MORTON'S NArrative. 373 alias Cape James, in November, 1620, and being brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from many perils and miseries. "But what could they see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wild beasts and wild men? And what multitudes of them there were, they then knew not; neither could they, as it were, go up to the top of Pisgah, to view from this wilderness a more goodly country to feed their hopes; for which way soever they turned their eyes, save upwards to heaven, they could have little solace or content in respect of any outward object; for summer being ended, all things stood in appearance with a weather-beaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hue. If they looked behind them, there was the mighty ocean which they had passed, and was now as a main bar and gulf to separate them from all the civil parts of the world. "Necessity now calling them to look out a place for habitation, while their carpenter was trimming up of their boat, sixteen of their men tendered themselves to go by land and discover those nearest places, which was accepted; and they, being well armed, were sent forth on the 16th of November, and having marched about a mile by the sea-side they espied five Indians, who ran away from them; and they followed them all that day sundry miles, but could not come to speech with them. So night coming on, they betook themselves to their rendezvous, and set out their sentinels and rested in peace that night. The next morning they followed the Indian tracks, but could not find them nor their dwellings, but at length lighted on a good quantity of clear ground, near to a pond of fresh water, where the Indians had planted corn, at which place they saw sundry of their graves. And proceeding further, they found new stubble where Indian corn had been planted the same year; also they found where lately a house had been, where some planks and a great kettle were remaining, and heaps of sand newly paddled with their hands, which they digged up, and found in them divers fair Indian baskets filled with corn, some whereof was in ears, fair and good, of divers colors, which seemed to them a very goodly sight, having seen none before; of which rarities they took some to carry to their friends on shipboard, like as the Israelites' spies brought from Eshcol some of the good fruits of the land. But finding little that might make for their encouragement as to situation, they returned. "After this, their shallop being ready, they set out the second time for a more full discovery of this place, especially a place that seemed to be an opening, as they went into the said harbor, some two or three leagues off, which the master judged to be a river. About thirty of them went out on this second discovery, the master of the ship going with them; but upon the more exact discovery thereof, they found it to be no harbor for ships, but only for boats. There they also found two houses covered with mats, and sundry implements in them, but the people ran away and could not be seen. Also there they found more of their corn and beans of various colors: the corn and beans they brought away, purposing to give them full satisfaction when they should meet with any of them. And here is to be noted a special and great mercy to this people, that here they got them seed to plant their corn the next year, or otherwise they might have starved, for they had none nor any likelihood to get any until the season had been past, as the sequel did manifest; neither is it likely that they had had this if the first discovery had not been made, for the ground was now all covered with snow and hard frozen. But the Lord is never wanting unto those that are his, in their greatest needs. Let his holy name have all the praise! "The month of November being spent on these affairs, and having much foul weather, on the sixth of December they concluded to send out their shallop again on a third discovery. They set sail, intending to circulate the deep bay of Cape Cod, the weather being very cold, so as the spray of the sea lighting on their coats, they were as if they had been glazed: notwithstanding, that night they got down into the bottom of the bay, and as they drew near the shore, they saw some ten or twelve Indians, and landed about a league off them, but with some difficulty, by reason of the shoals in that place, where they tarried that night. "In the morning they divided their company to coast along, some on shore and some in the boat, where they saw the Indians had been the day before, cutting up a fish like a grampus; and so they ranged up and down all that day, but found no people, nor any place they liked, as fit for their settlement: and that night they on shore met with their boat at a certain creek, where they made them a barricado of boughs and logs for their lodging that night, and being weary, betook themselves to rest. The next morning, about five o'clock, seeking guidance and protection from God by prayer, and refreshing themselves in way of preparation to persist on their intended expedition, some of them carried their arms down to the boat, having laid them up in their coats from the moisture of the weather; but others said they would not carry theirs till they went themselves. But presently, all on a sudden, about the dawning of the day, they heard a great and strange cry, and one of their company being on board, came hastily in and MORTON'S NArrative. 375 cried, 'Indians! Indians!' and withal, their arrows came flying amongst them; on which all their men ran with speed to recover their arms, as by God's good providence they did. In the mean time, some of those that were ready, discharged two muskets at them, and two more stood ready at the entrance of their rendezvous, but were commanded not to shoot until they could take full ain at them, and the other two charged again with all speed, foi there were only four that had arms there, and defended the barricado which was first assaulted. The cry of the Indians was dreadful, especially when they saw their men run out of their rendezvous toward the shallop to recover their arms, the Indians wheeling about upon them: but some running out with coats of mail and curtal-axes in their hands, they soon recovered their arms and discharged amongst them, and soon stayed their violence. Notwithstanding, there was a lusty man, and no less valiant, stood behind a tree, within half a musket shot, and let his arrows fly amongst them. He was seen to shoot three arrows, which were all avoided, and stood three shots of musket, until one, taking full aim at him, made the bark and splinters of the tree fly about his ears, after which he gave an extraordinary shriek, and away they went, all of them. And so, leaving some to keep the shallop, they followed them about a quarter of a mile, that they might conceive that they were not afraid of them, or any way discouraged. "From hence they departed, and coasted all along, but discerned no place likely for harbor, and therefore hasted to the place the pilot told them of, who assured them that there was a good harbor, and they might reach it before night; of which they were glad, for it began to be foul weather. After some hours' sailing, it began to snow and rain, and about the middle of the afternoon the wind increased, and the sea became very rough, and they broke their rudder, and it was as much as two men could do to steer the boat with a couple of oars. But the pilot bid them be of good cheer, for he saw the harbor. But the storm increasing and night drawing on, they bore what sail they could to get in while they could see: but herewith they broke their mast in three pieces, and their sails fell overboard in a very grown sea, so as they had like to have been cast away, yet by God's mercy they recovered themselves, and having the flood with them, struck into the harbor. But when it came to, the pilot was deceived, and said, 'Lord be merciful to us! my eyes never saw this place before!' And he and the master's mate would have run the boat ashore in a cove fuil of breakers before the wind, but a lusty seaman who steered, bid them that rowed, 'if they were men, about with her! else they were all cast away:' the which they did with all speed. So he bid them be of good cheer and row hard, for there was a fair sound before them, and he doubted not but they should find one place or other they might ride in safety. And although it was very dark and rained sore, yet in the end they got under the lee of a small island, and remained there all night in safety. But they knew not this to be an island until the next morning, but were much divided in their minds: some would keep the boat, doubting they might be amongst the Indians; others were so wet and cold they could not endure, but got on shore, and with much difficulty got fire. And so the whole were refreshed and rested in safety that night. The next day, rendering thanks to God for his great deliverance of them, and his continued merciful good providence towards them, and finding this to be an island, it being the last day of the week, they resolved to keep the Sabbath there." CHAPTER XXXIX. MASSACHUSETTS CONTINUED.-The Plymouth settlement.-Sufferings of the colonists.-Hostility of the Indians prevented.-The Old Colony.-Salem founded.The new colony of Massachusetts Bay.-Foundation of Boston.-Alliance with the Indians.-Theological dissensions.-Roger Williams.-Endicott.-Foundation of Providence Plantations.-Representative government in Massachusetts.— Emigration to New England.-Hugh Peters.-The colonists penetrate to the Connecticut. THE next day, December 11, 1620, O. S., they landed on the continent. This is the day, now the 22d, N. S., celebrated ever afterwards in the history of New England for the landing of the Pilgrims. The rock on which they first planted their feet, known as "Forefather's Rock," is now visited with devotion by their grateful descendents. The town which they built here, was named Plymouth, in memory of the last English port from which they sailed. The settlement was immediately begun by building houses. This territory having been found without the limits of their patent, as their original destination was the country about Hudson river, they formed a voluntary government before landing, upon purely democratic principles. John Carver was chosen governor. Their building went on slowly; cold weather, snow and rain, hindered their labors and subjected them to great sufferings. By a fortu |