with us, and our victuals was only biscuit and Holland cheese, and a little bottle of aqua-vitæ, so as we were sore athirst. About ten o'clock we came into a deep valley, full of brush, wood-gaile and long grass, through which we found paths or tracks; and there we saw a deer, and found springs of fresh water, of which we were heartily glad, and sat us down and drunk our first New England water, with as much delight as ever we drunk drink in all our lives.

When we had refreshed ourselves, we directed our course full south, that we might come to the shore, which within a short while after we did; and there made a fire, that they in the ship might see where we were, as we had direction; and so marched on towards this supposed river. And as we went, in another valley we found a fine clear pond of fresh water, being about a musket-shot broad and twice as long. There grew also many small vines, and fowl and deer haunted there. From thence we went on, and found much plain ground, about fifty acres, fit for the plough, and some signs where the Indians had formerly planted their corn. After this, some thought it best, for nearness of the river, to go down and travel on the sea-sands, by which means some of our men were tired, and lagged behind. So we stayed and gathered them up, and struck into the land again; where we found a little path to certain heaps of sand, one whereof was covered with old mats, and had a wooden

thing like a mortar, whelmed on the top of it, and an earthen pot laid in a little hole at the end thereof. * * * *

We went on farther and found new stubble, of which they had gotten corn this year, and many walnut-trees full of nuts, and great store of strawberries, and some vines. Passing thus a field or two, which were not great, we came to another, which had also been new gotten, and there we found where a house had been, and four or five old planks laid together. Also we found a great kettle, which had been some ship's kettle and brought out of Europe. There was also a heap of sand, made like the former, which we digged up, and in it we found a little old basket, full of fair Indian corn; and digged farther, and found a great new basket, full of very fair corn of this year, which was a very goodly sight. We were in suspense what to do with it and the kettle; and at length, after much consultation, we concluded to take the kettle, and as much of the corn as we could carry away with us; and when our shallop came, if we could find any of the people, and come to parley with them, we would give them the kettle again, and satisfy them for their corn.

Not far from this place we found the remainder of an old fort or palisado, which, as we conceived, had been made by some Christians. This was also hard by that place which we thought had been a river; unto which we went and found it so to

be, dividing itself into two arms by a high bank, standing right by the cut or mouth, which came by the sea. That which was next unto us was the less. The other arm was more than twice as big. Here also we saw two canoes; the one on the one side, the other on the other side. So we returned, and came that night back again to the fresh water pond; and there we made our rendezvous that night, making a great fire, and a barricade to the windward of us, and kept good watch with three sentinels all night, every one -standing when his turn came, while five or six inches of match was burning. It proved a very rainy night.

In the morning we took our kettle and sunk it in the pond, and trimmed our muskets, for few of them would go off because of the wet; and so coasted the wood again to come home, in which we were shrewdly puzzled, and lost our way. As we wandered we came to a tree, where a young sprit* ;* was bowed down over a bow, and some acorns strewed underneath. Stephen Hopkins said it had been to catch deer. So as we were looking at it, William Bradford being in the rear, when he came looked also upon it, and as he went about, it gave a sudden jerk up, and he was immediately caught by the leg. In the end we got Out of the wood, and were fallen about a mile too high above the reek. So we marched some while n the woods, some while on the

sands, and other while in the water up to the knees; till at length we came near the ship; and then we shot off our pieces, and the longboat came to fetch us. Master Jones and Master Carver being on the shore, with many of our people, came to meet us. And thus we came both weary and welcome home; and delivered in our corn into the store, to be kept for seed. This was our first discovery, whilst our shallop was repairing.

Our people did make things as fitting as they could, and time would, in seeking out wood, and helving of tools, and sawing of timber, to build a new shallop. But the discommodiousness of the harbour did much hinder us; for we could neither go to nor come from the shore but at high water, which was much to our hindrance and hurt; for oftentimes they waded to the middle of the thigh, and oft to the knees, to go and come from land. Some did it necessarily, and some for their own pleasure; but it brought to the most, if not to all, coughs and colds, (the weather proving suddenly cold and stormy), which afterwards turned to the scurvy, whereof many died.

* * * *

After prayer we prepared ourselves for breakfast, and for a journey; and it being now the twilight in the morning, it was thought meet to carry the things down to the shallop. Some said it was not best to carry the armour down. Others said they would be readier. Two or three

till they went themselves, but mistrusting nothing at all. As

it fell out, the water not being high enough, they laid the things down upon the shore, and came up to breakfast. Anon, all upon a sudden, we heard a great and strange cry, which we knew to be the same voices though they varied their notes. One of our company being abroad, came running in and cried, "They are men! Indians! Indians!" and withal their arrows came flying amongst us. Our men ran out with all speed to recover their arms, as by the good providence of God they did. In the meantime, Captain Miles Standish having a snaphance ready, made a shot; and after him another. After they two had shot, other two of us were ready; but he wished us not to shoot till we could take aim, for we knew not what need we should have, and there were four only of us which had their arms there ready, and stood before the open side of our barricade, which was first assaulted. They thought it best to defend it, lest the enemy should take it and our stuff; and so have the more vantage against

us.

*

Our care was no less for the shallop; but we hoped all the rest would defend it. We called unto them to know how it was with them; and they answered "Well! well!" every one, and "Be of good courage!" We heard three of their pieces go off, and the rest called for a firebrand to

* I Musket with a flint lock.

log out of the fire on his shoulder and went and carried it unto them; which, was thought, did not a little discourage our enemies. The cry of our enemies was dreadful, especially when our men ran out to recover their arms. Their note was after this manner, "Woach, woach, ha ha hach woach." Our men were no sooner come to their arms, but the enemy was ready to assault them.

The

There was a lusty man and no whit less valiant, who was thought to be their captain, stood behind a tree within half a musket shot of us, and there let his arrows fly at us. He was seen to shoot three arrows, which were all avoided ; for he at whom the first arrow was aimed saw it, and stooped down, and it flew over him. rest were avoided also. He stood three shots of a musket. At length one took, as he said, full aim at him; after which he gave an extraordinary cry, and away they all went. We followed them about a quarter of a mile; but we left six to keep our shallop, for we were very careful of our business. Then we shouted all together two several times, and shot off a couple of muskets, and so returned. This we did that they might see we were not afraid of them, nor discouraged.

Thus it pleased God to vanquish our enemies and give us deliverance. By their noise we could not guess that there were less than thirty or forty, though some thought they were many more.

Besides, we

The 19th of December, we went again to discover further; some went on land and some in the shallop. The land we found as the former day did we; and we found a creek, and went up three English miles, a very pleasant river at full sea. A bark of thirty tons may go up; but at low water scarce our shallop could pass. This place we had a great liking to plant in, but that it was so far from our fishing, our principal profit, and so encompassed with woods, that we should be in much danger of the savages; and our number being so little, and so much ground to clear; SO we thought good to quit and clear that place till we were of more strength. Some of us having a good mind for safety, to plant in the greater isle, we crossed the bay, which is there about five or six miles over, and found the isle about a mile and a half or two miles about, all wooded, and no fresh water, but two or three pits, that we doubted of fresh water in summer, and so full of wood as we could hardly clear so much as

Р

So in the morning, when we had called on God for direction, we came to this resolution, to go presently ashore again, and take a better view of two places which we thought most fitting for us, for we could not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals being much spent, especially our beer, and it being now the 19th of December. After our landing and viewing of the places so well as we could, we came to a conclusion, by most voices, to set on the mainland, on the first place, on a high ground where there is a great deal of land cleared, and hath been planted with corn three or four years ago; and there is a very sweet brook runs under the hillside, and many delicate springs of as good water as can be drunk, and where we may harbour our shallops and boats exceedingly well; and in this brook much good fish in their seasons; on the farther side of the river also much corn ground cleared. In one field is a great hill, on which we point to make a platform, and plant our ordnance, which will command all round about. From thence we may see into the bay, and far into the sea; and we may see thence Cape Cod.

ing of our wood, which is half a quarter of an English mile; but there is enough so far off. What people inhabit here we yet know not, for as yet we have seen none. So there we made our rendezvous, and a place for some of our people, about twenty, resolving in the morning to come all ashore and to build houses. * * * *

Thursday, the 28th of December, so many as could went to work on the hill, where we purposed to build our platform for | our ordnance, and which doth command all the plain and the bay, and from whence we may see far into the sea, and might be easier impaled, having two rows of houses and a fair street. So in the afternoon we went to measure out the grounds, and first we took notice how many

single men that had no 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. To greater families we allotted larger plots; to every person half a pole in breadth, and three in length; and so lots were cast where every man should lie, which was done and staked out. We thought this proportion was large enough at the first, for houses and gardens to impale them round, considering the weakness of our people, many of them growing ill with colds; for our former discoveries in frost and storms, and the wading at Cape Cod, had brought much weakness amongst us, which increased so every day more and more, and after was the cause of many of their deaths.