THE LEADING MEN

55

2.

CHAPTER II.

Progress of the Pilgrims from Holland to America.

1. From Delft-Haven, the Pilgrims sailed to Southampton, in England Among the leaders of the party was ELDER BREWSTER, who at this time was fifty-six, but sound in body, as in spirit. JOHN CARVER was near his age, beloved and trusted, as he was good and wise. WILLIAM BRADFORD was strong, bold, and enduring; but withal, a meek and prudent Christian. Next these in honor, and superior in native endowments, was EDWARD WINSLOW. He was at this time twenty-six; Bradford was thirty-two. MILES STANDISH had been in the English army, and was a brave and resolute officer.

P'T. L

P'D. III.

cx. .

Leading

men.

Final de

parture.

2. After remaining in Southampton a fortnight, the party put to sea. But misfortunes befalling, they re- Sept. 6, turned, left the Speedwell, and finally, to the number of one hundred, they set sail from Plymouth, in the solitary May-Flower. On the 6th of September, they took their last, sad look, of their native shore. After a stormy and perilous passage, they made land, on the 9th of November, at Cape Cod.

Nov. 9.

Cod.

3. The mouth of the Hudson had been selected as the place of their settlement, and they accordingly steered southerly; but soon falling in with dangerous Cape breakers, and all, especially the women, being impatient to leave the ship, they determined to return and settle on or near the Cape. The next day they turned the point of that singular projection, and entered the harbor, now called Provincetown.

4. They fell on their knees to thank the kind Power who had preserved them amidst so many dangers; and

CHAPTER II.-1. From Holland where did the Pilgrims next go? Name their leading men. What is said of the first named? The second? The third? The fourth? The fifth ?-2. What happened when they first put out to sea? From what place did they last depart? In what vessel? How many persons? What was the length and character of the passage? What the first and made?-3. On what place had they intended to settle? Why did they change their minds?-4. What was their first act on arriving!

6

71

PT. I. then "they did," says Cotton Mather, "as the light of P'D. III. nature itself directed them, immediately, in the harbor, CH. II. sign an instrument, as the foundation of their future 1620, and needful government;" solemnly combining themNov. 11 selves into a civil body politic, to enact all such ordisigned nances, and frame all such constitutions and offices, as, in the from time to time, should be thought most meet and

Compact

cabin. convenient for the general good; all which they bound

An

themselves to obey.

5. This simple, but august compact, was the first of a series, by which the fetters of a vast system of political oppression have been broken. Upon some parts of the old continent that system still remains; building upon the fiction, that sovereigns own the world and its inhabitants, having derived all from God; important trans- and that the people are to have only such a measure of personal freedom, and such possessions, as kings may choose to bestow. Here was assumed for the first time the grand principle of a voluntary confederacy of independent men; instituting government, for the good, not of the governors, but of the governed.

action.

100 of the

6. There were the same number of persons on board the May-Flower as had left England; but one, a serPilgrims. vant, had died; and one, a male child, Peregrine White, was born on the passage. Carver was immediately chosen governor, and Standish, captain.

Nov. 11.

on shore

7. No comfortable home, or smiling friends, awaited the Pilgrims. They, who went or shore, waded through the cold surf, to a homeless lesert. But a place to settle in must be found, and no time was to be They go lost. The shallop unfortunately needed repairs, and the in the meantime a party set out to make discoveries by same land. They found a little corn and many graves" which and in a second excursion they encountered the chillthey ing blasts of a November snow storm, which laid in compact. some, the foundation of mortal disease. The country

day in

sign the

was wooded, and tolerably stocked with game.

-

4. What their next step? For what did they combine into one body? To what did they bind themselves? 5. What may be said of this compact? Upon what fiction are some governments founded? What was here assumed? —6. What number of persons arrived? What officers were choren ?-7. What can you say of their first arrival? What had they to do? What excursions did they make?

"schools,

THE ROCK OF PLYMOUTH. M

8. When the shallop was finished, Carver, Bradford PT and Winslow, with a party of eighteen, manned the PD. III. feeble bark, and set forth. Steering along the western CH. 1. shore of Cape Cod, they made, in three days, the inner 1620. circuit of the bay. "It was," says one of the number, "very cold; for the water froze our clothes, and made them many times like coats of iron." They landed occasionally to explore; and at night, inclosed with. only a slight barricade of boughs, they stretched themselves upon the hard ground.

Dec. 6, A party set sail

in the

shallop.

Attack'd

Satur

9. On the second morning, as their devotions closed, they received a shower of Indian arrows; when, sallying out, they discharged their guns, and the savages Dec. 8. fled. Again they offered prayers with thanksgiving; by the and proceeding on their way, their shallop was nearly Nausets. wrecked by a wintry storm of terrible violence. After day, unspeakable dangers, they sheltered themselves under Dec. 10. the lee of a small island, where, amidst darkness and larke's rain, they landed, and with difficulty, made a fire. In the morning, they found themselves at the entrance of within a harbor. The next day was the Sabbath. They rest- harbor. ed and kept it holy, though all that was dear to them Sun. 11 depended on their promptness.

At

just

Plym'th

land of

mouth

10. The next day, the pilgrims landed on the rock of Plymouth. Finding the harbor good, springs abun- Mon dant, and the land promising for tillage, they decided day, 12 to settle here, and named the place from that which Pilgrim they last left in England. In a few days they brought Plythe May-Flower to the harbor; and on the 25th of Rock. December they began building, having first divided the whole company into nineteen families, and assigned them contiguous lots, of size according to that of the family, about eight feet front, and fifty deep, to each person. Each man was to build his own house. Besides this, the company were to make a building of twenty feet square, as a common receptacle. This was

8. What party set sail in the shallop? What course did they take? What sufferings encounter?-9. What happened on the second morning? Recollect Capt. Hunt, and say if these Indians had any cause to dislike the English? Relate what further happened, and where the Pilgrims landed? How did they spend the Sabbath? -10. On what day and year did the Pilgrims land on the rock of Plymouth? At what time commence building? How proceed with it? How divide the land?

2.

58

CA

VISIT FROM THE INDIANS.

15

PT.1. soonest completed, but was unfortunately destroyed by

P'D. III.

CH. III.

They suffer,

⚫ine not.

fire.

11. Their huts went up but slowly; for though their hearts were strong, yet their hands had grown feeble, through fatigue, hardship, and scanty fare. Many were wasting with consumptions. Daily some yielded to sickness, and daily some sunk to the grave. Before spring, half of their number, among whom were the governor and his wife, lay buried on the shore but re- Yet they never repined, or repented of the step they had taken; and when, on the 5th of April, the MayFlower left them, not one, so much as spoke of returning to England. They rather confessed the continual 1421 mercies of a "wonder-working Providence," that had carried them through so many dangers, and was making them, the honored instruments, of so great a work. NOTE.-The dates in this part of History are of course given according to Old Style, since New Styie was not adopted by the English government until 132 years after this period. For a clear explanation of this subject, see the word Style, in Webster's large dictionary.

pril 5,

32

CHAPTER III.

The Savages-Massasoit's Alliance-Winslow's Visit to the

Pokanokets.

1. THE Pilgrims had as yet seen but few of the natives, and those hostile, when Samoset, an Indian, who had learned a little English at Penobscot, boldly entered March their village, with a cheerful "Welcome Englishmen.” He soon came again, with four others, among whom was Tisquantum, who had spread favorable reports of the English among his countrymen, and was afterwards of great service as an interpreter.

16,

-First

visit.

2. They gave notice that Massasoit, the sachem of the Pokanokets, was hard by. He appeared on a hill, The re- with a body of attendants, armed, and painted with gaudy colors. The chief desired that some one should

ception.

11. What was their condition during this first winter? Did they repine and complain?

-2

CHAPTER III.-1. Who was Samoset? Tisquantum ? What notice did they give? Who was Massasoit? What did he do, and what desire?

WINSLOW'S VISITS TO MASSASOIT.

59

P'D. III.

be sent to confer with him. Edward Winslow, famed for PT. I. the sweetness of his disposition and behavior, as well as for his talents, courage, and efficiency, was wisely Cн. III. chosen. Captain Standish found means to make a martial show, with drums and trumpets; which gave the savages wonderful delight.

3. The sachem, on coming into the village, was so well pleased with the attentions paid him, that he acknowledged the authority of the king of England, and entered into an alliance, offensive and defensive, with the colonists, which remained inviolate for more than fifty years.

Alliance

with

Massa

soit

4. In July, Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins, went on an embassy to Massasoit, at Montaup. The 1621. sachem was much pleased, with the present of a red July. coat, from Governor Bradford, who had succeeded Embassy Carver. The envoys obtained from him an engagement, that the furs of the Pokanokets should be sold to the colony.

gansetts

5. Massasoit feared the Narragansetts, and was doubtless, on that account, desirous of cultivating the friendship of the English. Canonicus, the old hereditary chieftain of that confederacy, perhaps offended at this Narra intimacy, or regarding the whites as intruders, medi- threaten. tated a war against them. This he openly intimated, 1622. by sending to Governor Bradford, a bunch of arrows, tied with the skin of a rattlesnake. Bradford stuffed the skin with powder and bali, and sent it back; and nothing more was heard, at that time, of war.

Jan.

sick

6. The next year, news came to Plymouth, that Massasoit was sick. Winslow taking suitable articles, went to Montaup. He found the Indians bewailing, and Winslov practising their noisy powows or incantations, around visits te the sightless chieftain. Affectionately he extended his chie hand and exclaimed, "Art thou Winsnow?" (He could not articulate the liquid 1.) "Art thou Winsnow? But, O, Winsnow! I shall never see thee

--

3.

2. What was done, and who chosen by the Pilgrims? What alliance inade? 4. What visit was afterwards made? What trade secured? 5. What Indians was Massasoit afraid of? How did their chief threaten the Pilgrims? How did Governor Bradford reply?-6. Give an account of Winslow's second visit to Massasoit.