Two seconds later, we landed on what looked like a cobblestone street behind some large crates and barrels. As we peered out from behind the cargo we immediately saw a large sailing vessel about a hundred feet in length and twenty-five feet wide that was moored alongside a stone wharf. Three tall masts with square-rigged sails stood like the queen’s guards at Buckingham Palace as men, women, and children carrying few possessions walked down a dozen or so stone steps and then crossed over a wooden gangplank to board the ship.
“That’s it!” I exclaimed. “That’s the legendary Mayflower with the original Pilgrims as they board to sail to the New World! This is truly an exceptional moment for America. This little ship with a hundred and two passengers is going to cross the wide Atlantic Ocean, more than three thousand miles, with no guarantee that they’re going to make it. Imagine how nervous or scared you might feel.”
“Thank you, Captain Positive, for the pep talk,” said Liberty.
“Let’s try and board with the Pilgrims,” I said. “Liberty, I doubt they’ll let a horse on the ship so you’ll need to follow closely behind and stay under cover.”
“Ten-four. Going into stealth mode in three, two, one,” Liberty said as he took a giant breath and disappeared.
“How will we get on if they have a passenger list?” asked Tommy as we walked toward the ship. “What if they don’t have any more room for two more passengers?”
“I happen to know that many of the Pilgrims had second thoughts about traveling to the New World and decided to stay in England,” I said.
“You mean they were nervous or scared about going?” Tommy asked.
I nodded, then continued. “Yes, and I imagine others were persuaded not to go by family or friends. Or perhaps the trip from Holland to England made them realize that a longer voyage to the New World would be more than they could handle. Right up before the Mayflower left for the New World there were many passengers who changed their minds and ‘jumped ship,’ as they say.”
“Well, then, they might be happy to see us,” Tommy said.
As we reached the gangplank William Bradford recognized me and said, “Rush Revere! It does my heart good to see you again. And is this the person you were waiting for in Holland?” He smiled affectionately while straightening Tommy’s brown leather hat.
“Yes, this is Tommy,” I said as I put my arm around Tommy’s shoulder. “His parents are gone so I’ll be caring for him on this voyage.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tommy,” Bradford said as he reached out his hand to Tommy, who shook it. William turned back to me and said, “Let’s talk some more after the ship sets sail. The captain is very eager to leave. He says the winds are perfect. We’re just waiting for one more family and . . . oh, here they come. Wonderful. We should be leaving in a minute or two.”
“We’ll wait for you on deck. It’ll be an honor to talk some more with you,” I said with great enthusiasm.
Robert W. Weir’s rendering of Pilgrims embarking from Delfshaven, Holland, on July 22, 1620. William Brewster (holding the Bible), William Bradford, Myles Standish, and their families. This painting is on display in the U.S. Capitol Building Rotunda.
Pilgrims and “Strangers” boarding small boats heading toward the Mayflower in Plymouth, England, 1620.
Boatloads of people waving farewell to the Mayflower as she leaves Plymouth for America, September 6, 1620. Original Artwork: after Gustave Alaux.
We continued past William and crossed the gangplank to board the Mayflower. As I stepped onto the upper deck a chill went through my body. The kind of sensation you get when you walk into the front gates of Disneyland. Or the feeling you have when you wake up knowing that it’s Christmas morning!
“Unbelievable,” said Tommy. “I just checked my phone and it says I have service. Not sure how that’s possible but I think I’ll send Freedom a text from the Mayflower. Let’s walk over closer to the bow where we can take a picture without anyone watching. Plus if Liberty is behind us he’ll want a place to get another breath of air.”
“Good idea,” I said.
Seagulls flew overhead, their calls competing with about a hundred or so passengers who were crowded near the aft and starboard quarter of the ship. I assumed they were calling to family and friends who were standing near the steps of the wharf. The sailors were calling back and forth to each other as large sails plumed from the square rigging. It was time to sail. The gangplank had disappeared and the ship was no longer anchored to the wharf. We were drifting out to sea!
As the ship rocked leeward for the first time, Tommy stumbled to the ship’s railing as if he had just entered an ice-skating rink without ever having ice-skated.
“I’m good,” he said. “I guess I don’t have my sea legs yet. I’ll get the hang of it.” He let go of the railing and balanced himself with his hands out to his sides as if he were surfing. “This is so awesome.”
I smiled at Tommy as he continued to “surf” but I was also curious to know where Liberty was. I called, “Liberty?” There was no sight of him and no answer. I looked over the ship’s railing to see if I could spot him somewhere on the wharf. I didn’t see him. Tommy saw the concern in my eyes. Oh boy, I thought. It’s one thing to lose a cat or dog. But I wasn’t sure how to start searching for a lost magical horse!
Chapter 4
The captain don’t like passengers snoopin’ around his ship!” someone yelled behind us.
We spun around and saw a sailor who wore an off-white long-sleeved shirt, a dingy orange vest, and a dark blue knit cap. He had a black scraggly beard and a thin scar along the side of his cheek. He climbed down off the forecastle and landed sure-footed on the upper deck of the Mayflower.
“We’re just, um, exploring the ship. Is there a problem?” I asked in my most convincing British accent.
The sailor looked at us as if he was still digesting what he saw. In a gruff voice he said, “Yeah, you’re the problem. You’re another Puritan, aren’t you.”
It didn’t sound like a question, nor did it sound friendly, but I responded anyway. “We’re traveling with the Puritans as they travel to the New World, if that’s what you’re asking.”
As the sailor walked closer I had a déjà vu moment. He looked very familiar. Had we met before? Perhaps he looked like someone from the future. I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“I’m sick and tired of all you Puritans,” the sailor said. “I’m sick of your praying and your holier-than-thou attitude. You should’ve all stayed in Plymouth with the others. Better yet, I wish the Speedwell would’ve sunk and taken the lot of you with her. It was bad enough having some of you on the Mayflower. Now I’m stuck with all of you.”
I must admit I was surprised by this sailor’s hatefulness against the Puritans.
The sailor gave a wicked smile and said, “I guess there’s one good reason to have you on board.”
“That’s the spirit,” I said.
Tommy nudged me and whispered, “I don’t think this is going to be a compliment.”
The sailor continued: “We’ll have plenty of food for the sharks!” He laughed.
Suddenly, I remembered where I’d seen him. Of course—he was the sailor that I encountered the first time I had time-traveled to the Mayflower. How could I forget the person who almost threw me overboard? Obviously, he wouldn’t remember that first meeting, because for him that part of history hadn’t happened yet.
Just then Liberty appeared directly in front of the sailor, deliberately snorted, took another deep breath, and then disappeared.
I think I was just as surprised as the sailor. On second thought, maybe not. The sailor had slimy horse snot oozing down his face.
“What the . . . where did . . . that was a . . . ,” the sailor muttered as he tried to wipe away the snot.
“Rush Revere!” a voice called from the front of the ship.
The sailor quickly went about his business as if he had not been talking with us. I turned around to see who had ca
lled my name. I was thrilled to see my Pilgrim hero William Bradford walking toward me with his wife, Dorothy.
“Rush, you joined us in the nick of time,” said William.
“Yes, well, better late than never,” I said, laughing.
We all had to catch our balance as the bow of the ship plowed over a wave. A light spray of water splashed over the ship’s railing. The large sails of the Mayflower no longer rippled like they did closer to the coast. Out in the open ocean they billowed like parachutes, pushing the boat westward.
William said, “You get used to that after a while. Have you had time to tour the ship?”
“No, not really,” I said. “I was just talking with Tommy. He’s a bit lonely without his horse. But there really isn’t any room for a horse on the Mayflower, is there?” I asked, hoping I’d get the answer I was looking for.
“Unfortunately, no,” said William. “The only place I can think of where a horse might fit and stay protected from the wind and waves is the capstan room.”
Bingo.
“What’s a capstan?” asked Tommy.
“And where’s the capstan room?” I asked, hoping Liberty was paying attention.
“The room is located on this deck but it’s at the aft of the ship. The capstan is kind of a pulley,” said William. “It’s used to move heavy cargo between decks.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Very interesting. Well, I’m hopeful we can find and train another horse when we get to the New World.”
Mayflower II in calm seas.
“How many decks are there on the Mayflower?” asked Tommy. “I mean, where do people sleep?”
“Good question,” said William. He pointed toward the top aft end of the ship, “That up there is the quarterdeck. That’s where you’ll find the captain’s cabin. The deck we’re standing on is the upper deck. The galley or ship’s kitchen is to the bow.”
I knew Liberty wasn’t around or he would have asked for a personal tour of the kitchen and then he would have volunteered to be the Mayflower’s official taste tester!
“Below this deck is the tween deck. That’s where most of the passengers are living and sleeping. We also have a small pen for our smaller livestock, including chickens. And below the tween deck is the cargo hold where we store our flour, barrels of water, and other general supplies.”
“William,” I asked, “tell me, how are things for you? How can I help with your voyage?”
“Our numbers are dwindling. There used to be nearly one hundred and fifty Puritans traveling to the New World. But the trip has been hard on many of our people. After several attempts of trying to sail two ships to America we decided that the Speedwell was not seaworthy. It leaked like a sieve. Three times the crew tried to patch her up, without success. The first attempt was at Southampton after a very wet and worrisome journey from Holland. But a leaky ship will not keep us from the freedom we desperately want. We will make it to our new home!”
That’s when William gave me the most reassuring smile. It’s no wonder the Pilgrims were ready to follow him to the New World. He was inspiring to listen to. I was ready to follow him, too.
“You said that there used to be nearly one hundred and fifty Puritans,” I said. “How many are there now?”
“The passengers of the Mayflower include about fifty Puritans. The crew refers to us as Saints. The other half are Adventurers, also known as Strangers.”
Tommy whispered in my ear, “Sounds like two football teams playing on Monday Night Football, the Saints versus the Strangers.”
I smiled as William continued: “We had to include others if we stand a chance of starting a new settlement in the New World. It’s not ideal but it’s a step closer in getting us to our new home.”
“I really like your ship,” said Tommy. “And I happen to know you’ll make it to the New World.”
“Really?” William said, smiling. “You say that without a shadow of a doubt in your voice. I wish more of our members had your same positive attitude and conviction.”
A gust of wind came up and William quickly grabbed for his hat. He looked up at the sails and said, “I believe that heaven is helping us. We should give thanks for such a prosperous wind. Come, let us find Elder Brewster.”
As we followed William, the boat rose and fell with greater force. The winds were getting stronger and the swells were getting bigger. We were far out to sea now. Dark clouds pushed across the Atlantic Ocean. More frequently, water splashed up and over the ship’s railing. Imagine what it would be like in the evening when it was pitch black outside. Waves crashing, winds howling, thunder cracking, and the ship rocking fiercely against the waves. I imagined a monstrous wave that rocked the ship so hard that it capsized. The thought was terrifying and I quickly pushed it from my mind. It was easy for me to do because I knew that the Mayflower made it to the New World. But none of the Pilgrims knew that. And yet, William Bradford spoke as if he did know. His faith allowed him to stay optimistic despite the raging storm.
We arrived at the hatch door that led down to the between decks. Other passengers were lined up and climbing down the ladder. When we were close enough to climb down, the smell caught my attention immediately. Tommy whispered, “Whoa, this is ten times worse than our locker room at school. It smells like a boatload of stinky socks down there.”
As quietly as possible I responded, “There should be about a hundred people down there, with no windows and not a lot of room.”
“That’s like the time we had our family reunion at my house and like a hundred of my relatives crammed into my living room for a few hours. It was so crowded and most of my cousins are really annoying.”
“That was just for a few hours,” I said. “Now try it for a few weeks or months and instead of your relatives you have to hang with a bunch of people from your church and the other half is a bunch of people you’ve never met.”
Tommy’s eyes were wide with concern. “Seriously? All in the same room? Oh, that would get old really fast. I mean, I think an hour would be too long with some people. And the smell down there must be a lot stronger. I don’t know how they did it.”
Tommy followed William and I followed Tommy.
* * *
When I stepped from the bottom rung of the ladder to the tween deck I had to bend my knees and lean forward to enter the room. Tommy was standing up straight but it looked like his head touched the wood ceiling. Hunched over, we tried to follow William through a maze of people. The only light that came into the room was from the open hatch. It was dim but there was enough light to see that every family had a small living space. Some families had built wooden dividers that served as walls and provided them with a little privacy. We heard voices all around us; many of them were children saying things like:
“How long do we have to stay down here?”
“The sea is making me sick again.”
“I have to go potty.”
“Can I go find the puppy?”
I thought that last comment was odd, but with all the voices it was hard to be sure what I heard. Occasionally, water dripped through the upper deck and onto my head and neck. Tommy tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, “This place is creepy. And I think someone or something is following me.”
“Not to worry,” I whispered back. “We won’t stay long.”
Suddenly, a little boy, probably five or six years old, jumped out of the darkness and into our path. He looked up at Tommy and said, “Pardon me, but have you seen the puppy?”
Tommy crouched down until he was eye to eye with the little boy and said, “Sorry, little dude, I haven’t seen a puppy.”
Suddenly, the little boy jumped up and down, shouting and pointing to something behind Tommy: “Puppy, puppy, I see the puppy!”
Still crouching, Tommy turned around and stared up into the eyes of a giant-sized dog only inches from his face. The dog’s huge tongue licked and slobbered excitedly as Tommy fell backward until he was on his back and the dog was now standing over hi
m. The little boy laughed and laughed.
“That’s the puppy?” Tommy asked still lying on the damp floor and trying to cover his face with his arms.
William smiled and said, “That’s what they call him. He’s actually a giant mastiff. And there’s another dog, a spaniel. Two dogs and a hundred and two passengers.”
Other children joined the first little boy and they all started petting the dog. It was large enough that the smallest of the children could probably ride it like a horse.
I leaned over to help Tommy to his feet. He grabbed my hand and while hoisting him up I forgot about the low ceiling. “Ouch,” I said.
“It takes some getting used to,” said William. “Are you all right?”
“I’ll be fine. No worries.” I could already feel the raised bump on the top of my head.
“The Mayflower was not built to be a passenger ship. It’s a cargo ship. However, as you can see we’ve converted this crawl-space into our living quarters,” said William.
I looked around and could vaguely see that many passengers were lying down on rugs or sitting on chairs, chests of clothing, or leaning up against casks that were probably filled with water or beer. Many looked seasick, with chamber pots close by in case they had to vomit.
Tommy turned to one of the children who were petting the dog and asked, “Do you have to stay down here all the time?”
“Not all of the time,” said a girl who was about eight years old. “Only when the wind is really pushy and the waves are really big.”
“The waves don’t feel really big from down here,” Tommy said.
Overhearing the conversation, William crouched down to his knees and spoke to all of the children, including Tommy. “It’s true that this deck can be very deceiving about what’s happening outside. But the Mayflower is a special kind of ship. Have you ever seen a duck float on top of the waves? It just sits there, perfectly balanced while easily floating up and over and around the water. Well, the Mayflower is like a duck.” William reached out and while gently pressing against a little boy’s nose he made the noise “quack, quack.” The children laughed.
Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans Page 5
