The Pilgrim Story / Being largely a compilation from the documents of Governor Bradford and Governor Winslow, severally and in collaboration; together with a list of Mayflower passengers.

CHAPTER V A New Home

From the foregoing the reader will readily recognize Coles Hill and Burial Hill and the site of the first fort, marked now by an appropriate tablet. Also Town Brook and the adjacent spring which has quenched the thirst of many a modern day pilgrim as well as residents of this historic town.

1621 Sat. Jan. 2 to Sat. Jan. 9

During Dec. 31, and Jan. 1, a violent storm prevailed and it was Saturday, Jan. 2, before work on shore could be started. In the several days following trees were felled, timbers shaped, and work begun on the Common House and the “platform” or fort on the hill.

Mon. Jan. 11
Mon. Jan. 18

Allotments of land were made, first by taking notice of “how many families there were, willing all single men that had not wives, to join with some family as they thought fit, that so we might build fewer houses; which was done and we reduced them to nineteen families.” Friday and Saturday being stormy and Jan. 10 being the Sabbath, work was resumed on Monday, Jan. 11. During this period the greater number were living on the Mayflower which presumably anchored in the lower harbor, necessitated going to and fro and in bad weather seriously interfered with work on shore. It was on Monday, the 18th, that Francis Billington made a visit to the “great sea” as he thought and which he had seen from a tree the week previous. This fine pond of sparkling water “full of fish and fowl” thus derived its name Billington Sea.

After some interruptions occasioned by bad weather, work was again resumed on the 19th. “We agreed that every man should build his own house, thinking by that course men would make more haste than working in common.”

Tues. Jan. 19 to Fri. Mar. 26

With this end in view work was resumed and “we went to labor that day in the building of our town, in two rows of houses for more safety. We divided by lot the plot of ground whereon to build our town, after the proportion formerly allotted. The common house in which for the first we made our rendezvous, being near finished, wanted only covering, it being only about twenty foot square. Some should make mortar, and some gather thatch; so that in four days half of it was thatched.”

During this period William Bradford was seriously ill which caused much concern. Two of the colony became lost in the nearby woods and after a night’s exposure to cold, found their way back in an exhausted condition. Indians were seen upon several occasions. The roof of the Common House was set on fire by a spark but fortunately only the thatch burned. John Goodman was attacked by “two great wolves” but succeeded in fighting them off. A shed was built for common storage. On Sunday, Jan. 31st, they held their first meeting on land. A heavy wind on Sunday, Feb. 14th, did some damage to their houses and on Friday, Feb. 19th, the roof of the little house they had built for their sick caught fire but no serious damage resulted. “That evening the master going ashore, killed five geese, which he friendly distributed among the sick people.”

The First Street, in its true topographical setting

On Friday, Feb. 26th, a party of twelve Indians were seen near the plantation and on the same day the tools of Captain Myles Standish and Francis Cooke, who had been at work in the woods, were stolen during their absence.

On the morning of the next day, Saturday, Feb. 27th, a meeting was called, Myles Standish was chosen Captain and given authority to command in military affairs. Two Indians were seen on this day “upon the top of a hill” (Watson’s Hill) but upon the approach of Captain Standish and Stephen Hopkins, they ran away.

These frequent visitations caused much alarm among the colonists and “caused us to plant our great ordinances in most convenient places.”

On Saturday, Mar. 13th, they experienced their first thunderstorm. This occurred in the afternoon following a day of sunshine and warmth while “birds sang in the woods most pleasantly.”

On Wednesday, Mar. 17th, though the weather was cold, it was fair and they planted their garden seed.

Their Great Losses

Nothing has been said thus far about the crushing losses the first winter this little colony sustained through exposure and disease. Their sufferings must have been well nigh indescribable, yet history records very little complaint. William Bradford bore his sufferings with the rest and it seems fitting to quote here his vivid description:

“But that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in two or three months time half of their company died, especially in January and February, being the depth of winter, and wanting houses and other comforts, being infected with the scurvy and other diseases, which this long voyage and their inaccommodate condition had brought upon them; so as there died sometimes two or three a day, in the aforesaid time; that of 100 and odd persons, scarce 50 remained. And of these in the time of most distress, there was but 6 or 7 sound persons, who, to their great commendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but with abundance of toil and hazard of their own health, fetched them wood, made them fires, dressed them meat, made their beds, washed their loathsome clothes, clothed and unclothed them; in a word did all the homely and necessary offices for them which dainty and queasy stomachs cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly and cheerfully, without any grudging in the least, showing herein their true love unto their friends and brethren. A rare example and worthy to be remembered. Two of these seven were Mr. William Brewster, their reverend elder, and Myles Standish, their Captain and military commander, unto whom myself and many others, were much beholden in our low sick condition. And yet the Lord so upheld these persons, as in this general calamity they were not at all infected either with sickness or lameness. And what I have said of these, I may say of many others who died in this general visitation, and others yet living, that while they had health, yea, or any strength continuing, they were not wanting to any that had need of them. And I doubt not but their recompence is with the Lord.”

They who died the first winter were buried on Coles Hill. A fitting memorial now marks the spot.

Samoset’s Visit

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