Secondly. For any thing they knew there might be hard by us a better seat, and it would be a great hinderance to seat where they should remove again.

But to omit many reasons and replies concerning this matter, it was in the end concluded to make some discovery within the bay, but in no case so far as Angawam. Besides, Robert Coppin, their pilot, made relation of a great navigable river and good harbor in the other headland of the bay, almost right over against Cape Cod, being in a right line not much above eight leagues distant, in which he had once been, and beyond that place they that were to go on discovery, were enjoined not to go.*

The month of November being spent on these affairs, and having much foul weather; on the 6th of December they concluded to send out their shallop again on a third discovery. The names of those that went on this discovery, were Mr. John Carver, Mr. William Bradford, Mr. Edward Winslow, Capt. Miles Standish, Mr. John Howland, Mr. Richard Warren, Mr. Stephen Hopkins, Mr. Edward Tilly, Mr. John Tilly, Mr. Clark, Mr. Coppin, John Allerton, Thomas English, Edward Doten, with the master gunner of the ship, and three of the common seamen; these set sail on Wednesday the sixth of December, 1620, 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

About this time Mrs. Susanna White was delivered of a son, who was named Peregrine; he was the first of the English that was born in New England, and still surviveth, [A. D. 1669,] and is the Lieutenant of the military company of Marshfield.-M. He died at Marshfield, July 20, 1704, aged 83 years.

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 make 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 until 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 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 aim at them; and the other two charged again with all speed, for 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 towards the shallop, to recover their arms; the Indians wheeling about upon them; but some running out with coats of mail, and cuttle-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

*This is thought to be a place called Namskeket. — M.

† "Their note was after this manner, Woach, woach, ha hach woach.”Hist. Coll. vol. viii. p. 219.

stood three shot of musket, until one taking full aim at him, made the bark or 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.†

Thus it pleased God to vanquish their enemies, and to give them deliverance, and by his special providence so to dispose, that not any one of them was either hurt or hit, though their arrows came close by them; and sundry of their coats, which hung up in the barricado, were shot through and through. For which salvation and deliverance they rendered solemn thanksgiving unto the Lord.

From hence they departed, and coasted all along, but discerned no place likely for harbor, and therefore hasted to the place the pilot (as aforesaid) told them of, who assured them that there was a good harbor, and they might fetch 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 brake their mast in three pieces, and their sail 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

"We took up eighteen of their arrows, which we had sent to England, by Master Jones; some whereof were headed with brass, others with hart's horn, and others with eagle's claws."-Hist. Coll. vol. viii. p. 219. †This place, on this occasion, was called the First Encounter.

.M.

before and he and the master's mate would have run the boat ashore in a cove full 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 where 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.

On the second day of the week following,‡ they sounded the harbor, and found it fit for shipping, and marched into the

This was between the place called the Gurnet's Nose and Sagaquab by the mouth of Plymouth harbor. — M.

This was afterwards called Clark's Island, because Mr. Clark, the master's mate, first stepped on shore thereon.

M.

"On Monday we found a very good harbor for our shipping. We marched also into the land and found divers cornfields and little running brooks; a place very good for situation. This harbor is a bay greater than Cape Cod [harbor] compassed with goodly land, and in the bay two fine Islands uninhabited, wherein are nothing but woods, oaks, pines, walnut, beech, sassafras, vines, and other trees which we know not. This bay is a most hopeful place; innumerable store of fowl and excellent good; and cannot but be fish in their seasons; skate, cod, turbot, and herring we have tasted of; abundance of muscles, the greatest and best we ever saw; crabs and lobsters in their time infinite: it is in fashion like a sickle or fish-hook."— Mass. Hist. Coll. vol. viii. p. 220.

After making the researchest examinations, which have been related, the Pilgrims fixed on Plymouth, called by the natives Patuxet, for their perma

land, and found divers cornfields, and little running brooks, a place (as they supposed) fit for situation, at least it was the best that they could find, and the season and their present necessity made them glad to accept of it. So they returned

nent home; and on a day corresponding with the twenty-second day of December, according to the present way of reckoning time, effected a landing, which has ever since been commemorated by their posterity. There were incidents connected with the disembarkation, preserved by tradition, which we cannot detail here, but must refer the curious to the books of the antiquarians. But the "Rock" on which they first planted their feet for permanent settlement, (whether it were Miss Chilton or John Alden who made the first successful leap,) is well ascertained, and will probably never be forgotten. Indeed the sight of it commands an annual pilgrimage as a memento of the faith, patience, inflexible virtue, and persevering labor of "The Forefathers," who, as President Dwight says, "Were inferior to no body of men whose names are recorded in history during the last 1700 years." De Tocqueville says, " This Rock has become an object of veneration in the United States. I have seen bits of it carefully preserved in several towns of the Union. Does not this sufficiently show that all human power and greatness is in the soul of man? Here is a stone which the feet of the outcasts pressed for an instant, and this stone becomes famous; it is treasured by a great nation; its very dust is shared as a relic. And what has become of the gateways of a thousand palaces? who cares for them?"

When the purposes of commerce and navigation called for a location upon the "Rock," the inhabitants of the place removed a considerable part of it, which is now resting in the front of "Pilgrim Hall," with an iron inclosure, bearing the names of the "Pilgrim Fathers of our race." The Hall is built of rough granite, 70 feet by 44, and contains many deposits of the heirlooms of the Pilgrims, and other memorials of the olden time, and affords convenient rooms for the annual celebrations. A picture of the landing and full length portraits of the boat's company, and of their friend Samoset, adorns one side of the hall, the gift of the artist, Col. Seargeant.

It is in contemplation to erect a monument to the memory of the Fathers, the expense of which is not to exceed §100,000, at the place of the original landing, and where the most considerable part of the "Rock" still rests; and generous subscriptions are already made for that purpose. The celebration of the landing on "Forefathers' Day," is not only attended at Plymouth, but at Boston, New York, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Charleston, Buffalo, Detroit, and perhaps some other places.

We have said the "Rock" is well ascertained. At the commencement of the present century, an aged Deacon of the Plymouth Church was living, who remembered "Elder Founce," the son of a Pilgrim, and who died in 1746, aged ninety-nine years, and who well remembered many of the "First