THE SHIPS JOURNAL WHILE SHE LAY INPLYMOUTH HARBOR
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SUNDAY, Dec. 17/27At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Services onship. This harbor is a bay greater thanCape Cod, compassed with goodly land. It isin fashion like a sickle or fish-hook.
MONDAY, Dec. 18/28At anchor, Plymouth harbor: The Master ofthe ship, with three or four of the sailorsand several of the Planters, went aland andmarched along the coast several miles.Made careful examination of locality. Foundmany brooks of fine water, abundant wood,etc. The party came aboard at night wearywith marching.
TUESDAY, Dec. 19/29At anchor, Plymouth harbor. A party fromthe ship went ashore to discover, somegoing by land and some keeping to theshallop. A creek was found leading upwithin the land and followed up threeEnglish miles, a very pleasant river atfull sea. It was given the name of “JonesRiver” in compliment to the Master of theship. A bark of thirty tons may go up athigh tide, but the shallop could scarcelypass at low water. All came aboard atnight with resolution to fix, to-morrow,which of the several places examined theywould settle upon.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20/30At anchor, Plymouth harbor, many ill. Dec.After service the colonists decided to goashore this morning and determine upon oneof two places which were thought mostfitting for their habitation. So aconsiderable party went ashore and lefttwenty of their number there to make arendezvous, the rest coming on board atnight. They reported that they had chosenby the most voices the site first looked atby the largest brook, near where theylanded on the 11th on a large rock[Plymouth Rock].[The “Rock” seems to have become the established landing place ofthe Pilgrims, from the time of the first visit of the thirdexploring party on December 11/21. The absurdity of the claims ofthe partisans of Mary Chilton, in the foolish contention whichexisted for many years as to whether she or John Alden was the firstperson to set foot upon the “Rock,” is shown by the fact that, ofcourse, no women were with the third exploring party which firstlanded there, while it is also certain that Alden was not of thatexploring party. That Mary Chilton may have been the first woman toland at Cape Cod harbor is entirely possible, as it is that she orJohn Alden may have been the first person to land on the “Rock”after the ship arrived in Plymouth harbor. It was a vexatioustravesty upon history (though perpetuated by parties who ought tohave been correct) that the Association for building the PilgrimMonument at Plymouth should issue a pamphlet giving a picture of the“Landing of the Pilgrims, December 21, 1620,” in which women arepictured, and in which the shallop is shown with a largefore-and-aft mainsail, while on the same page is another pictureentitled, “The Shallop of the MAY-FLOWER,” having a large yard andsquare-sail, and a “Cuddy” (which last the MAY-FLOWER’S shallop weknow did not have). The printed description of the picture,however, says: “The cut is copied from a picture by Van der Veldt,a Dutch painter of the seventeenth century, representing ashallop,” etc. It is matter of regret to find that a book likeColonel T. W. Higginson’s ‘Book of American Explorers’, intendedfor a text-book, and bearing the imprint of a house like Longmans,Green & Co. should actually print a “cut” showing Mary Chiltonlanding from a boat full of men (in which she is the only woman)upon a rock, presumably Plymouth Rock.]
THURSDAY, Dec. 21/31At anchor, Plymouth harbor. Wet andstormy, so the Planters could not go ashoreas planned, having blown hard and rainedextremely all night. Very uncomfortablefor the party on shore. So tempestuousthat the shallop could not go to land assoon as was meet, for they had no victualson land. About eleven o’clock the shallopwent off with much ado with provision, butcould not return, it blew so strong. Suchfoul weather forced to ride with threeanchors ahead. This day RichardBritteridge, one of the colonists, diedaboard the ship, the first to die in thisharbor.
FRIDAY, Dec. 22/Jan. 1At anchor, Plymouth harbor. The stormcontinues, so that no one could go ashore,or those on land come aboard. This morninggoodwife Allerton was delivered of a son,but dead-born. The third child born onboard the ship since leaving England,—thefirst in this harbor.
SATURDAY, Dec. 23/Jan. 2At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Sent body ofBritteridge ashore for burial, the stormhaving prevented going before, and also alarge party of colonists to fell timber,etc. Left a large number on shore at therendezvous. Fetched wood and water.
SUNDAY, Dec. 24/Jan. 3At anchor, Plymouth harbor. Second Sundayhere. This day died Solomon Prower, one ofthe family of Master Martin, the treasurerof the colonists, being the sixth deaththis month, and the second in this harbor.A burying-party went ashore with Prower’sbody, after services aboard.
MONDAY, Dec. 25/Jan. 4At anchor in Plymouth harbor. ChristmasDay, but not observed by these colonists,they being opposed to all saints’ days,etc. The men on shore Sunday reported thatthey “heard a cry of some savages,” as theythought, that day. A large party wentashore this morning to fell timber andbegin building. They began to erect thefirst house about twenty feet square fortheir common use, to receive them and theirgoods. Another alarm as of Indians thisday. All but twenty of the Planters cameaboard at night, leaving the rest to keepcourt of guard. The colonists began todrink water, but at night the Master causedthem to have some beer.
TUESDAY, Dec. 26/Jan. 5At anchor in Plymouth harbor. A violentstorm of wind and rain. The weather sofoul this morning that none could goashore.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 27/Jan. 6At anchor in harbor. Sent working partyashore. All but the guard came aboard atnight.
THURSDAY, Dec. 28/Jan. 7At anchor. All able went ashore thismorning to work on a platform for ordnanceon the hill back of the settlement,commanding the harbor. The Planters thisday laid out their town-site and allottedground to the several families. Many ofthe colonists ill from exposure. All butthe guard came off to the ship at night.
FRIDAY, Dec. 29/Jan. 8At anchor in harbor. No working-party wentaland. The Planters fitting tools, etc.,for their work. The weather wet and cold.
SATURDAY, Dec. 30/Jan. 9At anchor in harbor. Very stormy and cold.No working-party sent aland. The Plantersfitting tools, etc. Great smokes of firesvisible from the ship, six or seven milesaway, probably made by Indians.
SUNDAY, Dec. 31/Jan. 10At anchor in harbor. The third Sunday inthis harbor. Sailors given leave to goashore. Many colonists ill.
MONDAY, Jan. 1/Jan. 11At anchor in Plymouth harbor. This dayDegory Priest, one of the colonists, diedaboard the ship. A large party went ashoreearly to work. Much time lost between shipand shore, the ship drawing so much wateras obliged to anchor a mile and a half off.The working-party came aboard at nightfall.Fetched wood and water.
TUESDAY, Jan. 2/Jan. 12At anchor in harbor. Sent burying-partyashore with Priest’s body. Weather good.Working-party aland and returned to ship atnight.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 3/Jan. 13At anchor in harbor. Working-party aland,returned at night. They report seeinggreat fires of the Indians. Smoke seenfrom the ship. Have seen no savages sincearrival.
THURSDAY, Jan. 4/Jan. 14At anchor in Plymouth harbor. CaptainStandish, with four or five men, went tolook for savages, and though they foundsome of their old houses “wigwams” couldnot meet with any of them.
FRIDAY, Jan. 5/Jan. 15At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Working-party went aland early. One of the sailorsfound a live herring upon the shore, whichthe Master had to his supper. As yet havecaught but one cod.
SATURDAY, Jan. 6/Jan. 16At anchor in harbor. In judgment ofMasters Brewster, Bradford, and others,Master Martin, the colonists’ treasurer,was so hopelessly ill that Governor Carver,who had taken up his quarters on land, wassent for to come aboard to speak with himabout his accounts. Fetched wood and water.
SUNDAY, Jan. 7/Jan. 17At anchor in harbor. Fourth Sunday here.Governor Carver came aboard to talk withMaster Martin, who was sinking fast.
MONDAY, Jan. 8/Jan. 18At anchor in Plymouth harbor. A very fanfair day. The working-party went alandearly. The Master sent, the shallop forfish. They had a great tempest at sea andwere in some danger. They returned to theship at night, with three great seals theyhad shot, and an excellent great cod.Master Martin died this day. He had been a“governour” of the passengers on the ship,and an “assistant,” and was an Adventurer.One of the Master-mates took a musket, andwent with young Francis Billington to findthe great inland sea the latter had seenfrom the top of a tree, and found a greatwater, in two great lakes [Billington Sea,]also Indian houses.
TUESDAY, Jan. 9/Jan. 19At anchor in harbor. Fair day. Sentburying-party ashore after services aboard,with the body of Master Martin, and he wasburied with some ceremony on the hill nearthe landing-place. The settlers drew lotsfor their meersteads and garden-plots. Thecommon-house nearly finished, wanting onlycovering.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10/Jan. 20At anchor in harbor. Party went aland fromship. Frosty.
THURSDAY, Jan. 11/Jan. 21At anchor in harbor. A fair day. Partyashore from ship and coming off at night,reported Master William Bradford very ill:Many ill aboard.
FRIDAY, Jan. 12/Jan. 22At anchor in harbor. Began to rain at noonand stopped all work. Those coming aboardship at night reported John Goodman andPeter Browne, two of the colonists,missing, and fears entertained that theymay have been taken by Indians. Froze andsnowed at night. The first snow for amonth. An extremely cold night.
SATURDAY, Jan. 13/Jan. 23At anchor in harbor. The Governor sent outan armed party of ten or twelve to look forthe missing men, but they returned withoutseeing or hearing anything at all of them.Those on shipboard much grieved, as deemingthem lost. Fetched wood and water.
SUNDAY, Jan. 14/Jan. 24At anchor in harbor. About six o’clock inthe morning, the wind being very great, thewatch on deck spied the great newrendezvous on shore on fire and feared itfired by Indians, but the tide being out,men could not get ashore for three quartersof an hour, when they went armed. At thelanding they heard that the lost men werereturned, some frost-bitten, and that thethatch of the common-house only was burntby a spark, but no other harm done theroof. The most loss was Governor Carver’sand Master Bradford’s, both of whom laysick in bed, and narrowly missed beingblown up with powder. The meeting was tohave been kept ashore to-day, the greaternumber of the people now being there, butthe fire, etc., prevented. Some of thosesick in the common-house were fain toreturn aboard for shelter. Fifth Sunday inthis harbor.
MONDAY, Jan. 15/Jan. 25At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Rained muchall day. They on shipboard could not goashore nor they on shore do any labor, butwere all wet.
TUESDAY, Jan. 16/Jan. 26At anchorage. A fine, sunshining day likeApril. Party went aland betimes. Many illboth on ship and on shore.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17/Jan. 27At anchorage. Another fine, sunshiningday. Working-party went aland early. Seton shore some of the Planters’ goods.[Mourt’s Relation, Dexter’s ed. p. 77. Bradford states (op. cit.Mass. ed. p. 110) that they were hindered in getting goods ashoreby “want of boats,” as well as sickness. Mention is made only ofthe “long-boat” and shallop. It is possible there were no others,except the Master’s skiff]
THURSDAY, Jan. 18/Jan. 28At anchorage. Another fine, bright day.Some of the common goods [i.e. belongingto all] set on shore.
FRIDAY, Jan. 19/Jan. 29At anchorage. A shed was begun on shore toreceive the goods from the ship. Rained atnoon but cleared toward night.[Cleared toward evening (though wet at noon), and John Goodman wentout to try his frozen feet, as is recorded, and had his encounterwith wolves.]
SATURDAY, Jan. 20/Jan. 30At anchorage. Shed made ready for goodsfrom ship. Fetched wood and water.
SUNDAY, Jan. 21/Jan. 31At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Sixth Sundayin this harbor. Many ill. The Planterskept their meeting on land to-day for thefirst time, in the common-house.
MONDAY, Jan. 22/Feb. 1At anchorage. Fair day. Hogsheads of mealsent on shore from ship and put instorehouse.
TUESDAY, Jan. 23/Feb. 2At anchorage. The general sicknessincreases, both on shipboard and on land.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 24/Feb. 3At anchor in harbor. Fair weather. Partyon shore from ship and returned at night.
THURSDAY, Jan. 25/Feb. 4At anchorage. Weather good. Party setashore and came aboard at night.
FRIDAY, Jan. 26/Feb. 5At anchorage. Weather good. Party setashore. The sickness increases.
SATURDAY, Jan. 27/Feb. 6At anchorage. Weather fair. Good workingweather all the week, but many sick.Fetched wood and water.
SUNDAY, Jan. 28/Feb. 7At anchorage, Plymouth harbor. SeventhSunday in this harbor. Meeting kept onshore. Those of Planters on board who wereable, and some of the ship’s company, wentashore, and came off after service.
MONDAY, Jan. 29/Feb. 8At anchor, Plymouth harbor. Morning cold,with frost and sleet, but after reason ablyfair. Both long-boat and shallop carryingPlanters’ goods on shore. Those returningreported that Mistress Rose Standish, wifeof Captain Standish, died to-day.
TUESDAY, Jan. 30/Feb. 9At anchorage. Cold, frosty weather, so noworking-party went on shore from ship. TheMaster and others of the ship’s company sawtwo savages that had been on the islandnear the ship [Clarke’s Island]. They weregone so far back again before they werediscovered that could not speak with them.The first natives actually seen since theencounter on the Cape.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31/Feb. 10At anchor in harbor. Still cold andfrosty, with sleet. No party went onshore. Eight of the colonists have diedthis month on the ship and on shore.
THURSDAY, Feb. 1/Feb. 11At anchor in harbor. Weather better, andsome of those on board the ship went onshore to work, but many ill.
FRIDAY, Feb. 2/Feb. 12At anchorage. The same.
SATURDAY, Feb. 3/13At anchorage. Weather threatening. Fetchedwood and water.
SUNDAY, Feb. 4/14At anchor, Plymouth harbor. The eighthSunday in this harbor, and now inexpedientto think of getting away, till both Plantersand crew in better condition as to health.[Bradford, Historie, p. 92; Young, Chronicler, p. 198. Bradfordsays (op. cit. Mass. ed, pp. 120, 121): “The reason on their partswhy she stayed so long was ye necessitie and danger that lay uponthem, for it was well toward ye ende of December before she couldland anything here, or they able to receive anything ashore. Afterwards, ye 14 of January the house which they had made for a generalrandevoze by casulty fell afire, and some were faine to retireaboard for shelter. Then the sickness begane to fall sore amongstthem, and ye weather so bad as they could not make much soonerdispatch. Againe, the Governor & chiefe of them seeing so many dye,and fall down sick dayly, thought it no wisdom to send away theship, their condition considered, and the danger they stood in fromye Indians, till they could procure some shelter; and thereforethought it better to draw some more charge upon themselves & friends[“demurrage?”] than hazard all. The Mr. and sea-men likewise;though before they hasted ye passengers a shore to be goone [gone],now many of their men being dead, and of ye ablest of them [as isbefore noted, and of ye rest many lay sick & weake, ye Mr, durst notput to sea till he saw his men begine to recover, and ye hart ofwinter over.”]]A very rainy day with the heaviest gusts ofwind yet experienced. The ship in somedanger of oversetting, being light andunballasted.
MONDAY, Feb. 5/15At anchor in harbor. Clearing weather.
TUESDAY, Feb. 6/16At anchor in harbor. Cold and clear.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7/17At anchor in harbor. Much colder.
THURSDAY, Feb. 8/18At anchorage. Hard, cold weather.
FRIDAY, Feb. 9/19At anchorage. Cold weather continues.Little work possible. The little house forthe sick people on shore took fire thisafternoon, by a spark that kindled in theroof. No great harm done. The Mastergoing ashore, killed five geese, which hedistributed among the sick people. He alsofound a good deer the savages had killed,having also cut off his horns. A wolf waseating him. Cannot conceive how he camethere.
SATURDAY, Feb. 10/20At anchor in harbor. Getting goods onshore, but sickness makes both Planters andcrew shorthanded. Fetched wood and water.
SUNDAY, Feb. 11/21At anchor in Plymouth harbor. Ninth Sundayin this harbor.
MONDAY, Feb. 12/22At anchorage. Getting goods on shore.
TUESDAY, Feb. 13/23At anchorage. Rainy.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14/24At anchorage. More sickness on ship and onshore than at any time, and more deaths.Rainy, clearing.[The sickness and mortality had rapidly increased and was now at itsheight]
THURSDAY, Feb. 15/25At anchorage. Northerly wind and frost.
FRIDAY, Feb. 16/26At anchorage. Northerly wind continues,which continues the frost. Those fromshore reported that one of the Planters,being out fowling and hidden in the reeds,about a mile and a half from thesettlement, saw twelve Indians marchingtoward the plantation and heard many more.He hurried home with all speed and gave thealarm, so all the people in the woods atwork returned and armed themselves, but sawnothing of the Indians. Captain Standish’sand Francis Cooke’s tools also stolen byIndians in woods. A great fire towardnight seen from the ship, about where theIndians were discovered.
SATURDAY, Feb. 17/27At anchorage. All the colonists on theship able to go on shore went this morningto attend the meeting for the establishmentof military orders among them. They choseCaptain Standish their captain, and gavehim authority of command in affairs. Twosavages appeared on the hill, a quarter ofa mile from the plantation, while thePlanters were consulting, and made signsfor Planters to come to them. All armedand stood ready, and sent two towards them,Captain Standish and Master Hopkins, butthe natives would not tarry. It wasdetermined to plant the great ordnance inconvenient places at once. Fetched woodand water.
SUNDAY, Feb. 18/28At anchor in Plymouth harbor. The Feb.tenth Sunday in this harbor. Many sick,both on board the ship and on shore.
MONDAY, Feb. 19/Mar. 1At anchorage. Got one of the great guns onshore with the help of some of thePlanters.
TUESDAY, Feb. 20/Mar. 2At anchorage. Getting cannon ashore andmounted.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21/Mar. 3At anchorage. The Master, with many of thesailors, went on shore, taking one of thegreat pieces called a minion, and with thePlanters drew it up the hill, with anotherpiece that lay on the shore, and mountedthem and a saller and two bases—five guns—on the platform made for them. A hardday’s work. The Master took on shore withhim a very fat goose he had shot, to whichthe Planters added a fat crane, a mallard,and a dried neat’s tongue (ox tongue), andPlanters and crew feasted together. Whenthe Master went on shore, he sent off theGovernor to take the directions of MasterMullens as to his property, as he was lyingnear to death,—as also Master White.Master Mullens dictated his will to theGovernor, which he noted down, and GilesHeale, the chirurgeon, and ChristopherJoanes, of the crew, witnessed, they beingleft aboard to care for the sick, keep theship, etc. Master Mullens and Master Whiteboth died this day. Two others also died.Got the men aboard about nightfall.