a hole, and so deep that one +might put in half a bushel of this Turkie wheat. + + [Illustration] + +From another portion of the tree he shaped a block of wood to fit +exactly the hole in the stump, and this he fastened to the top of a +young, slender tree, when even we children knew that he had made a +mortar and pestle, although an exceeding rude one. + +We had only to pull down the heavy block with all our strength upon +the corn, thus bruising and crushing it, when the natural spring of the +young tree would pull it up again. In this way did we grind our Guinny +wheat until it was powdered so fine that it might be cooked in a few +moments. + + + + +A VISIT FROM MASSASOIT + + +One day Samoset, Squanto, and three other savages came into our +new village of Plymouth, walking very straight and putting on such +appearance of importance that I followed them as they went to the very +center of the settlement, for it seemed to me that something strange +was about to happen, as indeed proved to be the case. + + [Illustration] + +The Indians had come to tell our governor that their king, or chief, +was in the forest close by, having in mind to visit the Englishmen, and +asked if he should enter the village. + +I was so busy looking at the feathers and skins which these messengers +wore that I did not hear what reply Captain Standish made, for he it +was who had been called upon by Governor Carver to make answer; but +presently a great throng of savages, near sixty I was told, could be +seen through the trees as they marched straight toward us. + +Then my heart really stood still, as I saw Master Winslow walking +out to meet them, with a pot of strong water in his hand; but Captain +Standish said I need not be afraid, as he was only going to greet the +chief of the Indians, carrying the strong water, three knives, a copper +chain, an earring, and somewhat in the way of food. + +It seemed like woeful waste to give that which was of so much value to +a savage, but Captain Standish said it would be well if we could gain +the favor of this powerful Indian even at the expense of all the most +precious of our belongings. + +A brave show did the savages make as they came into the village, +marching one after the other! The feathers were of every color, and +in such quantity it seemed as if all the birds in the world could not +yield so many, even though every one was plucked naked. And the furs! +The chief, whose name is Massasoit, wore over his shoulders a mantle +so long that it dragged on the snow behind him, and he had belts and +chains of what looked to be beads; but Captain Standish told me it was +what the Indians called wampum, and served them in the place of money. + + [Illustration] + +Governor Carver stood at the door of Elder Brewster's house, which as +yet had no roof, and beckoned for the chief and those who followed him, +to enter. Inside were Mistress Carver's rug and mother's two cushions, +which had been laid on the ground for the savage to sit on, and greatly +did I fear that all those precious things would be spoiled before the +visit was come to an end. + +I cannot tell you what was said or done, for neither Sarah nor I could +get inside Master Brewster's house, so crowded was it with the men of +our village and with savages. More than half of those who had come with +the chief were forced to remain outside, because of there not being +space for all within the walls. Sarah and I had our fill of looking at +them; but never one gave the slightest attention to us. It seemed much +as if they believed their station was so high that it would be beneath +their dignity to speak with children. + + + + +MASSASOIT'S PROMISE + + +The savages and our people were long in the half-built house, and both +Sarah and I wondered what could be going on to take up so much time, +more especially since we knew that, of the Indians, only Samoset and +Squanto could speak in English. Later we came to understand that this +chief, Massasoit, was making a bargain with the men of Plymouth. + +My father called it a treaty, which, so mother explained to me, is the +same as an agreement between two nations. + +Massasoit, being the ruler over all the Indians nearby our village, +promised that neither he nor any of his tribe should do any manner of +harm to us of Plymouth; but if any wicked ones did work mischief, they +should be sent to our governor to be punished. + +He promised also that if anything was stolen by his people from us, he +would make sure it was sent back, and if, which is by no means likely, +any of us living in Plymouth took from the Indians aught of their +property, our governor should send it straightway to the savages. + + [Illustration] + +Massasoit said that if any Indians came to fight or kill our people, +he would send some of his men to help us, and if any tried to hurt his +people, our fathers must take sides with him. Both Sarah and I think +this is wrong, for why should Englishmen fight for the savages? + +It seems to me much as if the white men should not agree to go to war +with any except those who try to kill us; but father said it was no +more than a fair trade. + +All this was agreed to while Elder Brewster's house was so full of +visitors and our people, that they must have been packed together like +herring in a box, and when the bargain, or treaty, had been made, all +the savages, except Samoset and Squanto, marched away. + +Soon after Massasoit had gone, his brother, Quadequina, and several +more Indians appeared, and we entertained them also. + +It was much like a feast day, to have so many people in this new +village of ours that all the space beneath the trees seemed to be +crowded, and we felt quite lonely when our fathers took up once more +the work of building houses. + + + + +MASSASOIT'S VISIT RETURNED + + +Next day Captain Standish and Master Allerton went to call upon +Massasoit, and I was so frightened that I trembled when they marched +away, for it seemed to me as if some harm would be done them in the +savage village. + + [Illustration] + +They came back at nightfall, none the worse for having been so +venturesome, and what do you think they brought as a present from the +chief? A few handfuls of nuts such as grow in the ground, and many +leaves of a plant called tobacco, which these savages burn in a queer +little stone vessel at the end of a long, hollow reed, by putting the +reed in their mouths, and sucking the smoke through to keep the herb +alight. + +This ended our round of pleasure, the first we had had for many a long +day, and once more we trembled before the sickness which was destroying +so many of our people. + + + + +THE BIG HOUSE BURNED + + +It was yet winter when we met with a sad loss, for the Common House, +as we called it, when speaking of that first building which was put up +that all of us might have a shelter on shore while the dwellings were +being built, took fire, and much of it was burned. Father believes +that the logs in the fireplace had been piled too high, because of the +weather's being so very cold, and thus the flames came directly upon +the chimney and the backbar, kindling all into a blaze. + +It was most mournful to see next morning, the blackened, smoldering +logs of our first house which had served as a shelter less than one +month, and mother says it was a warning to us that even our own homes +are in danger of being speedily destroyed, unless the chimneys can be +so built as to resist fire. + + + + +THE "MAYFLOWER" LEAVES PORT + + +All was excitement in this little village when our people began to make +ready for sending the _Mayflower_ home. She had been lying at anchor +close by the shore, giving shelter to them as were yet without homes, +and affording a timely place of refuge when the Common House was partly +burned; but our fathers had decided that she could no longer be kept +idle. It was much like breaking the last ties which bound us to the old +homes in England, when the time had been set for her to go back. + + [Illustration] + +Sarah and I could have no part in making the _Mayflower_ ready for +sailing, since we were only two girls who were of no service or aid; +but we watched the sailors as they came and went from the shore, +wishing, oh so fervently! that we and those we loved might remain in +the vessel which had brought us so safely across the wide ocean. + +During such time as we were forced to remain on board of her because +of having no other place of shelter, she seemed all too small for our +comfort, and we rejoiced at being able to leave her; but when it was +known that she was going back to our old homes, where were all our +friends, save those who had come to this new world with us, it was much +like starting anew. + +Sarah and I stood with our arms around each other as she sailed out of +the harbor, while all the people were gathered on the shore to wish her +a safe voyage, and I know that my cheeks were wet with tears as I saw +her disappearing in the east, leaving us behind. + +That night father prayed most fervently for all on board, that they +might have a safe and speedy passage, and it was to me as if I had +parted at the mouth of the grave with some one who was very dear to me. + +Then were we indeed alone amid the huge trees, surrounded by wild +beasts and savage Indians, and the sickness was yet so great among us, +that I wondered if God had really forgotten that we had come to this +new world in order to worship him as we had been commanded? + + + + +SETTING THE TABLE + + +I often ask myself what you of Scrooby would say could you see us at +dinner. We have no table, and boards are very scarce and high in price +here in this new village of ours, therefore father saved carefully the +top of one of our packing boxes, while nearly all in the settlement did +much the same, and these we call table boards. + + [Illustration: A Wooden Trencher Bowl] + +When it is time to serve the meal, mother and I lay this board across +two short logs; but we cover it with the linen brought from the old +home, and none in the plantation, not even the governor himself, has +better, as you well know. + +I would we had more dishes; but they are costly, as even you at home +know. Yet our table looks very inviting when it is spread for a feast, +say at such times as Elder Brewster comes. + + [Illustration: Vessels of Gourds] + +We have three trencher bowls, and another larger one in which all the +food is placed. Then, in addition to the wooden cups we brought from +home, are many vessels of gourds that we have raised in the garden, and +father has fashioned a mold for making spoons, so that now our pewter +ware, when grown old with service, can be melted down into spoons until +we have a goodly abundance of them. + + [Illustration] + +It is said, although I have not myself seen it, that a table implement +called a fork, is in the possession of Master Brewster, having been +brought over from England. It is of iron, having two sharp points made +to hold the food. + +I cannot understand why any should need such a tool while they have +their own cleanly fingers, and napkins of linen on which to wipe them. +Perhaps Master Brewster was right when he said that we who are come +into this new world for the single reason of worshiping God as we +please, are too much bound up in the vanities of life, and father says +he knows of no more vain thing than an iron tool with which to hold +one's food. + +I have seen at Master Bradford's home two bottles made of glass, and +they are exceedingly beautiful; but so frail that I should scarce dare +wash them, for it would be a great disaster to break so valuable a +vessel. + + + + +WHAT AND HOW WE EAT + + +And now, perhaps, you ask what we have to eat when the table is spread? +Well, first, there is a pudding of Indian corn, or Turkie wheat, and +this we have in the morning, at noon, and at night, save when there may +be a scarcity of corn. For meats, now that our people are acquainted +with the paths through the woods, we have in season plenty of deer +meat, or the flesh of bears and of wild fowl, such as turkeys, ducks, +and pigeons. Of course there are lobsters in abundance, and only those +less thrifty people who do not put by store sufficient for the morrow, +live on such food as that. + +Every Saturday we have a feast of codfish, whether alone or if there +be company, and Elder Brewster has already spoken to us in meeting +upon the vanity of believing it is necessary that we garnish our table +with no less a fish than cod on Saturdays, saying it is a sign that our +hearts are not yet sufficiently humble. + + [Illustration] + +My father is over careful of me, Mistress White claims, because he +allows that I be seated at the table with himself and my mother when +they eat, instead of being obliged to stand, as do other children in +the village when their elders are at meals. Poor Mistress White fears +that I am pampered because of being an only child; but for my own part +I cannot see how I do less reverence to my parents by sitting when +eating, than by standing throughout a long feast when one's legs grow +weary, as did mine the last time we were invited to dine with Elder +Brewster. + +Of course we have no chairs; but the short lengths of tree trunks which +father has cut to serve as stools are most comfortable, even though it +be impossible to do other than sit upright on them, and very often, +if one grows forgetful, as did Captain Standish at Master Brewster's +home a short time ago, there is danger of losing the stool. Our mighty +soldier being thus careless, tumbled backward, so surprised that he +forgot to let go his trencher bowl, thereby plentifully besmearing +himself with hot hasty pudding that he had been served with in great +abundance. + + [Illustration] + + + + +TABLE RULES + + +Mother has written down some rules for me at table, so that I may do +credit to my bringing up when at the house of a friend, and these I am +copying for you, to the end that it shall be seen I am not so pampered +by being allowed to sit while eating, as to forget what belongs to good +breeding: + +"Never sit down at the table till asked, and after the blessing. + +"Ask for nothing; tarry till it be offered thee. Speak not. + +"Bite not thy bread, but break it. + +"Take salt only with a clean knife. Dip not the meat in the same. + +"Hold not thy knife upright, but sloping, and lay it down at the right +hand of the plate with blade on plate. + +"Look not earnestly at any other that is eating. + +"When moderately satisfied, leave the table. + +"Sing not, hum not, wriggle not." + +You may see that if I follow these rules carefully, I shall not bring +shame upon my mother. It is only when the large wooden bowl, which is +called the voider, is placed on the table that I am most awkward, and +mother insisted on my learning this poem, which contains many wholesome +rules for behavior: + + "When the meat is taken quite away, + And voiders in your presence laid, + Put you your trencher in the same + And all the crumbs which you have made. + Take you with your napkin and knife, + The crumbs that are before thee; + In the voider a napkin leave, + For it is a courtesy." + + + + +WHEN THE PILGRIM GOES ABROAD + + +If there be a desire to travel, we must either walk, or sail in boats, +and one may not go far on foot in either direction along the coast, +without coming upon streams or brooks over which has been felled a tree +to serve as bridge. Now father thinks a bridge of that kind is all +that may be necessary, because of his footing being so sure; but you +know that women are more timid, and it is difficult to walk above the +rushing streams on so slight a support as a round log. + + [Illustration] + +Because of having made our plantation near to a deserted Indian +village, there were paths through the woods in every direction, and +these we used whenever making an excursion in search of bayberry plums, +or herbs of any kind. + +The Indians, after Squanto had made us friendly with the great chief +Massasoit, were ready to sell us boats, and queer sorts of ships would +they seem in your eyes. One kind is made of the bark taken from the +birch tree in great sheets, sewn together with sinews of deer, and +besmeared with fat from the pitch pine. + + [Illustration] + +I have seen one that would carry with safety four people, so light that +I myself could lift it, but no man may use one of these bark vessels +without first having been taught how to sail it, for they are so like +a feather on the water that the slightest movement oversets them. + +For my part, I feel more secure in what our people call a dugout, which +is made with much labor by the Indians, and is, as Captain Standish +says in truth, "a most unwieldy ship." + + + + +MAKING A DUGOUT + + +The Indians hew down a huge pine tree, and when I say it is done +without the use of axes, then you will wonder how the timber can be +felled. Well, when one of the savages desires to build him a boat, he +selects the tree from which it is to be made, and builds a little fire +around the trunk close to the ground. As fast as the flames char the +wood, he scrapes it away with a sharp rock, or a thick seashell, and +thus keeps scraping the burning wood until the tree falls. + + [Illustration] + +Then he cuts off ten or twelve feet in length by burning and scraping +exactly as before, and this is the length of the boat he would build; +but it is simply a solid log. Now he sets about building a fire along +the top, charring the wood and scraping it away until, after what +must surely be a wonderful amount of labor, he has hollowed out that +huge log into a shell. The bark is then stripped from the outside, and +the ends fashioned by burning until they are smooth, and the ship is +completed. + + + + +GOVERNOR CARVER'S DEATH + + +It was in April, when, because the weather had grown so warm it seemed +much as if we had been restored to the favor of God, that a great +calamity came upon us of Plymouth, and my father says it is impossible +for us to understand how sore a stroke it was to our people who count +on making a home in this new world. + +Governor Carver had hoped to make such a garden as should be a model +for all in the village, and to that end he worked exceedingly hard, +so father says. He was planting and hoeing from early light until it +was no longer possible to see what he was about because of the coming +of night. Already many of the plants, concerning which Samoset and +Squanto had told us, were showing through the ground, until, as Captain +Standish said, "all the others should take pattern by him that we might +not taste again of the bitterness of famine." + +The day had been very warm, and the governor was working exceeding +hard, when suddenly he complained of a pain in his head. He strove in +vain to continue the labor; but Mistress Carver insisted that he come +into the house and lie down on a bear skin, which Captain Standish had +made into a bed-cover, and this he did. + +Master Bradford and my father were summoned in the hope that it might +be possible to give him some relief; but they could do no more than +pray for his recovery, and even while they were pleading most fervently +with God, the poor man lost all knowledge of himself, nor did he speak +again. + +During three days every one prayed; no trees were hewn lest the noise +disturb him, and all the women in the village gathered in or around the +house that they might be ready in case their services were needed. It +was as if we were having three Sabbaths at once. Then he died, without +having come to know that he was ill, and we were more heartsick and +lonely even than when the _Mayflower_ sailed away. + +It seemed to me as if then was the time, when our hearts were so sore, +that our people ought to have poured out their souls in prayer over the +lifeless body of him who had been so good a friend to us all; but that +was forbidden. Therefore Governor Carver was laid in the grave without +a word or sound, other than the sobs of the women and children, who +mourned so sorely. + +Those who had muskets discharged them as a parting salute to him who +had been our governor, and we walked sorrowfully and in silence away, +little dreaming that within three short weeks Mistress Carver would be +buried near her husband's last resting place in this world. + + + + +WILLIAM BRADFORD CHOSEN GOVERNOR + + +Two days after we had said farewell to Master Carver, Master William +Bradford was chosen governor; but because he was yet stricken with the +sickness, Master Isaac Allerton was named as his assistant. + +I have no doubt that Hannah will be surprised at knowing that "little +Willie Bradford," as I have heard the old women call him, has become +our governor. When a boy, he lived in Scrooby, and came, rather from +curiosity than a desire for the truth, among our people, who were +called Separatists, or Non-Conformists, because they would not conform, +or agree, to King James' orders regarding their religion. + +William Bradford came to believe, after attending the meetings in Elder +Brewster's house, that ours was the true religion, and when our people +made up their minds to go into Holland where they might be allowed +to worship God as they chose, Master Bradford went with them. There +he learned the trade of a weaver of cloth; but later he apprenticed +himself to a printer. + +Now he is become the foremost man of all our company, because of being +the governor, and of a truth has he been a very present help to us in +our time of trouble. + + + + +FARMING IN PLYMOUTH + + +I wish you might have seen how different to that which is the custom in +Scrooby, was our farming done on the first season after we came ashore +from the _Mayflower_. Because of having no working cattle with which to +plough, the men were forced to dig up the ground with spades, and weary +labor it was. Those of our people who were well enough to remain in +the field, planted nearly twenty-six acres, six of which were sown with +barley and peas, while the remainder was given over to Indian corn. + +Squanto showed us how this last should be done, and, strange as it may +seem to you in England, he used fish with which to enrich the land, +putting three small ones in each hill. + +You must know that all of us children, and the women, work at the +planting of this corn, for it is the only kind of food to be had which +can be kept throughout the year without danger of being spoiled, and +when one grows weary with the task, it is only needed to bring to mind +our hunger when we first came ashore. + + [Illustration] + +Perhaps you may wonder where we got so much of the corn for seed. It +has all come from the Indians in one way or another. Some of it Squanto +brought from Massasoit's people; but a goodly portion has been found on +the graves, of which there are very many near our village. + +As to planting barley and peas, Squanto knew nothing; therefore the +work was done somewhat as it would have been done at home, except +that the land was encumbered with rocks and trees, and we were much +perplexed by lack of tools. + +The seed was finally put into the ground, but even when the task +had been performed to the best of our ability, it was an odd looking +farm to those who had seen the fair fields of England. Large rocks +stood here and there, while many stumps of trees yet remained, for +our fathers had not been able to clear the land entirely. We shall +have much work at harvest, in gathering the crops from amid all these +unsightly things. + + + + +WAYS OF COOKING INDIAN CORN + + +I must tell you of a way to cook this Indian corn which Squanto showed +to Captain Standish, and now we have it in all the houses, when we are +so fortunate as to have a supply of the wheat in our possession. + +It is poured into the hot ashes of the fireplace, and allowed to remain +there until every single wheat kernel has been roasted brown. Then it +is sifted out of the ashes, beaten into a powder like meal, and mixed +with snow in the winter, or water in the summer. Three spoonfuls a +day is enough for a man who is on the march, or at work, so Captain +Standish says, and we children are given only two thirds as much. + +Mother says it is especially of value because little labor is needed to +prepare it; but neither Sarah nor I take kindly to the powder. + +The Indians also steep the corn in hot water twelve hours before +pounding it into a kind of coarse meal, when they make it into a +pudding much as you would in Scrooby; but mother likes not the taste +after it has been thus cooked before being pounded, thinking much of +the fine flavor has been taken from it. + +Sometimes we make a sweet pudding by mixing it with molasses and +boiling it in a bag. It will keep thus for many days, and I once heard +Captain Standish say that there were as many sweet puddings made in +Plymouth every day as there were housewives. + +Next fall we shall have bread made of barley and Indian corn meal, +so father says, and I am hoping most fervently that he may not be +mistaken, for both Sarah and I are heartily tired of nookick, and of +sweet pudding, which is not very sweet because we have need to guard +carefully our small store of molasses. + +We girls often promise ourselves a great feast when a vessel comes out +from England bringing butter, for we have had none that could be eaten +since the first two weeks of the voyage in the _Mayflower_. + + [Illustration] + +Squanto often tells us of a kind of vegetable, or fruit, I am not +certain which, that grows in this country, and is called a pumpkin. +It must be very fine, if one may judge by his praise of it, and we +are looking forward to the time when it shall be possible to know for +ourselves. + + + + +THE WEDDING + + +And now I am to tell you of a marriage in Plymouth which deeply +concerned Sarah and me. You may be certain that we made great account +of it, although Master Bradford warned us against setting our hearts on +the wicked customs of England. + +I had hoped Elder Brewster would marry the couple, for Sarah and I were +deeply interested in them, having seen much of the love-making while we +were on board the _Mayflower_. + + [Illustration] + +If the bride and groom had been in England, it would have been a time +of feasting; but our people here shun such show, therefore did we lose +much of merrymaking. + +Although the bride and groom went to Elder Brewster's house, which has +served us as a place for religious meetings, it was Governor Bradford +who listened to their vows and declared them to be man and wife, and in +less than half an hour the newly-made husband was working in the field, +while the wife was making sugar. + + + + +MAKING MAPLE SUGAR + + +Yes, we have sugar in plenty now, and, strange as it may seem, it comes +from the trees. It was Squanto, that true friend of ours, who showed +us how to take it from the maples, of which there are scores and scores +growing everywhere around us. + + [Illustration] + +To get it one has only to make a hole in a maple tree, and put therein +a small wooden spigot shaped like a spout, and straight-way, when the +first warm weather comes in the spring, the sap of the tree, mounting +from the roots to the branches, will run out of the hole through the +spout into whatsoever vessels we place beneath. + +After that we boil it in kettles until it becomes thick like molasses, +or yet more, until it is real sugar, after having been poured in pans +of birch-bark to cool. It has a certain flavor such as is not to be +found in the sugar of England; but answers our purpose so well that +it can be used to sweeten the meal made from the corn, or eaten as a +dainty. + + + + +DECORATING THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE + + +You must know that our house is not now as rough on the inside as it +would appear from what I first wrote. Father has saved the skins of all +the animals he has caught, and prepared them in the same way as do the +Indians, which makes the fleshy side look like fine leather. These we +have hung on the walls, and they not only serve to keep out the wind, +but are really beautiful. With the rough logs and the chinking of clay +hidden from view, it is easy to fancy that ours is a real house, such +as would be found in England. + +We have many fox skins, for father has shot large numbers of foxes, and +in what seems to me a curious fashion. He saves all the fishes' heads +that can be come at, and on moonlight nights throws them among the +trees, where the foxes, getting the scent, give him a fair opportunity +for shooting. + +Once he killed four in less than two hours, and we have hung them in +that corner of the kitchen which we call mother's. Thus it is that she +can sit leaning her shoulders against the warm fur, through which the +wind cannot come. + +There is no need for me to tell you that we have more wolf skins than +any other kind, for our people find it necessary to kill such animals +in order to save their own lives. One night before all the snow had +melted from the ground, Degory Priest was coming through the forest +after attending to his traps, and was followed by five hungry wolves, +who kept close at his heels, and would have eaten the poor man but for +his industry in swinging a long pole that he carried to help himself +across the streams. + + [Illustration] + +Fortunately for Degory Priest, Captain Standish heard his outcries +while he was yet a long distance from the village, and went out with +three armed men to give him aid. + + + + +TRAPPING WOLVES AND BAGGING PIGEONS + + +Our fathers dig deep pits, which are covered with light brushwood, in +such portions of the forest as the wolves are most plenty, and many a +one has fallen therein, being held prisoner until some of the people +can kill him by means of axes fastened to long poles. Father has built +many traps of logs; but I cannot describe how because of never having +seen one. + + [Illustration: Wolf Head Decoration on the Meeting-House] + +Thomas Williams killed seven wolves in four days by tying four or +five mackerel hooks together, covering them with fat, and leaving them +exposed where the ravening creatures could get at them. + +Twice before the snow was melted, the men of the village had what they +called a "wolf-drive," when all made a ring around a certain portion +of the forest where the animals lurked, and, by walking toward a given +center, drove the creatures together where they could be shot or killed +with axes. + +Sarah and I do not dare venture very far from the village because +of the ferocious animals, and if the time ever comes when we are no +longer in deadly fear of being carried away and eaten by the dreadful +creatures, this new world of ours will seem more like a real home. + +I wish it might be possible for you to see the flocks and flocks of +pigeons which come here when the weather grows warm. It is as if they +shut out the light of the sun, so great are the numbers, and father +says that again and again do they break down the branches of the trees, +when so many try to roost in one place. Any person who so chooses may +go out in the night after the pigeons have gone to sleep, and gather as +many bags full as he can carry, so stupid are the birds in the dark, +and even when they are not the most plentiful, we can buy them at the +rate of one penny for twelve. + + + + +ELDER BREWSTER + + +I must tell you that there is being made a stout fort where we can all +go in case any wicked savages should come against us, and when that has +been finished, we shall have a real meeting-house, for one is to be put +up inside the walls. + +Mother says she is certain Mistress Brewster will be relieved, for now +we meet each Sabbath Day at her home. It must be a real hardship for +her when Elder Brewster preaches an unusually long sermon, for many +a time have the pine knots been lighted before he had come to an end, +and, of course, the evening meal could not be cooked until we who had +come to meeting had gone to our homes. + +Father has told me that Elder Brewster was a postmaster of Scrooby when +he first knew him; that his belief in our faith was so strong as to +make him one of the Non-Conformists, and so earnestly did he strive to +perform whatsoever he believed the Lord had for him to do, that his was +the house in Scrooby where our people listened to the expounding of the +word of God. + +When he, with the others of our friends, went to Leyden, Master +Brewster was chosen as assistant to our preacher Robinson, and was made +an elder. + +It is not seemly that a child so young as I should speak even in praise +of what my elders have done; but surely a girl can realize when a man +is watchful for the comfort of others, heeding not his own troubles or +pains, so that those around him may be soothed, and, next to Captain +Standish, Elder Brewster was the one to whom we children could go for +advice or assistance. + +When the sickness was upon us, he, hardly able to be out of his bed, +ministered in turn to those who were dying, and to us who were nigh to +starvation, in as kindly, fatherly a manner as when he had sufficient +of the goods of this world to make himself comfortable both in body and +mind. + + + + +THE VISIT TO MASSASOIT + + +That which gave mother and me a great fright was Governor Bradford's +command that Edward Winslow and Master Hopkins visit the village of +the Indian chief, Massasoit, in order to carry as presents from our +settlement of Plymouth a suit of English clothing, a horseman's coat of +red cotton, and three pewter dishes. + + [Illustration] + +It seemed to my mother and me as though it was much like going to +certain death; but Squanto, who was to act as guide, claimed that no +harm could come to them. I trust not these savages, who look so cruel, +and cried heartily when our people set out; but God allowed them to +return in safety, although they were not overly well pleased with the +visit. + +Massasoit treated them in the most friendly manner, and seemed to +be well pleased with the gifts; but he set before them only the very +smallest quantity of parched corn, no more than two spoonfuls to each +one, and failed to offer anything else when that had been eaten. + +Except that they were hungry during all the five days of the stay, the +savages treated them kindly, and my father believes that we need have +no fear this tribe will do us any harm; but there are other Indians in +the land who may be tempted to work mischief. + + + + +KEEPING THE SABBATH HOLY + + + [Illustration] + +As soon as the fields had been planted, it was decided that six men of +the company should spend all their time at fishing, to the end that we +might lay up a store of sea food for the coming winter; therefore they +go out in the shallop every day, except the Sabbath, which begins at +three o'clock on Saturday afternoon. At that time we children gather +in one house or another, but mostly at Elder Brewster's, where we study +the Bible, or listen to lectures by Governor Bradford. + +We are not allowed to walk around the village after the Bible lessons +are finished, but must run directly home, and remain there until we go +to meeting in Elder Brewster's house next morning. + +Captain Standish says he does not favor such long Sabbaths, while we +have so much work on hand; but he is not listened to on such matters, +for his duty in the village is only that of a military leader. + + + + +MAKING CLAPBOARDS + + +It is true indeed that there is very much work to be done. First comes +the planting and tending of the crops. Then there is the fishing and +the hunting that we may have meat. Lastly is the making of clapboards, +which task was begun soon after the seed had been put in the ground, +for Governor Bradford believed we should make enough with which to load +the first vessel that came to us from England. + +It was all we could do, just then, in the way of getting together that +which might be sold to the people in the old country, and father said +the men of Plymouth must be earning money in some other way than by +trying to gather furs, for already were the animals growing more timid +and scarce. + +It is not easy work, this clapboard-making, and I cannot wonder that +the men complain at being forced to continue it day after day. First +an oak tree is cut by saws into the length necessary for clapboards, +which, so father tells me, should be about four feet long. Then a tool +called a "frow" is used to split the trunk of the tree into slabs, or +clapboards, making them thin at one edge and half an inch or more thick +at the other. + + [Illustration] + +This "frow" is shaped something like a butcher's cleaver, and a wooden +mallet is used to drive it into the log until the splint is forced off. + +Our people made many clapboards during the time between planting and +harvest, so that we had enormous stacks under the trees ready to put on +board the first vessel that should sail for England. + + + + +COOKING PUMPKINS + + +When the first pumpkins were ripe, Squanto showed us how to cook them, +and most of us find the fruit an agreeable change from sweet puddings, +parched corn, and fish. + +This is the way that Squanto cooked pumpkins. First he was careful to +find one that was wholly ripe. In the top of the yellow globe he cut a +small hole through which it was possible for him to take out the seeds, +of which there are many. Then the whole pumpkin was put into the iron +oven and baked until the pulp on the inside was soft, after which the +shell could be broken open, and the meat of the fruit eaten with the +sugar which we get from the trees. + +Mistress Bradford invented the plan of mixing the baked pumpkin pulp +with meal of the Indian corn, and made of the whole a queer looking +bread, which some like exceeding well, but father says he is forced to +shut his eyes while eating it. + + + + +A NEW OVEN + + +Perhaps I have not told you how we happen to have an oven, when there +is only the big fireplace in which to cook our food. Mistress White and +Mistress Tilley each brought from Leyden, in Holland, what some people +call "roasting kitchens," and you can think of nothing more convenient. +The oven or kitchen is made of thin iron like unto a box, the front of +which is open, and the back rounded as is a log. It is near to a yard +long, and stands so high as to take all the heat from the fire which +would otherwise be thrown out into the room. + + [Illustration] + +In this oven we put our bread, pumpkins, or meat and set it in front of, +and close against, a roaring fire. The back, or rounded part is then +heaped high with hot ashes or live embers, and that which is inside +must of a necessity be cooked. At the very top of the oven is a small +door, which can be opened for the cook to look inside, and one may see +just how the food is getting on, without disturbing the embers that +have been heaped against the outer portion. + +We often borrow of Mistress Tilley her oven, and father has promised to +send by the first ship that comes to this harbor, for one that shall be +our very own. When it arrives, I am certain mother will be very glad, +for there is no kitchen article which can save so much labor for the +housewife. + + + + +MAKING SPOONS AND DISHES + + +I wish you might see how greatly I added to our store of spoons during +the first summer we were here in Plymouth. Sarah and I gathered from +the shore clam shells that had been washed clean and white by the sea, +and Squanto cut many smooth sticks, with a cleft in one end so that +they might be pushed firmly on the shell, thus making a most beautiful +spoon. + + [Illustration] + +Sarah says that they are most to her liking, because it is not +necessary to spend very much time each week polishing them, as we are +forced to do with the pewter spoons. + +Some day, after we own cows, we can use the large, flat clam shells +with which to skim milk, and when we make our own butter and cheese, we +shall be rich indeed. + + [Illustration] + +After the pumpkins ripened, and when the gourds in the Indian village +were hardened, we added to our store of bowls and cups until the +kitchen was much the same as littered with them, and all formed of the +pumpkin and gourd shells. + +Out of the gourd shells we made what were really most serviceable +dippers, and even bottles, while in the pumpkin shell dishes we kept +much of our supply of Indian corn. + + [Illustration] + +Captain Standish gave me two of the most beautiful turkey wings, to +be used as brushes; but they are so fine that mother has them hung on +the wall as ornaments, and we sweep the hearth with smaller and less +perfect wings from the birds or turkeys father has brought home. + +This no doubt seems to you of Scrooby a queer way of keeping house. + + + + +THE FORT AND MEETING-HOUSE + + +That which Captain Standish calls a fort is very much like our homes, +or the Common House, except that it is larger, and has small, square +openings high up on the walls to serve both as windows and places +through which our people can shoot at an enemy, if any come against us. + + +Surely there are none in this new world who should wish us harm, and +yet my father says that we have need to guard ourselves carefully, +because Squanto and Samoset have both insisted that a tribe of savages +who call themselves Narragansetts, and who live quite a long distance +away, may seek to drive us from the land. + +This fort, the logs of which are sunken so deeply into the earth that +they cannot easily be overthrown, has been built on the highest land +within the settlement, and extending from it in such a manner as to +make it a corner of the enclosure, is a fence of logs, which Captain +Standish calls a palisade, built to form a square. The fence is made +like the sides of our houses; but the logs rise higher above the +surface than the head of the tallest man. + +There are two gates in the palisade, one on the side nearest the fort, +with the other directly opposite, and these can be fastened with heavy +logs on the inside. All the people have been told that at the first +signal of danger, they must flee without loss of time inside the fence +of logs, after which the gates will be barred, and no person may go on +the outside without permission from Captain Standish. + +The six cannon, which I told you had been mounted on a platform when +we first began to build the houses, have been taken to the top of the +fort, and from there, so Captain Standish says, we can hold in check +a regular army of Indians; but God forbid that anything of the kind +should be necessary after we have come to this new world desiring +peace, and with honest intentions toward all men. + + [Illustration] + +Because it is not reasonable to suppose that any human being could wish +to work us harm, Sarah and I look upon that which is called a fort, +rather as a meeting-house than a place of defence, and such it really +looks to be, for the floor is covered with seats made of puncheon +planks placed on short lengths of logs, while at one end is a desk for +the preacher built in much the same fashion as are the seats. + +Here, also, so Governor Bradford has promised, we children shall have a +school as soon as a teacher can be persuaded to come over from England. +As it is now, our parents teach us at home, and father believes I can +even now write as well as if I had been all this while at school in +Scrooby. With both a meeting-house and a school, it will seem as if we +had indeed built a town in this vast wilderness. + + + + +THE HARVEST FESTIVAL + + +You shall now hear about our harvest festival, which Governor Bradford +declared should be called a day of thanksgiving because the Lord had +been good to us in permitting of our getting from the earth, the sea, +and the forest, such a supply of food as gave us to believe that never +more would famine visit Plymouth. + +True it is the crop of peas had failed, but the barley, so father said, +was fairly good, while the Indian corn grew in abundance. Our people +had taken a great many fish, and the hunters found in the forest a +goodly supply of birds and animals. Already were there seven houses +built, without counting the Common House that had been repaired soon +after it was injured by fire, and the fort with its palisade. + +As soon as the harvest was over, the Governor sent four men out after +such fowls and animals as might be taken, and in two days they killed +as many as would serve to provide all the people of Plymouth with meat +for at least a full week. + + [Illustration] + +There were wild ducks in greatest number, together with turkeys, +and small birds like unto pheasants. No less than twenty deer were +killed, and it was well we provided such a bountiful supply for the +thanksgiving festival, because on the day before the one appointed, +Massasoit, with ninety of his men, came to Plymouth, bringing as gifts +five deer, and it seemed as if the Indians did nothing more than eat +continuously. + +Instead of giving thanks on one particular day, as Governor Bradford +had ordered, three days were spent in such festivities as we had not +seen since leaving our homes in England. + +The deer and the big turkeys were roasted over fires built in the open +air, and we had corn and barley bread, baked pumpkins, clams, lobsters, +and fish until one was wearied by the sight of so much food. + +Nor was eating the only amusement during this thanksgiving time, for we +played at games much as we would have done in Scrooby. + +There was running, jumping, and leaping by the men, stoolball for the +boys, and a wolf hunt for those soldiers under Captain Standish who +were not content with small sports. + + + + +HOW TO PLAY STOOLBALL + + +I know not if my friend Hannah has seen the game of stoolball as it +is played in our village of Plymouth, because those among us who take +part in it use no sticks nor bats, but strike the ball only with their +hands. Of course we have no real stools here as yet, because of the +labor necessary to make them, when a block of wood serves equally well +on which to sit; but the lads who play the game take a short piece of +puncheon board, and, boring three holes in it, put therein sticks to +serve as legs. + +These they place upon the ground behind them, and he who throws the +ball strives to hit the stool rather than the player, who is allowed +only to use his hands in warding it off. Whosesoever stool has been hit +must himself take the ball, throwing it, and continuing at such service +until he succeeds in striking another's stool. + + [Illustration] + +Sarah and I had believed that at this festival time, we would gather +in the new meeting-house to praise the Lord for his wondrous goodness; +but Master Bradford believed it would not be seemly to mix religious +services with worldly sports, therefore it was not until the next +Sabbath Day that we heard lessons of the Bible explained from that +reading desk built of puncheons and short lengths of tree trunks. + +Perhaps it was because Governor Bradford allowed the men and boys +to play at games during the time of thanksgiving, that they came to +believe such sports would be permitted on Christmas, even though the +elders of our colony had decided no attention should be paid to the day +because of its being a Pagan festivity. + + + + +ON CHRISTMAS DAY + + +On the morning of the first Christmas after our houses had been built, +many of the men and boys, when called upon to go out to work for the +common good, as had been the custom every week day during the year, +declared that they did not believe it right to labor at the time +when it was said Christ had been born. Whereupon Governor Bradford, +after telling them plainly that he believed laziness rather than any +religious promptings of the spirit inclined them to remain idle on +that day, said he would leave them alone until they were come to have +a better understanding of the matter. + +Then he, with those who were ready to obey the rules, went to their +work; but on coming back at noon, he found those who did not believe it +seemly to labor on Christmas day, at play in the street, some throwing +bars, and others at stoolball. Without delay the governor seized the +balls and the bars, carrying them into the fort, at the same time +declaring that it was against his conscience for some to play while +others worked. This, as you may suppose, brought the merrymaking to an +end. + +For my part I enjoyed the Christmas festivities as we held them at +Scrooby, and cannot understand why, simply because certain heathen +people turned the day into a time for play and rejoicing, we should not +make merry after the custom of those in England. + + + + +WHEN THE "FORTUNE" ARRIVED + + +I hardly know how to set about telling you of that time when the +first ship came into our harbor. It was not long after the day of +thanksgiving when, early one morning, even before any of our people had +begun work, some person cried out that a vessel was in sight. + + [Illustration] + +It had been nearly a year since we landed on the shores of the new +world, and in all that time we had seen no white people outside of +our own company. Therefore you can fancy how excited we all were. Even +Governor Bradford himself found it difficult to walk slowly down to the +shore, while Sarah and I ran with frantic haste, as if fearing we might +not be able to traverse the short distance before the vessel was come +to anchor and her crew landed. + +If I should try to tell you how we felt on seeing this first vessel +that had visited Plymouth, believing she had on board some of our +friends who had been left behind when the _Mayflower_ sailed, it would +hardly be possible for me to write of anything else, so long would +be the story. Therefore it is that I shall not try to describe how +we stood at the water's edge, every man, woman and child in Plymouth, +wrapped in furs until we must have looked like so many wild animals, +for the day was exceeding cold and windy, watching every movement made +by those on board the vessel until a boat, well laden with men and +women, put off from her side. + +Then we shouted boisterously, for it was well nigh impossible to remain +silent, and those who recognized familiar faces among the occupants +of the shallop screamed a welcome to the new world, and to our town of +Plymouth, until they were hoarse from shouting. + +The ship which had come was the _Fortune_, and she brought to us +thirty-six of those who had been left behind at Leyden. During fully +two days we of Plymouth did little more than give our entire attention +to these welcome visitors, hearing from them news of those of our +friends who were yet in Holland, and telling again and again the story +of the sickness and the famine with which we had become acquainted soon +after landing from the _Mayflower_. + + + + +POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER FAMINE + + +When we were settled down, as one might say, and our visitors were at +work building homes for themselves, I heard father and Master Brewster +talking one evening about the addition to our number, and was surprised +at learning, that while they rejoiced equally with us children at the +coming of our friends, what might be in store for us in the future +troubled them greatly. + +The _Fortune_ had brought from England no more in the way of food +than would suffice to feed the passengers during the voyage across the +ocean, and the crew on her return. Therefore had we thirty-six mouths +to feed during the long winter, more than had been reckoned on when we +held our festival of thanksgiving. + +Until overhearing this conversation, I had not given a thought to +anything save the pleasure which would be ours in having so many more +friends around us; but now, because Master Brewster and my father +talked in so serious a strain, did I begin to understand that we might, +before another summer had come, suffer for food even as we had during +the winter just passed. + +And it was because of our people being so disturbed regarding the store +of provisions, that the ship did not remain in the harbor as long as +would have pleased us. Governor Bradford told the captain that he must +set sail while there was yet food enough in the ship to feed his crew +during the voyage home, since we of Plymouth could not give him any. + + [Illustration] + +The _Fortune_, however, did not go back empty. She was loaded full with +the clapboards which our people had made during the summer, and, in +addition, were two hogsheads filled with beaver and otter skins, the +whole of the freight amounting in value, so I heard Captain Standish +say, to not less than five hundred pounds sterling. + +We were saddened when the ship left the harbor; but not so much as +on the day the _Mayflower_ sailed away, for, having sent back in the +_Fortune_ goods of value, there was fair promise she would speedily +return for more. + + + + +ON SHORT ALLOWANCE + + +When the _Fortune_ had gone, the men of our settlement took an exact +account of all the provisions in the common store, as well as of those +belonging to the different families, and the whole was divided in just +proportion among us every one. + +Then it was learned that we had no more in Plymouth to eat than would +provide for our wants during six months, and since in that time there +would not be another harvest, it was decided by the governor and the +chief men of the village, that each person should be given a certain +amount less than the appetite craved; short allowance, Captain Standish +called it. + +Sarah and I were faint at heart on learning of this decision, for it +seemed as if during this winter we were to live again in the misery +such as we had known the past season of cold and frost, when we hunted +the leaves of the checkerberry plant, and chewed the gum which gathers +in little bunches on the spruce trees, to satisfy our hunger. + +Those who had come over in the _Fortune_ to join us were, as can well +be understood, grieved because of their putting us to such straits; +it was a matter which could not be helped, and we of the _Mayflower_ +strove earnestly not to speak of the possible distress which might be +ours, lest our friends so lately come might think we were reproaching +them. + + + + +A THREATENING MESSAGE + + +It was not many days after we had learned that we might be hungry +before another harvest should come, when a savage, whom we had never +before seen, came to Plymouth, asking for our chief. On being conducted +to Governor Bradford, he delivered unto him a bundle of arrows which +were tied together with a great snake skin. + + [Illustration] + +It so happened that Squanto was in the village, and, on being sent +for, he explained to our people that the sending of the arrows tied +in the snake skin was a threat, which meant that speedily those from +whom it had come would make an attack upon us. He also declared that +the messenger was from the nation of the Narragansetts, of whom I have +already told you. + +The governor consulted with the chief men of Plymouth as to what +should be done, with the result that Squanto was instructed to tell +the Narragansett messenger that if his people had rather have war than +peace, they might begin as soon as pleased them, for we of Plymouth +had done the Narragansetts no wrong, neither did we fear any tribe of +savages. Then the snake skin was filled with bullets, as token that +the Indians would not find us unprepared when they made an attack, and +given to the messenger that he might carry it back to those who had +sent him. + +That night, when mother mourned because it seemed certain war would +soon be made upon us, father spoke lightly of the matter, as if it were +something of no great importance. However, both Sarah and I took notice +that from the hour the Narragansett messenger left Plymouth carrying +the snake skin filled with bullets, there were two men stationed on +top of the fort night and day, and a certain store of provisions taken +inside, as if the food might be used there rather than in our homes. + +We knew nothing whatsoever about warfare, girls as we were, but yet +had common sense enough to understand from such preparations, that our +fathers were holding themselves ready, and expecting that an attack +would be made by the savages within a very short time. + + + + +PINE KNOTS AND CANDLES + + +Perhaps you would like to know how we light our homes in the evening, +since we have no tallow, for of course people who own neither hogs, +sheep, cows nor oxen, do not have that which is needed for candles. + + [Illustration] + +Well, first, we find our candles among the trees, and of a truth the +forest is of such extent that it would seem as if all the world might +get an ample store of material to make light. We use knots from the +pitch pine trees, or wood from the same tree split into thin sheets +or slices; but the greatest trouble is that the wood is filled with +a substance, which we at first thought was pitch, that boils out by +reason of the heat of the flame, and drops on whatever may be beneath. + +Captain Standish has lately discovered, and truly he is a wonderful +man for finding out hidden things, that the substance from the candle +wood, as we call the pitch pine, is turpentine or tar, and now, if +you please, our people are preparing these things to be sent back to +England for sale, with the hope that we shall thereby get sufficient +money with which to purchase the animals we need so sorely. + +I would not have you understand that there are no real candles here in +Plymouth, for when the _Fortune_ came, her captain had a certain number +of tallow candles which he sold; but they are such luxuries as can be +afforded only on great occasions. Mother has even at this day, wrapped +carefully in moss, two of them, for which father paid eight pence +apiece, and she blamed him greatly for having spent so much money, at +the same time declaring that they should not be used except upon some +great event, such as when the evening meeting is held at our house. + + + + +TALLOW FROM BUSHES + + +Squanto has shown us how we may get, at only the price of so much +labor, that which looks very like tallow, and of which mother has made +many well-shaped candles. + +You must know that in this country there grows a bush which some call +the tallow shrub; others claim it should be named the candleberry tree, +while Captain Standish insists it is the bayberry bush. + +This plant bears berries somewhat red, and speckled with white, as if +you had thrown powdered clam shells on them. + + [Illustration] + +I gathered near to twelve quarts last week, and mother put them in a +large pot filled with water, which she stands over the fire, for as yet +we cannot boast of an iron backbar to the fire-place, on which heavy +kettles may be hung with safety. + +After these berries have been cooked a certain time, that which looks +like fat is stewed out of them, and floats on the top of the water. + +Mother skims it off into one of the four earthen vessels we brought +with us from Scrooby, and when cold, it looks very much like tallow, +save that it is of a greenish color. After being made into candles and +burned, it gives off an odor which to some is unpleasant; but I think +it very sweet to the nostrils. + + + + +WICKS FOR THE CANDLES + + +I suppose you are wondering how it is we get the wicks for the candles, +save at the expense and trouble of bringing them from England. Well, +you must know that there is a plant which grows here plentifully, +called milkweed. It has a silken down like unto silver in color, and we +children gather it in the late summer. + + [Illustration] + +It is spun coarsely into wicks, and some of the more careful housewives +dip them into saltpetre to insure better burning. Do you remember that +poem of Master Tusser's which we learned at Scrooby? + + Wife, make thine own candle, + Spare penny to handle. + Provide for thy tallow ere the frost cometh in, + And make thine own candle ere winter begin. + +When candle-making time comes, I wish there were other children in this +household besides me, for the work is hard and disagreeable, to say +nothing of being very greasy, and I would gladly share it with sisters +or brothers. + +Mother's candle-rods are small willow shoots, and because of not having +kitchen furniture in plenty, she hangs the half-dipped wicks across +that famous wooden tub which we brought with us in the _Mayflower_. + + + + +DIPPING THE CANDLES + + +It is my task to hang six or eight of the milkweed wicks on the rod, +taking good care that they shall be straight, which is not easy +to accomplish, for silvery and soft though the down is when first +gathered, it twists harshly, and of course, as everyone knows, there +can be no bends or kinks in a properly made candle. + +Mother dips perhaps eight of these wicks at a time into a pot of +bayberry wax, and after they have been so treated six or eight times, +they are of sufficient size, for our vegetable tallow sticks in greater +mass than does that which comes from an animal. + +A famous candle-maker is my mother, and I have known her to make as +many as one hundred and fifty in a single day. + + [Illustration] + +The candle box which your uncle gave us is of great convenience, for +since it has on the inside a hollow for each candle, there is little +danger that any will be broken, and, besides, we may put therein the +half-burned candles, for we cannot afford to waste even the tiniest +scraps of tallow. + +Captain Standish has in his home candles made from bear's grease, and +as wicks, dry marsh grass braided. + +When the second winter had begun, and the snow lay deep all around, +save where our people had dug streets and paths, Sarah and I were +forced, as a matter of course, to remain a goodly portion of the time +within our homes. Those of the men who were not needed to hew huge +trees into lengths convenient for burning, were hunting and setting +traps, in the hope of adding to the store of provisions which was so +scanty after it had been divided among those who came in the _Fortune_, +and Sarah and I had little else to do than recall to mind that which +had happened during the summer, when all the country was good to look +upon instead of being imprisoned by the frost. + + + + +WHEN JAMES RUNS AWAY + + +We went back to the time when James Billington, son of John, caused us +all such a fright by his wayward behavior. + +Because James was not a favorite with any of us girls, being prone +to tease us at every opportunity, and spending more of his time in +mischief than in work, I must be careful how I speak of the lad, lest +I fall into that sin which Elder Brewster warns us to guard against: +allowing one's feelings to control the tongue, thereby speaking more +harshly against another than is warranted by the facts. + + [Illustration] + +I must, however, set it down that James was not a favorite with any +save his parents; but seemed ever watching for an opportunity to make +trouble for others, and just before the harvest time did he succeed in +throwing the entire village into a state of confusion and anxiety. + +On a certain afternoon, I cannot rightly recall the exact time, it was +noted by Sarah and myself, that, contrary to his usual custom, James +had not prowled around where we children were at work in the fields +with the intent to perplex or annoy us, and we spoke of the fact as if +it was an unusually pleasant incident, little dreaming of the trouble +which was to follow. + +That night, while father was reading from the Book, and explaining to +us the more difficult passages, the mother of James came to our home, +asking if we had seen her son. + +Even then but little heed was given to the fact that the boy had not +returned for his share of the scanty supper; but mayhap an hour later +every one in the settlement was summoned by the beating of the drum, +and then did we learn that James Billington had disappeared. + +The first thought was that some of the evil-disposed savages had +carried him away, and, acting upon the governor's orders, Captain +Standish set off with eight men to hunt for the missing lad. + +I have never heard all the story of the search; but know that they +visited more than one of the Indian villages, and perhaps would not +have succeeded in their purpose but that Squanto was found at Nauset, +and, aided by some of his savage friends, he speedily got on the track +of the missing boy. + +Captain Standish and his men were absent three days before they came +back, bringing James Billington, and when his mother took him in +her arms, rejoicing over his return as if he had really escaped some +dreadful danger, Governor Bradford commanded that she and her husband +give to James such a whipping as would prevent anything of the kind +from happening again, for, as it appeared, the boy had willfully run +away, counting, as he said, to turn Indian because of savages' not +being obliged to work in the fields. + + + + +EVIL-MINDED INDIANS + + +It was during this summer that we had good cause for alarm. Word was +brought by Samoset that a large party of Massasoit's people, being +angry because of his having showed us white folks favor, were bent on +attacking him and us, with the intent to destroy entirely our town of +Plymouth. + + [Illustration] + +Captain Standish marched forth once more, this time with twelve men +at his heels, and I heard John Alden tell my father that the brave +soldier went directly to the village of those who would have murdered +us, where, without the shedding of blood, they took from all the +evil-minded Indians their weapons. + +It seems more like some wild fancy than the sober truth, to say that +twelve men could, without striking a blow in anger, overcome no less +than sixty wild savages, and yet such was the case, for John Alden is +known to be a truthful man, and Captain Standish one who is not given +to boasting. + +The long dreary winter passed slowly, and during a goodly number of +days we of Plymouth were hungry, although having sufficient of food to +keep us from actual starvation. Yet never once did I hear any repining +because of our having been brought to such straits through the neglect +of those who came in the _Fortune_, and who should have provided +themselves with food sufficient for their wants until another harvest +time had come. + + + + +LONG HOURS OF PREACHING + + +We went more often to the meeting-house in the fort than would have +been the case, perhaps, had our bodily comfort been greater, and Elder +Brewster preached to us more fervently than mayhap he might have done +but for the gnawing of hunger in his stomach. + +Every Sabbath Day from nine o'clock in the morning until noon, and +after that, from noon to dark, did we sing, or pray, or listen to +the elder's words of truth, all the while being hungry, and a goodly +portion of the time cold unto the verge of freezing. + +My mother claimed that there was no reason why we should not have a +fireplace in the meeting-house, even though none but the children might +be allowed to approach it; but Elder Brewster insisted that to think +of bodily suffering while engaged in the worship of God, was much the +same as a sin, and it seemed to Sarah and me as if his preaching was +prolonged when the cold was most intense. + +Again and again have I sat on the puncheon benches, my feet numbed +with the frost, my teeth chattering until it was necessary to thrust +the corner of mother's mantle into my mouth to prevent unseemly noise, +almost envying Master Hopkins when he walked from his bench to the +pulpit in order to turn the hourglass for the second or third time, +because of his thus having a chance for exercising his limbs. + +You must know that, having no clocks, the time in the meeting-house is +marked by an hourglass, and it is the duty of one of the leading men +of the settlement to turn it when the sand runs out. Therefore, when +Master Hopkins has turned it the second time, thus showing that the +third hour of the sermon has begun, I am so worldly-minded and so cold +as to rejoice, because of knowing that Elder Brewster, save on especial +days, seldom preaches more than the three hours. + + + + +JOHN ALDEN'S TUBS + + +It was during this winter that John Alden, who is a cooper as well as +Captain Standish's clerk, spent three days in our home, making for +mother two tubs which are fair to look upon, and of such size that +we are no longer troubled on washdays by being forced to throw away +the soapy water in order to rinse the clothes which have already been +cleansed. You may think it strange to hear me speak thus of the waste +of soapy water, because you in Scrooby have of soap an abundance, while +here in this new land we are put to great stress through lack of it. + + [Illustration] + +It would not be so ill if all the housewives would make a generous +quantity, but there are some among us who are not so industrious as +others, and dislike the labor of making soap. They fail to provide +sufficient for themselves, but depend upon borrowing; thus spending the +stores of those who have looked ahead for the needs of the future. + +Well, as I have said, the winter passed, and we were come to the second +summer after making this settlement of Plymouth. + +Once more was famine staring us in the face, therefore every man, woman +and child, save those chosen to go fishing, was sent into the fields +for the planting. + + + + +ENGLISH VISITORS + + +It was while our people were out fishing that they were met by a great +surprise, which was nothing less than a shallop steering as if to come +into the harbor, and in her were many men. + +At first our fishermen feared the visitors might be Frenchmen who had +come bent on some evil intent; but nevertheless our people approached +boldly, and soon learned that the shallop came from a ship nearby, +which Master Weston had sent out fishing from a place on the coast +called Damarins Cove. + +This Master Weston, so I learned later, was one of those merchants +who had aided in fitting out our company in England; but after our +departure had decided to send a colony on his own account, and the +people afterward settled at Wessagussett. + + [Illustration] + +The reason why the shallop, of which I have just spoken, came toward +our village of Plymouth, was that Master Weston's ship had brought over +seven men who wished to join us, and, what was yet better, they had +with them letters from our friends at home. + +It was unfortunate that they had no food other than enough to serve +until they should have come to our settlement, and thus it was that +there were more mouths yet for us to feed from our scanty store. + +A few weeks later we heard that a company of men from England had +begun to build a village within five and twenty miles of our Plymouth +town. There is little need for me to say that we rejoiced to learn of +neighbors in this wilderness of a country; but were more than surprised +because the ship which brought them over the seas had not come into our +harbor. + + + + +VISITING THE NEIGHBORS + + +That another village was to be built, and so near at hand that in case +the savages came against us in anger we might call upon the people for +aid, was of so much importance in the eyes of Governor Bradford, that +he at once sent Captain Standish and six men to visit our neighbors. +This he did not only in order to appear friendly, but with the hope +that from the new-comers we might be able to add to our store of food. + +It was a great disappointment to all, and particularly to Sarah and me, +when the captain came back with the report that the new settlers were +glad to leave London streets. They were of Master Weston's company; +among them were those who had come in the shallop from Damarins Cove, +bringing to us letters from England, and the people who were eager to +cast in their lot with us. + +"They are a quarrelsome, worthless company, and have already fought +with the Indians after having received favors from them," Captain +Standish said to my father, when he had made his report to the +governor. "One Thomas Weston is the leader, and if he continues as he +has begun, there will soon be an end of the entire party." + +Instead of getting food from them for our needs, it is more than +likely, so the captain declares, that we may be called upon to save +them from starvation. From the first they stole corn from the Indians, +or took it by force, and it seemed certain they could not continue such +a lawless course until harvest time. + + + + +WHY MORE FISH ARE NOT TAKEN + + +I can well fancy you are asking how it is we complain thus about the +scarcity of food, when you know that the sea is filled with fish. + +Captain Standish declares that there are no less than two hundred +different kinds to be found off this coast, and lobsters are at some +seasons so plentiful that the smallest boy may go out and get as many +as he can carry. I myself have seen one so large that I could, hardly +lift it, and father says its weight was upwards of twenty pounds. + +You will say that if we could send out a certain number of our people +in boats to get food thus from the sea, what should prevent us from +taking as many as would be necessary for our wants during one year? +I myself put that same question to father one night last winter while +we were hungry, and mother and I sat chewing the dried leaves of the +checkerberry plant which ground to powder between our teeth, and he +answered me bitterly: + +"It is owing to our own shortsightedness, my daughter; to our neglect +to understand what might be met with in this new world. Those who made +ready for the voyage believed we should find here food in abundance; +but yet had no reason for such belief. It was known that we were to +go into the wilderness, and yet, perhaps, for we will not say aught of +harm against another, it was thought that we should find in the forest +so much of fowls and of animals as would serve for all our needs." + + [Illustration] + +"But why do we not take more fish, father?" I asked, speaking because +such conversation served to keep my mind from the hunger which was +heavy upon me. + +"Because of not having the lines, the hooks, or the nets with +which to catch a larger store. When the _Fortune_ sailed for home, +Governor Bradford sent to the people in London who had made ready the +_Mayflower_, urging that they send in the next ship which may come to +this land such fishing gear as is needed. When that reaches us, then +shall we be able not only to guard against another time of famine; but +have of cured fish enough to bring us in money sufficient to buy other +things we now need." + +And thus speaking of money reminds me to set down what the savages use +in the stead of gold and silver coins. + + + + +HOW WAMPUM IS MADE + + +You must know that the Indians hereabout have no tools of iron or of +steel, as do you in Scrooby; but perform all their work by means of +fire and sharp pieces of flint stone. In order to have something that +can be called money, although they of course do not use that word in +speaking of it, they get from the dark spots which are found in clam +shells, beads about one-eighth of an inch in thickness and an inch +long. + + [Illustration] + +These they call wampum, and string them on threads cut from the skin +of a deer. Because of a great deal of labor's being necessary in the +making of them, these bits of wampum, or beads, are valued as highly by +the Indians as we value gold or silver, and the savage who would hoard +up his wealth that it may be seen of others, makes of these strings of +wampum a belt many inches broad. + + [Illustration] + +It is convenient to wear these belts, for when the owner wishes to +buy something from another Indian or even from us white people, he has +merely to take off one or two strings from the belt, thereby decreasing +the width ever so slightly. + +When Massasoit came to Plymouth, he wore three of these wampum belts, +and among those who followed him, I saw five or six who had an equal +number. + + + + +MINISTERING TO MASSASOIT + + +It was early in this second springtime that had come to us in Plymouth, +when Samoset brought word into the village that Massasoit, the savage +chief that had been so kind to us, was ill unto death, and that those +jealous Indians whom Captain Standish had disarmed so valiantly, were +only waiting until their king should die before they made an attack +upon our town. + +This news was believed to be of such importance that straightway +Governor Bradford commanded Captain Standish to gather as many of his +men as could be spared from Plymouth, and go at once to Massasoit's +village. + +This of itself would have received but scant attention from my parents +or me, for it seemed as if the captain was ever going out in search of +some adventure or another; but on this occasion, it was urged by the +governor that Master Winslow, who had shown himself during our first +winter on these shores to have some considerable knowledge regarding +sickness, go and try if he might not lend the savage king some aid. + + [Illustration] + +It was a fearsome time for everyone. We knew, because of what Samoset +had said, that many of Massasoit's people were awaiting an opportunity +to murder us, and, when Master Winslow should go into the village among +so many enemies, it was to be feared the savages might fall upon him, +knowing the chief was so ill he could not give the white man any help. + +During eight long, weary days we waited for the return of Master +Winslow, fearing each hour lest we should hear that he was no longer +in this world, and then, to our great relief, he came into the +village late one evening, while my mother and I were praying for his +safe-keeping. + +Master Winslow had been most fortunate in the visit, for the good Lord +allowed that the savage chief should be restored to health, and by way +of showing his gratitude for what had been done, Massasoit told Master +Winslow that the white people of Wessagussett had so ill-treated the +Indians along the coast, that a plot was on foot to kill not only them, +but us at Plymouth. + + + + +THE PLOT THWARTED + + +It was the same news which Samoset had brought us, and there could no +longer be any doubt as to its truth. + +Captain Standish had come back only to set out again, for when Master +Winslow told Governor Bradford that which Massasoit had said, several +of our men were sent in hot haste to this place where Master Weston's +men were making so much mischief. Again we of Plymouth waited in +anxious suspense until that day when Captain Standish, and all whom he +had taken with him, returned once more to the village. + +They had met one Indian who, they believed, was planning to murder +Captain Standish himself. This Indian and six of his savage companions +they had killed, driving the others away into the forest. + +It was believed by father that the Indians, knowing we had ever treated +them fairly and justly, and also that our men had punished those who +did wrong, would no longer hold enmity against us of Plymouth simply +because of our skins' being white. + + + + +THE CAPTAIN'S INDIAN + + +I must tell you that our captain has adopted a follower who hugs him +as closely as ever shadow could. It is a savage by the name of Hobomok, +whom Samoset brought to Plymouth. He must suddenly have fallen in love +with our valiant warrior, for he keeps close at his heels during all +the waking hours, and, as John Alden says, sleeps as near, during the +night, as Captain Standish will permit. + +He is called by our people "the captain's Indian," and surely he +appears to be as faithful and unselfish as any dog. + + + + +BALLOTS OF CORN + + +We have come to put this Indian corn, or Turkey wheat, to another use +than that of eating, for it has been agreed to let the kernels serve as +ballots in public voting. + + [Illustration] + +Each man may put into Standish's iron cap, which is what our people +use when they cast their ballots, a single kernel of the corn to show +that it is his intent to elect whomsoever had been spoken of for this +or that office; but if a bean be cast, it is used as counting against +him who desires to be elected, and a law has already been made which +says that "if any man shall put more than one Indian corn or bean into +Captain Standish's helmet in time of public election, he shall forfeit +no less than ten pounds in lawful money." + + + + +ARRIVAL OF THE "ANN" + + +And now, because there is so much of excitement, owing to the frequent +coming and going of strangers, which neither Sarah nor I can well +understand, I will set down, in as few words as may be possible, only +such news as seems of importance, beginning with the time before our +second harvesting. + +Then the ship _Ann_ came, bringing yet more people, although, +fortunately, a considerable store of food, and in her were the +wives and children of some of our company who had come over in the +_Mayflower_. How joyous was the meeting between those who had long +been separated. Sarah and I could see, however, that more than one of +these women were disappointed, having most likely allowed themselves to +believe their husbands were gathering riches in the new world. I heard +one, who found her husband much the same as clad in rags, wish that she +and her children were in England again. + +When the ship _Ann_ went back to England, my mother and I were left +alone, for it had been decided by the head men of the town that Master +Edward Winslow should take passage in her to look after certain +business affairs of the colony, and, what seemed to me the more +important, to buy some cows. The sorrow of it was that my father was +chosen to journey with Master Winslow. + +We were exceedingly lonely, and should have felt yet more desolate but +for Captain Standish and John Alden both of whom did whatsoever they +might to cheer. + + + + +THE "LITTLE JAMES" COMES TO PORT + + +It was while we were alone that the ship _Little James_ came, laden +with fifty men, women and children to be joined to our colony, and when +they were settled, did it seem as if Plymouth was much the same as a +city, with so many people coming and going. + +What with the food which had been brought in the _Ann_ and the _Little +James_, and with the bountiful harvest we reaped in the fall, there +seemed no longer to be any fear of famine; and with so many hands to +make light work, as Elder Brewster said, there was no good reason why +we should not have a meeting-house to be used for no other purpose than +as a place in which to worship God. + + + + +THE NEW MEETING-HOUSE + + +It was after the harvest time that the people set about building it, +and that it might be seen by those who looked at it from the outside, +to be a building other than for living purposes, the logs, instead of +being set upright in the earth, were laid lengthwise, and notched at +the ends in a most secure fashion, with a roof that rises to a peak +like unto those on the houses in Scrooby. + +The very best of oiled paper is set in the windows. There is a real +floor of puncheon boards, which we keep well covered with the white +sand from the shore, and Priscilla Mullens spends much time drawing +with a stick fanciful figures in the glistening covering, causing it to +look like a real carpet. + +There are benches sufficient for all, and at that end opposite the +door is the preacher's desk, over which hangs a sounding board, not +delicately fashioned like the one at Scrooby, but made of puncheons, +yet serving well the purpose of allowing the preacher's voice to seem +louder. + +Elder Brewster still believes that it would be wrong for us to have +a fireplace in the meeting-house, because one who truly worships his +Maker should be willing to sacrifice his comfort. One Sabbath Day, when +the elder's sermon was so long that the hourglass had been turned three +times by the tithingman, and the sand was already running well for the +fourth time, I believed of a truth that my feet were really frozen. + +But I did not even shuffle them on the floor, because once when I +did so, a most serious lesson did my mother read me when we were at +home again, and that very evening Elder Brewster spoke in meeting of +the wickedness of children who had no more fear of God before their +eyes than to disturb by unseemly noise those who had gathered for his +worship. + +John Alden, who is ever ready to do what he can for the comfort of +others, has now nailed bags made of wolf skins on the benches, into +which we may thrust our feet and thus keep them warm. + + + + +THE CHURCH SERVICE + + +Captain Standish has taught Master Bean's eldest son, Nathan, how to +drum, and he it is who summons our people before nine of the clock in +the morning, and one of the clock in the afternoon. + + [Illustration] + +Then we go from our homes in seemly fashion; but all the men carry +their firearms and wear swords, for there are wicked Indians about, +and many wild beasts which come even into the village, when there is +much snow on the ground. Therefore do the fathers and the brothers of +Plymouth guard the mothers and sisters. + +It is that part of the meeting-house on the right side as you go in, +that has been set apart for the women and girls. The men have their +benches on the opposite side, while the boys, except the very, very +little ones, sit directly under the preacher's desk, where all may know +if they behave themselves in seemly fashion. Sarah says it would be +much to the comfort of us girls if even the baby boys could be thus set +apart by themselves. + +Deacon Chadwick leads the congregation in the songs of praise, by +reading a line, for we have but four psalm books here, and then we sing +such words as he has spoken; so it goes on throughout all the psalm, +causing the music to sound halting and unequal. Besides which, it is +seldom that the verses can be sung in such a manner within less than +half an hour, and meanwhile we must all be kept standing. + +When the meeting is over, and the morning service is nearly always +finished within four hours, we remain in our seats until the preacher +and his wife have gone out, after which the men march around to the +deacon's bench, and there leave furs or corn, money or wampum, if +perchance they have any, as gifts toward the support of the preaching. +Sometimes, when I have a feeling of faintness from the cold and long +hours of sitting, I cannot help envying the preacher and his wife being +able to leave thus early. + + + + +THE TITHINGMEN + + +The tithingmen are elected as town officers, and each has ten families +to visit during the week, when they hear the children recite their +lessons for the next Sabbath Day. It is their duty to see that every +person goes to the meeting-house on Sabbath Day, with no loitering on +the way, and even after the preaching is over, and we have returned +to our homes, do they march up and down the street to prevent us from +straying out of doors until the Sabbath is at a close. + + [Illustration] + +My mother believes, and so do I, that it would be better if the +tithingmen refrained from walking to and fro in the church while +the elder is preaching; but so they do, each carrying a stick which +has a knob on one end and a fox or wolf tail on the other, striking +the unruly children on the head with the knob end of the stick, and +tickling with the fox tail the faces of those who are so ungodly as to +sleep during the preaching. + + + + +MASTER WINSLOW BRINGS HOME COWS + + +I despair of trying to make you understand how thankful we were to God, +when the ship in which Master Winslow and father returned, sailed into +the harbor. + +It seemed to me as if I should never have enough of looking at him, +or feeling the pressure of his hand upon my head, after he had thus +been gone for eight weary months; but, strange to say, the others in +the town thought it more pleasing to look at the cattle which Master +Winslow brought, than at our people who had come back to us. + +Yes, in the ship _Charity_, on which Master Winslow and father came, +were three cows and a bull, and you who have never known the lack of +butter, cheese, and milk, cannot understand how grateful our people +were for such things. + + [Illustration] + +The animals were no sooner on shore and eating greedily, than +straightway we pictured to ourselves a large herd of cows, such as +are seen in England, and when for the first time we saw the milk, a +spoonful was given to each person in order that he or she might once +more know the taste of it. + +In the same vessel came a preacher, by name of John Lyford, a ship +carpenter, and a man who is skilled in making salt; therefore does +it seem now as if our town of Plymouth could boast of nearly as many +comforts and conveniences as you enjoy at Scrooby. + +Nor were the return of father and Master Winslow, the coming of the +animals, the arrival of the salt man, or the joining to our company of +the preacher, the only things for which we had to give thanks. + + + + +A REAL OVEN + + +Father brought in the vessel as many bricks as would serve to make an +oven by the side of our fireplace, and thus it was that we were the +first family in Plymouth who could bake bread or roast meats, as do +people in England. + +This oven is built on one side of the fireplace, with a hole near the +top, for the smoke to go through. It has a door of real iron, with an +ash pit below, so that we may save the ashes for soap-making without +storing them in another place. + +At first the oven was kept busily at work for the benefit of our +neighbors, being heated each day, but for our own needs it is used once +a week. Inside, a great fire of dried wood is kindled and kept burning +from morning until noon, when it has thoroughly heated the bricks. Then +the coals and ashes are swept out; the chimney draught is closed, and +the oven filled with whatsoever we have to cook. A portion of our bread +is baked in the two pans which mother owns; but the rest of it we lay +on green leaves, and it is cooked quite as well, although one is forced +to scrape a few cinders from the bottom of the loaf. + + [Illustration] + + + + +BUTTER AND CHEESE + + +Can you imagine how Sarah and I feasted when, for the first time in +four years, we had milk to drink, and butter and cheese to eat? + +You must not believe that we drank milk freely, as do you at Scrooby, +for there are many people in Plymouth, all of whom had been hungering +for it even as had Sarah and I. Father claimed that each must have a +certain share, therefore it is a great feast day with us when we have +a large spoonful on our pudding, or to drink. + +John Alden made a most beautiful churn for mother; but many a long +month passed before we could get cream enough to make butter, so eager +were our people for the milk. Now, however, when there are seventeen +cows in this town of ours, we not only have butter on extra occasions; +but twice each year mother makes a cheese. + + [Illustration] + + + + +THE SETTLEMENT AT WESSAGUSSETT + + +Because of having spent so much time, and set down so many words in +trying to describe how we lived when we first came to this new world, I +must hasten over that which occurred from day to day, in order to tell +you what seems to me of the most importance, without giving heed to the +time when the events took place. + +I have already told you of the village at Wessagussett, which was built +by men who had been sent to this land by Master Weston, and also that +they were driven away by Captain Standish because of working so much +mischief among the Indians that our own lives were in danger. + +Well, it was not long after Captain Standish had punished them, +before one and then another came back to the huts, which had been left +unharmed, and we at Plymouth learned of their doings through Samoset or +Squanto. + +Had they been God-fearing people, willing to obey our laws, Governor +Bradford would have welcomed them right gladly; but because of their +refusing to do that which was right, and their giving themselves up +to riotous living, our fathers could do no less than hold them at a +distance. + +Then it was that one Master Thomas Morton, calling himself a gentlemen, +who came over in the _Charity_ and had lived among us in Plymouth a +short time, much to the shame and discomfort of those who strove to +profit by the teachings of the Bible, claimed that the evil-doers +at Wessagussett were being wronged by us. He even went so far as +to tell Governor Bradford to his face that he was stiff-necked and +straight-laced, preaching what decent men could not practice. + + + + +THE VILLAGE OF MERRY MOUNT + + +After such a shameful outburst, it did not surprise any one that he +joined those at Wessagussett, and perhaps it was as well that he did +so, for he would not have been permitted to remain longer in Plymouth. + + [Illustration: Flint-Lock Gun] + +Master Morton changed the name of the village to Merry Mount, and it +has been said that everyone there gave himself over to riotous living. +They do not even have a meeting house, and John Alden declares that +they never pray, except by reading prayers out of a book, which is an +evil practice, so Elder Brewster insists. + + [Illustration: Match-Lock Gun] + +Captain Standish sorely offended mother by saying he cared not whether +they read or sang their prayers, so that they stopped selling firearms +and strong drink to the Indians. But this last they did, until the +captain could no longer hold his temper in check, and he laid the +matter before Governor Bradford and the chief men of the town. + +Then did the governor send to Master Morton by Squanto a letter, +telling him that for the safety of all the white people he ought to +stop his evil work of teaching the savages how to use firearms, which +might one day be turned against us. + +To this Master Morton made reply that he had sold firearms to the +savages, and would do so as long as he liked. He said his doings did +not concern us of Plymouth, and that no man could make him do other +than as he pleased. + +After reading the letter from Master Morton, the governor sent Captain +Standish with fourteen men to Merry Mount, and Sarah's father told her +that there was a disagreeable battle before the captain could bring +Master Morton away. He was kept in Plymouth until a vessel sailed for +England, and then sent back in her, much against his will, but those +who were so venturesome as to talk with him before he left, claim +that he threatened to come back at some later day, when he would have +revenge upon the governor and the captain. + + + + +THE FIRST SCHOOL + + +I must not forget to tell you that last year there was opened a school, +in that part of the old fort which was first used as a meeting-house. +Our friends in England sent to us a preacher by name of John Lyford, as +I have already said, and he it was who began the school, teaching all +children whose parents could pay him a certain amount either in wampum, +beaver skins, corn, wheat, peas, or money. + +Sarah and I went during seven weeks, and would have remained while +school was open, but that Master Lyford had hot words with Governor +Bradford because of letters which he wrote to his friends in England, +wherein were many false things set down concerning us of Plymouth. Then +it was father declared that I should go on with my studies at home, +rather than be taught by a man who was doing whatsoever he might to +bring reproach upon our village. + +It caused me much sorrow thus to give over learning, for Master Lyford +taught us many new things, and neither Sarah nor I could understand how +it would work harm to us, even though we did study under the direction +of one who was not a friend to Plymouth. + +I felt sorry because of Master Lyford's having done that which gave +rise to ill feelings among our people, since it resulted in his being +sent away from Plymouth. It would not have given me sorrow to see him +go, for to my mind he was not a friendly man; but it seemed much like +a great loss to the village, when the school was closed. + +It would surprise you to know how comfortable everything was in the +school; it seemed almost as if we children were being allowed to give +undue heed to the pleasures of this world, though I must confess that +during the first hour of the morning session we were distressed by the +smoke. + + + + +TOO MUCH SMOKE + + +When the room had been used as a Sabbath Day meeting-house, there was +neither chimney nor fireplace, because Elder Brewster believed that too +much bodily comfort would distract our thoughts from the duty we owed +the Lord. But when the place had been turned into a schoolroom, it was +necessary to have warmth, if for no other reason than that the smaller +children might not be frost-bitten. + +John Billington was hired to build a fireplace and chimney, and, as +all in Plymouth know, he dislikes to work even as does his son James. +Therefore it was that he failed to make the chimney of such height +above the top of the fort as would admit of a fair draught, so Master +Lyford declared, and we were sorely troubled with smoke until the fire +had gained good headway. + +It was the duty of the boys to provide wood and keep the fire burning; +while we girls kept the room swept and cleanly, all of which tended to +give us a greater interest in the school. + + + + +SCHOOL COMFORTS + + +For our convenience when learning to write, puncheon planks were +fastened to the four sides of the room, with stakes on the front edges +to serve as legs in order to hold them in a sloping position, and at +such desk-like contrivances we stood while using a pen, or working at +arithmetic with strips of birch-bark in the stead of paper. The same +benches which had been built when the room was our meeting-house, +served as seats when we had need to rest our legs. + + [Illustration] + +Master Lyford built for himself a desk in the center of the room, where +he could overlook us all, and so great was his desire for comfort, +which was one of the complaints made against him by Governor Bradford, +that he had fastened a short piece of puncheon plank to one side of the +log which served as chair, so that he might lean his back against it +when he was weary. + + + + +HOW THE CHILDREN WERE PUNISHED + + +It must be set down that he was not indolent when it seemed to him +that one of us should be punished. As Captain Standish said, after he +had looked into the room to see James Billington whipped for having +been idle, the teacher "had a rare brain for inventing instruments for +discipline." + + [Illustration] + +It was the flapper which the captain had seen in use upon James, and +surely it must have caused great pain when laid on with all Master +Lyford's strength. A piece of tanned buckskin, six inches square, +with a round hole in the middle large enough for me to thrust my thumb +through, fastened to a wooden handle,--this was the flapper, and when +it was brought down heavily upon one's bare flesh, a blister was raised +the full size of the hole in the leather. + +He had also a tattling stick, which was made of half a dozen thick +strips of deer hide fastened to a short handle, and when he flogged the +children with it, they were forced to lie down over a log hewn with a +sharp edge at the top. This sharp edge of wood, together with the blows +from the stout thongs, caused great pain. + +Master Lyford was not always so severe in his punishment. He had +whispering-sticks, which were thick pieces of wood to be placed in a +child's mouth until it was forced wide open, and then each end of the +stick was tied securely at the back of the scholar's neck in such a way +that he could make no manner of noise. Sarah wore one of these nearly +two hours because of whispering to me, and when it was taken out, the +poor child could not close her jaws until I had rubbed them gently +during a long while. + + [Illustration] + +Then there was the single-legged stool, upon which it was most tiring +to sit, and this was given to the child who would not keep still upon +his bench. I was forced to use it during one whole hour, because of +drumming my feet upon the floor when the cold was most bitter, and the +fire would not burn owing to the wood being so wet. It truly seemed to +me, before the punishment was come to an end, as if my back had been +broken. + +Master Lyford was also provided with five or six dunce's caps, made +of birch bark, on which were painted in fair letters such names as +"Tell-Tale," "Bite-Finger-Baby," "Lying Ananias," "Idle Boy," and other +ugly words. + + [Illustration] + +However, I dare say this was for good, and went far toward aiding us in +our studies. Master Allerton declares that there are no truer words in +the Book, than those which teach us that to spare the rod is to spoil +the child, and surely we of Plymouth were not spoiled in such manner by +Master Lyford, nor by the other teachers who came to us later. + + + + +NEW VILLAGES + + +While I have been setting down all these things that you might know how +we lived here in the wilderness, other villages have been built around +us until we can no longer say we are alone, or that our only neighbors +are those Englishmen in Virginia, which place is so far away that we +should need make a voyage in a ship in order to come at it. + +First I will speak of that village of Merry Mount, wherein dwell those +people who, led by Thomas Morton, are a reproach to those who walk in +the straight path. + +Then, so we have heard, there are white men living on the river called +Saco; at the mouth of the river Piscataqua and higher up the stream is, +so Squanto declares, a village called Cochecho. + +At Pemaquid, and on the nearby island of Monhegan, are settlements +whose dwellers are nearly all fishermen, and who send their catch to +England. + +One Captain Wollaston, with between thirty and forty men, began to make +a village on the seashore not above fifty miles from here; but he soon +tired of battling with the wilderness, and set sail with all his people +for Virginia. + +Master John Oldham, who came to Plymouth with Master Lyford, having had +hot words with Governor Bradford, set off for a place called Nantasket, +where, in company with four other discontented ones of our village, he +aims to make a town. + +Near by Plymouth, if one makes the journey by boat, is a town called +Salem, lately set up with Master Endicott as the governor, wherein live +more than two hundred people, and within a few weeks it has been said +that another company are making homes on Massachusetts Bay, calling the +place Charlestown. + +Therefore you can see how fast this new world is being covered with +villages and towns, and we who were the first to gain a foothold in the +wilderness, are surrounded by neighbors until it seems as if the land +were really thronged with people. + + + + +MAKING READY FOR A JOURNEY + + + [Illustration] + +Not two months ago my father got word that among those who had come +to build homes at the place already named Salem, were many of our +old friends whom we left behind at Leyden, and I was nearly wild with +delight when he said to my mother: + +"Verily we two have earned a time of rest, and if it be to your mind we +will go even so far as Salem, to greet those friends of ours who have +so lately come from Leyden." + +"And Mary?" my mother asked. + +"She shall go with us. If you and I are to give ourselves over to +pleasure, it is well she should have a share." + +Since the day on which we landed from the _Mayflower_, I had not been +allowed to stray above half a mile from the village, and now I was to +journey like a princess, with nothing to do save seek that which might +serve for my pleasure or amusement. + +Then, remembering how sad at heart Sarah would be if we were parted +after having been so much together these ten years, I made bold to ask +my mother if she might journey with us, and after having speech with my +father, she gave her consent. + +There is no need for me to tell you that we two girls were wondrously +happy and woefully excited at the idea of visiting strange people, +concerning whom we had heard not a little, for, as Captain Standish has +said, never were homeseekers outfitted in such plenty. + +When he heard of what father counted on doing, Captain Standish offered +to make one of the party, saying that it would gladden him to see +a friendly face from Leyden, and it was his idea that we go in the +shallop, taking with us John Alden to aid in working the vessel. + +You can well fancy that Sarah and I were pleased to have the captain +with our party, for he has ever been a good friend of ours, and as for +John Alden, if Mistress Priscilla was willing to spare him from home, +we were content, knowing he was at all times ready, as well as eager, +to do his full share of whatsoever labor might be at hand. + + + + +CLOTHING FOR THE SALEM COMPANY + + +Just fancy! The Massachusetts Bay Company gave to each man and boy who +came over from England to Salem four pairs of shoes, and four pairs of +stockings to wear with them, a stout pair of Norwich garters, together +with four shirts, and two suits of doublet and hose of leather lined +with oiled skin. As if that were not enough, to the list were added a +woolen suit lined with leather, two handkerchiefs, and a green cotton +waistcoat. Then came a leather belt, a woolen cap, a black hat, two red +knit caps, two pairs of gloves, a cloak lined with cotton, and an extra +pair of breeches. + +Is it any wonder that Sarah and I were eager to see these gentlemen +who must have needed a baggage ship in order to bring over their +finery. Think of people coming into the wilderness outfitted in such +extravagant fashion as that! + +Surely they should be able to live comfortably, and without anxiety +for the future, because the company that sent them to build the town of +Salem, took good care that they were provided with provisions in plenty +until they had sown and reaped. + +If we of Plymouth had come so burdened with clothes and food, we should +have been spared many a sad day, when an empty stomach, scantily +covered with thin clothing, knew at the same time the biting of the +frost and the gnawing of hunger. It is little wonder that Sarah and I +were eager to see these fortunate people, if for no other reason than +to learn how they carried themselves before us of Plymouth, who failed +of being fine birds through absence of fine feathers. + + + + +PREPARING FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY + + +During one full week before the time set for us to leave home, mother +and I worked from daylight until dark making ready the food, for it +was no slight task to prepare enough to fill the stomachs of all our +company. + +It is true we would be housed and fed in Salem; but no one could +say how the voyage might be prolonged, if the wind proved contrary, +therefore did it behoove us to prepare for a long passage lest we +suffer from hunger by the way. + + [Illustration] + +We made nookick enough, as father said, for the Plymouth army, and of +Indian corn meal and pumpkin bread, no less than twenty large loaves. +We had a sweet pudding in a bag for each person, counting Sarah and me; +Captain Standish had shot two wild ducks as his portion of the stores, +and these had been roasted until they were of a most delicious brown +shade, causing one's mouth to water when looking at them. + +Father had cut up the salt and pickled fish until it could be stored in +gourds, and John Alden caught lobsters enough to prevent our suffering +from hunger during at least two days. + +We had two pumpkins freshly roasted, which would remain sweet a long +while; the full half of a small cheese, a pat of butter as a luxury, +and much else which I cannot well call to mind. + + + + +BEFORE SAILING FOR SALEM + + +The hinder part of the shallop was partly filled with dried beach +grass, that we might have a soft bed if so be we were, as it seemed +likely, still on the voyage when night came. In the forward portion of +the vessel was a keg of John Alden's making, filled with sweet spring +water, and thus, as you may see, everything had been done to minister +to our comfort. + +I was half afraid Elder Brewster might force us to wait beyond the day +appointed for leaving, in order to read us more than one lesson on the +sin of over-indulgence; but, fortunately, he could not spend the time +to overlook the preparations, because of building a new chimney to his +house, the old one having burned on Saturday night. + +On the evening before we sailed, many of our neighbors came in to pray +with us that God would have us in His holy keeping while we wandered +so far from home, and my eyes were filled to overflowing when Elder +Brewster made special mention of Sarah and me, asking that we might +not be led from straight paths by the sight of so much worldly vanity +as was likely waiting for us in that town of Salem, which had grown so +suddenly and so rapidly. + +Sarah slept with me on that night, and after we were gone to bed in the +kitchen, we could hardly close our eyes, so great was our excitement, +as we thought of all the strange sights we were likely to see. I am of +the belief that we had not been asleep above an hour, when mother came +to make ready the morning meal. + +It was yet dark; but father had it in mind to make the start as soon +as day broke, and there was much to be done before that time. We ate +hurriedly of the Indian corn meal pudding, and then Captain Standish +and John Alden came to join us in the service of praise, when I am +afraid my sin was great, for I could hardly keep my mind on the words +of his prayer, so eager did I feel to begin the journey. + +Elder Brewster has told us children again and again that we are +offending God when we allow our thoughts to stray while He is being +worshiped, and even with his warning in mind, I could not but wonder +why father's prayer was so much longer on that morning than I ever had +known before. Twice I heard Captain Standish cough while we were on our +knees, and I was so wicked as to feel pleased because he, like me, had +grown impatient. + + + + +THE JOURNEY + + +The day had not fully dawned when we marched down to the shore where +the shallop lay at anchor; but early though the hour was, we found +there assembled nearly all the townspeople, come to bid us Godspeed +on the dangerous journey. One would have thought we were counting to +travel as far as England, to judge from the looks of sorrow on the +faces of our friends, and we did not go aboard the small vessel until +Elder Brewster had prayed once more for our safe return from the place +where temptation in so many forms awaited us. + +However much time I might spend over the task, it would be impossible +for me to describe, in such a manner that you could understand it, the +pleasure which Sarah and I had during the journey. It was our first +voyaging in so small a vessel, but we could not well have been alarmed, +for the sea was as smooth as velvet, save where it was ruffled here and +there by the gentle breeze which filled the sail of the shallop. + + [Illustration] + +Both my father and Captain Standish fretted because there was not +wind enough to send us along at a smarter pace; but we girls were well +content with the slow progress, since it would be but prolonging our +pleasure. + +As the day grew older, we partook of food, and each one, save him who +was at the helm, chose such position as was best suited to comfort. +Father pointed out to us certain landmarks on the coast, which he said +had been set down by Captain John Smith of Virginia when he journeyed +in this region, and John Alden told of settlers who had begun to make +plantations on the shores of Massachusetts Bay. + +At noon father read from the Book, while John Alden steered, and +after a season of prayer mother spoke with Captain Standish concerning +friends in Holland. + +It was as if this carried the captain's mind back to the time when he +had been an officer in the Dutch army, for straightway he began telling +stories of adventure and of thrilling escapes from death, until Sarah +and I were at the same time entranced and alarmed. Even though I burned +to have him continue, it was a relief when he changed the subject to +speculate upon what the future might hold for us of Plymouth. + +When night came, we were yet at sea, and mother, Sarah, and I lay down +on the dry beach grass in the bottom of the boat, after father had +once more prayed that the Lord would hold us, as He does the sea, in +the hollow of His hand. We slept as sweetly as if in our own beds at +Plymouth, never once awakening until Captain Standish cried out that we +should open our eyes to the glory of the sunrise. + + + + +THE ARRIVAL AT SALEM + + +We were then near unto the village of Salem, and there was no more than +time in which to break our fast, and join with father in thanks to God +because of His having saved us through the night, when the shallop was +run in as close to land as the depth of water would permit. + +Captain Standish carried each of us ashore, wading in the sea knee-deep +to do so, and after we were standing dry-shod on the sand, the vessel +was pushed off at anchor, lest she should take ground when the tide +went down. + + [Illustration] + +Then we went into the village, where already more than thirty houses +had been built, father and Captain Standish walking in the lead, while +John Alden remained by the side of mother, and we girls followed on +behind, soberly and slowly, even though our hearts were beating fast +with excitement. + +Not for long were we left to our own devices. As soon as we were seen +by one of the women, all our party were made welcome to Salem, and when +it was learned that we had come from Plymouth, in the hope of meeting +those whom we had known at Leyden, it was as if every person in the +village made effort to entertain us. + + + + +SIGHT-SEEING IN SALEM + + +It is not for me to say ought against those who treated us so kindly; +but yet I must set it down that Sarah and I were somewhat disappointed. +There was no such show of luxury and vanity as we had been led to +expect, after learning how wondrously these people had been supplied +with clothes. The houses were no better than could be found in our own +village of Plymouth, and, save that there was pickled beef and pork in +great abundance, the food was no more tempting. + +The elders of our little company speedily found old friends whom they +had parted with in Leyden; but Sarah and I, having been so young when +we left Holland, could not be expected to remember any of the children. +We wandered here and there however, being greeted by strangers as if we +were old friends, comparing all we saw with that which could be found +in Plymouth, and coming to believe that ours was the most goodly home. + + [Illustration] + + + + +BACK TO PLYMOUTH + + +I believe we looked forward to going back quite as eagerly as we had +to coming. Right glad were all of us, including even Captain Standish, +when we said good-by to the people of Salem, and our shallop, with a +strong wind astern, sailed with her bow toward Plymouth. + +"It is well that we go abroad at times, if for no other reason than to +learn how dear is our own hearthstone," the captain said in a tone of +content, as he sat in the bottom of the boat with his back against the +mast, burning the Indian weed in a little stone vessel which Hobomok +had brought to him from Massasoit's village. + +Then he fell to telling Sarah and me stories, tiring not until we were +once more at home, for the return voyage was exceeding speedy. + +And now, because I am just returned to the place where we landed ten +years ago, concerning which I have been trying to tell you, it is well +I should come to the end, trusting that the Lord may be as good to you, +as he has been to us children of Plymouth during all these years of +hardships and sorrows. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary of Plymouth, by James Otis + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44616 *** |