Mary of Plymouth: A Story of the Pilgrim Settlement

by George Bird Grinnell

  JOHN ALDEN'S TUBS

  It was during this winter that John Alden, who is a cooper as well asCaptain Standish's clerk, spent three days in our home, making formother two tubs which are fair to look upon, and of such size thatwe are no longer troubled on washdays by being forced to throw awaythe soapy water in order to rinse the clothes which have already beencleansed. You may think it strange to hear me speak thus of the wasteof soapy water, because you in Scrooby have of soap an abundance, whilehere in this new land we are put to great stress through lack of it.

 

  It would not be so ill if all the housewives would make a generousquantity, but there are some among us who are not so industrious asothers, and dislike the labor of making soap. They fail to providesufficient for themselves, but depend upon borrowing; thus spending thestores 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 secondsummer after making this settlement of Plymouth.

  Once more was famine staring us in the face, therefore every man, womanand child, save those chosen to go fishing, was sent into the fieldsfor the planting.

  ENGLISH VISITORS

  It was while our people were out fishing that they were met by a greatsurprise, which was nothing less than a shallop steering as if to comeinto the harbor, and in her were many men.

  At first our fishermen feared the visitors might be Frenchmen who hadcome bent on some evil intent; but nevertheless our people approachedboldly, and soon learned that the shallop came from a ship nearby,which Master Weston had sent out fishing from a place on the coastcalled Damarins Cove.

  This Master Weston, so I learned later, was one of those merchantswho had aided in fitting out our company in England; but after ourdeparture had decided to send a colony on his own account, and thepeople afterward settled at Wessagussett.

 

  The reason why the shallop, of which I have just spoken, came towardour village of Plymouth, was that Master Weston's ship had brought overseven men who wished to join us, and, what was yet better, they hadwith them letters from our friends at home.

  It was unfortunate that they had no food other than enough to serveuntil they should have come to our settlement, and thus it was thatthere 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 hadbegun to build a village within five and twenty miles of our Plymouthtown. There is little need for me to say that we rejoiced to learn ofneighbors in this wilderness of a country; but were more than surprisedbecause the ship which brought them over the seas had not come into ourharbor.

  VISITING THE NEIGHBORS

  That another village was to be built, and so near at hand that in casethe savages came against us in anger we might call upon the people foraid, was of so much importance in the eyes of Governor Bradford, thathe 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 hopethat 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 wereglad 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 tocast in their lot with us.

  "They are a quarrelsome, worthless company, and have already foughtwith the Indians after having received favors from them," CaptainStandish said to my father, when he had made his report to thegovernor. "One Thomas Weston is the leader, and if he continues as hehas begun, there will soon be an end of the entire party."

  Instead of getting food from them for our needs, it is more thanlikely, so the captain declares, that we may be called upon to savethem from starvation. From the first they stole corn from the Indians,or took it by force, and it seemed certain they could not continue sucha 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 thescarcity of food, when you know that the sea is filled with fish.

  Captain Standish declares that there are no less than two hundreddifferent kinds to be found off this coast, and lobsters are at someseasons so plentiful that the smallest boy may go out and get as manyas he can carry. I myself have seen one so large that I could, hardlylift 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 peoplein boats to get food thus from the sea, what should prevent us fromtaking as many as would be necessary for our wants during one year?I myself put that same question to father one night last winter whilewe were hungry, and mother and I sat chewing the dried leaves of thecheckerberry plant which ground to powder between our teeth, and heanswered me bitterly:

  "It is owing to our own shortsightedness, my daughter; to our neglectto understand what might be met with in this new world. Those who madeready 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 togo into the wilderness, and yet, perhaps, for we will not say aught ofharm against another, it was thought that we should find in the forestso much of fowls and of animals as would serve for all our needs."

 

  "But why do we not take more fish, father?" I asked, speaking becausesuch conversation served to keep my mind from the hunger which washeavy upon me.

  "Because of not having the lines, the hooks, or the nets withwhich 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 tothis land such fishing gear as is needed. When that reaches us, thenshall we be able not only to guard against another time of famine; buthave of cured fish enough to bring us in money sufficient to buy otherthings we now need."

  And thus speaking of money reminds me to set down what the savages usein the stead of gold and silver coins.

  HOW WAMPUM IS MADE

  You must know that the Indians hereabout have no tools of iron or ofsteel, as do you in Scrooby; but perform all their work by means offire and sharp pieces of flint stone. In order to have something thatcan be called money, although they of course do not use that word inspeaking of it, they get from the dark spots which are found in clamshells, beads about one-eighth of an inch in thickness and an inchlong.

 

  These they call wampum, and string them on threads cut from the skinof a deer. Because of a great deal of labor's being necessary in themaking of them, these bits of wampum, or beads, are valued as highly bythe Indians as we value gold or silver, and the savage who would hoardup his wealth that it may be seen of others, makes of these strings ofwampum a belt many inches broad.

 

  It is convenient to wear these belts, for when the owner wishes tobuy something from another Indian or even from us white people, he hasmerely to take off one or two strings from the belt, thereby decreasingthe 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 equalnumber.

  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 savagechief that had been so kind to us, was ill unto death, and that thosejealous Indians whom Captain Standish had disarmed so valiantly, wereonly waiting until their king should die before they made an attackupon our town.

  This news was believed to be of such importance that straightwayGovernor Bradford commanded Captain Standish to gather as many of hismen as could be spared from Plymouth, and go at once to Massasoit'svillage.

  This of itself would have received but scant attention from my parentsor me, for it seemed as if the captain was ever going out in search ofsom
e adventure or another; but on this occasion, it was urged by thegovernor that Master Winslow, who had shown himself during our firstwinter on these shores to have some considerable knowledge regardingsickness, go and try if he might not lend the savage king some aid.

 

  It was a fearsome time for everyone. We knew, because of what Samosethad said, that many of Massasoit's people were awaiting an opportunityto murder us, and, when Master Winslow should go into the village amongso 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 MasterWinslow, fearing each hour lest we should hear that he was no longerin this world, and then, to our great relief, he came into thevillage late one evening, while my mother and I were praying for hissafe-keeping.

  Master Winslow had been most fortunate in the visit, for the good Lordallowed that the savage chief should be restored to health, and by wayof showing his gratitude for what had been done, Massasoit told MasterWinslow that the white people of Wessagussett had so ill-treated theIndians 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 nolonger be any doubt as to its truth.

  Captain Standish had come back only to set out again, for when MasterWinslow told Governor Bradford that which Massasoit had said, severalof our men were sent in hot haste to this place where Master Weston'smen were making so much mischief. Again we of Plymouth waited inanxious suspense until that day when Captain Standish, and all whom hehad taken with him, returned once more to the village.

  They had met one Indian who, they believed, was planning to murderCaptain Standish himself. This Indian and six of his savage companionsthey had killed, driving the others away into the forest.

  It was believed by father that the Indians, knowing we had ever treatedthem fairly and justly, and also that our men had punished those whodid wrong, would no longer hold enmity against us of Plymouth simplybecause of our skins' being white.

  THE CAPTAIN'S INDIAN

  I must tell you that our captain has adopted a follower who hugs himas 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 lovewith our valiant warrior, for he keeps close at his heels during allthe waking hours, and, as John Alden says, sleeps as near, during thenight, as Captain Standish will permit.

  He is called by our people "the captain's Indian," and surely heappears 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 usethan that of eating, for it has been agreed to let the kernels serve asballots in public voting.

 

  Each man may put into Standish's iron cap, which is what our peopleuse when they cast their ballots, a single kernel of the corn to showthat it is his intent to elect whomsoever had been spoken of for thisor that office; but if a bean be cast, it is used as counting againsthim who desires to be elected, and a law has already been made whichsays that "if any man shall put more than one Indian corn or bean intoCaptain Standish's helmet in time of public election, he shall forfeitno less than ten pounds in lawful money."

  ARRIVAL OF THE "ANN"

  And now, because there is so much of excitement, owing to the frequentcoming and going of strangers, which neither Sarah nor I can wellunderstand, I will set down, in as few words as may be possible, onlysuch news as seems of importance, beginning with the time before oursecond harvesting.

  Then the ship _Ann_ came, bringing yet more people, although,fortunately, a considerable store of food, and in her were thewives and children of some of our company who had come over in the_Mayflower_. How joyous was the meeting between those who had longbeen separated. Sarah and I could see, however, that more than one ofthese women were disappointed, having most likely allowed themselves tobelieve their husbands were gathering riches in the new world. I heardone, who found her husband much the same as clad in rags, wish that sheand her children were in England again.

  When the ship _Ann_ went back to England, my mother and I were leftalone, for it had been decided by the head men of the town that MasterEdward Winslow should take passage in her to look after certainbusiness affairs of the colony, and, what seemed to me the moreimportant, to buy some cows. The sorrow of it was that my father waschosen to journey with Master Winslow.

  We were exceedingly lonely, and should have felt yet more desolate butfor Captain Standish and John Alden both of whom did whatsoever theymight to cheer.

  THE "LITTLE JAMES" COMES TO PORT

  It was while we were alone that the ship _Little James_ came, ladenwith fifty men, women and children to be joined to our colony, and whenthey were settled, did it seem as if Plymouth was much the same as acity, with so many people coming and going.

  What with the food which had been brought in the _Ann_ and the _LittleJames_, and with the bountiful harvest we reaped in the fall, thereseemed no longer to be any fear of famine; and with so many hands tomake light work, as Elder Brewster said, there was no good reason whywe should not have a meeting-house to be used for no other purpose thanas 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 ofbeing set upright in the earth, were laid lengthwise, and notched atthe ends in a most secure fashion, with a roof that rises to a peaklike unto those on the houses in Scrooby.

  The very best of oiled paper is set in the windows. There is a realfloor of puncheon boards, which we keep well covered with the whitesand from the shore, and Priscilla Mullens spends much time drawingwith a stick fanciful figures in the glistening covering, causing it tolook like a real carpet.

  There are benches sufficient for all, and at that end opposite thedoor is the preacher's desk, over which hangs a sounding board, notdelicately fashioned like the one at Scrooby, but made of puncheons,yet serving well the purpose of allowing the preacher's voice to seemlouder.

  Elder Brewster still believes that it would be wrong for us to havea fireplace in the meeting-house, because one who truly worships hisMaker should be willing to sacrifice his comfort. One Sabbath Day, whenthe elder's sermon was so long that the hourglass had been turned threetimes by the tithingman, and the sand was already running well for thefourth 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 Idid so, a most serious lesson did my mother read me when we were athome again, and that very evening Elder Brewster spoke in meeting ofthe wickedness of children who had no more fear of God before theireyes than to disturb by unseemly noise those who had gathered for hisworship.

  John Alden, who is ever ready to do what he can for the comfort ofothers, has now nailed bags made of wolf skins on the benches, intowhich we may thrust our feet and thus keep them warm.

  THE CHURCH SERVICE

  Captain Standish has taught Master Bean's eldest son, Nathan, how todrum, and he it is who summons our people before nine of the clock inthe morning, and one of the clock in the afternoon.

 

  Then we go from our homes in seemly fashion; but all the men carrytheir firearms and wear swords, for there are wicked Indians about,and many wild beasts which come even into the village, when there ismuch snow on the ground. Therefore do the fathers and the brothers ofPlymouth 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 theirbenches on the opposite side, while the boys, except the very, verylittle ones, sit directly under the preacher's desk, where all may knowif they behave themselves in seemly fashion. Sarah says it would
bemuch to the comfort of us girls if even the baby boys could be thus setapart by themselves.

  Deacon Chadwick leads the congregation in the songs of praise, byreading a line, for we have but four psalm books here, and then we singsuch words as he has spoken; so it goes on throughout all the psalm,causing the music to sound halting and unequal. Besides which, it isseldom that the verses can be sung in such a manner within less thanhalf an hour, and meanwhile we must all be kept standing.

  When the meeting is over, and the morning service is nearly alwaysfinished within four hours, we remain in our seats until the preacherand his wife have gone out, after which the men march around to thedeacon's bench, and there leave furs or corn, money or wampum, ifperchance they have any, as gifts toward the support of the preaching.Sometimes, when I have a feeling of faintness from the cold and longhours of sitting, I cannot help envying the preacher and his wife beingable to leave thus early.

  THE TITHINGMEN

  The tithingmen are elected as town officers, and each has ten familiesto visit during the week, when they hear the children recite theirlessons for the next Sabbath Day. It is their duty to see that everyperson goes to the meeting-house on Sabbath Day, with no loitering onthe way, and even after the preaching is over, and we have returnedto our homes, do they march up and down the street to prevent us fromstraying out of doors until the Sabbath is at a close.