rage in England, they were joined by many of their countrymen, and the congregation became in a few years large and respectable.

4. Yet they never felt themselves at home in Holland. They were strangers and sojourners there, and likely to remain so. Many were their reasons, some of them weighty, for refusing to settle down permanently among the Dutch. They were on the look-out, therefore, for a resting-place.

5. Just at this time, an asylum was opened to them in the wilds of America. In that untrodden country, as they deemed, they could be entirely free from persecution and tyranny. There they could read their bibles by their own firesides, undisturbed, and worship God as their own conscience told them was right. They could also transmit to their children and grandchildren the same privileges.

6. Having procured a vessel, the Speedwell, of sixty tons, they made preparations to depart for America. Before leaving Holland, however, they kept a day of fasting and prayer. They then went to Delft'-ha-ven, about twenty miles from Leyden, and thence to Southampton, in England. Here they were joined by a company of their Puritan friends from London, in a vessel of one hundred and eighty tons, called the Mayflower.

7. Their little fleet being in readiness, they set out, August 15th, for America; not, however, till they had spent a parting hour with their friends, whose faces they were to see no more, in religious services. A little way out of port, the Speedwell sprang a leak, and they were obliged to return for repairs. They sailed again, but again the vessel failed; and she was at length condemned as unseaworthy.

8. One hundred and two of the Puritans now crowded themselves into one vessel, the Mayflower, and made a final embarkation. This was September 16, 1620. The weather, as might have been feared at this season, proved unfavorable, and they were more than two months in reaching the shores of Cape Cod.

9. It had been their intention to settle further south, near the Hudson; and, with this view, they had procured a patent of the London Company. But winter was now nigh, Hudson River far off, and perilous shoals and breakers lay between. They therefore gave up their original plan, and sought a landing-place near where they were.

10. On the 21st of November, sixty-six days after leaving Southampton, they found themselves at anchor in Cape Cod harbor near the

4. Why did they not consider Holland a home? 5. What prospect opened to them? Why did they cherish the idea of going to America? 6. What of the departure of the pilgrims? 7. What of their progress? 8. What of the Mayflower? 9. What had been the design of the pilgrims? What change of plan did they adopt? 10. What occurred on the 21st of November, 1620?

THE PURITANS AT CAPE COD.

57

present town of Tru'-ro; having lost, during their long and perilous passage, but one man.

11. Before landing, they formed, in the cabin of the Mayflower, a solemn compact for their future safety and government, which was signed by forty-one of the number-the rest being women and children -and John Carver was immediately chosen governor of the colony for one year.

CHAPTER XXII.

The Puritans at Cape Cod.

1. A GOVERNMENT having been formed for their mutual well-being

was so shallow that they were obliged to wade a considerable distance, and many of them took severe colds, which, in some instances, appeared to lay the foundation of what we usually term quick consumption. They found nothing, moreover, on shore but woods and sand-hills. They had gone out armed, but had not been molested.

3. The next day, November 22, was the Sabbath. On this day they rested, "according to the commandment" and their uniform custom,

11. What did they do before landing?

CHAP. XXII.-1. What of going ashore? 2. What happened to the party? 8. What occurred November 22 and 23?

On Monday, the men went on shore to refresh themselves and make further discoveries; the women went also, attended by a guard, to wash some of the clothing.

4. This same day, they also began to repair their shallop for the purpose of coasting, the Mayflower being too large and unwieldy for convenience. It was a slow task, however, for the carpenter did not complete the necessary repairs till sixteen or seventeen days had elapsed, and winter was now at hand.

5. On Wednesday, November 25, a party of sixteen men, commanded by Captain Miles Standish, and well armed, went out to make discoveries. When about a mile from the sea they saw five Indians, who, at sight of their new visitors, immediately fled. The latter pursued them ten miles, but did not overtake them. They had gone so far, however, that they were obliged to kindle a fire and sleep in the woods.

6. The next day they found several heaps of sand, one of which was covered with mats, and an earthen pot lay at one end of it. On digging, they found a box and arrows, upon which they concluded it was an Indian grave, and accordingly replaced every thing as they had found it.

7. In another place they found a large kettle, and near it another pile of sand, in which, on a close examination, was found a basket containing three or four bushels of Indian corn. "This providential discovery," says Holmes, in his Annals, "gave them seed for a future harvest, and preserved the infant colony from famine."

8. One fact should be mentioned, which shows what sort of men these were. Though they took away the kettle and a part of the corn, it was with the firm intention to return the kettle if ever they found an owner, and pay for the corn; and to their honor be it recorded that they actually found the owners afterward, and liberally paid them.

9. In the course of the same day, they found more graves, and the ruins of an Indian hut or house; and in one place a number of palisadoes, or stakes and posts, framed together like a wall. They also saw a trap set for deer, in which one of the party was caught, though without much injury.

10. After sleeping a second night in the woods, they returned to their companions, who received them with great joy. It was about this time that the first white New England child was born. His name was Per-e-grine White, and he lived to be eighty-four years old.

4. What of the shallop? 5. What occurred on the 25th? 6. What did they find the next day? 7. What other things did they find? What of corn? 8. Did the Puritans pay for the kettle and corn they took? 9. What other things did the party find? The return of the party? The first child?

10

SURVEYS OF THE SHORE.

59

CHAPTER XXIII.

Further Surveys of the Shore.-Meeting with Indians.The Landing at Plymouth.

1. It was the 16th of December when the shallop was ready. Four

THE LANDING.

of the principal men, with eight or ten seamen, immediately set out on a tour of discovery. Snow had already fallen, and the weath

er was so severe

that the spray of the sea, falling upon their coats, and freezing, made them look like coats of mail. They slept the first night, on

board the boat; but the next morning the company divided, and a part traveled by land.

2. As they went on, they found an Indian burying-ground, surrounded by palisadoes, and many graves with stakes around them. But they saw no living person, nor any place suitable to be the habitation of living men. They met at night with their friends of the shallop, and the whole party slept on shore by a fire.

3. They rose at five next morning, but had scarcely finished their prayers, when the guard they had set cried out, "Indians! Indians!" and a shower of arrows fell among them, accompanied by such yells as they had never before heard. They were struck with surprise, but recovered in a moment; and row the Indians were as much terrified by the report of their guns as the emigrants had been by the warwhocp. They thought the explosions were thunder and lightning, and fled.

4. The arrows were preserved as curiosities by the English, for they were the first they had seen. They were pointed with deer's horn and

CHAP. XXIII.-1. What happened on the 16th of December? 2. What of Indian graves, etc.? 8. What of the arrival of Indians? 4. Indian arrows?

eagle's claws. Their assailants were of a tribe who remembered Hunt, the kidnapper of their people, and it was no wonder that they sought revenge for the past, or defence against future molestation.

5. The exploring party now went on board the shallop, which pursued its course along the northern shore of the Cape, toward what is now Plym'-outh. They sought for a convenient harbor, but none was to be found. At last the pilot, who had some knowledge of the coast, assured them that he knew of a good one far ahead, but which, with much exertion, might possibly be reached that night.

6. "They follow his guidance. After sailing some hours, a storm of snow and rain begins. The sea swells; the rudder breaks; and the shallop must now be steered with oars. The storm increases, and night is at hand. To reach the harbor before dark, as much sail as possible is borne; the mast breaks into three pieces; the sail falls overboard. But the tide is favorable.

7. "The pilot," says Bancroft, "in dismay, would have run the vessel on shore in a cove full of breakers. About with her,' exclaimed a sailor, 'or we are cast away.' They get her about immediately; and, passing over the surf, they enter a fair sound, and shelter themselves under the lee of a small rise of land.

8. "It is dark, and the rain beats furiously; yet the men are so wet, and cold, and weak, that they slight the danger to be apprehended from the savages, and, after great difficulty, kindle a fire on shore. Morning, as it dawned, showed the place to be a small island within the entrance of the harbor."

9. The day which had dawned was Saturday. They not only spent this in quiet rest, but also the following day. It is interesting to observe the pious regard these Puritans had for the Sabbath. Though their friends on board the Mayflower were waiting in suspense, and every thing required the utmost haste, they would not proceed on Sunday if they could help it.

10. When the Sabbath was over, and they had examined the country, they determined to make it the place of their settlement. They were particularly pleased with its pleasant brooks and woods, and the excellent land. The soil of both the mainland and two islands adjacent was covered with walnut, beech, pine, and sassafras trees; and numerous cornfields were also to be seen. It was December 21st when they made the landing; and this is the day which should be kept as the anniversary of the interesting event.

11. They proceeded to convey the intelligence of these things to

5-8 What account does Bancroft give? 9. What of Saturday, Sunday and Monday following? 10. Why did they return to settle in the place they had found? 11. What of the landing?