The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty Page B

ruffians departed in the
Swan
for their new colony on the Bay, and the
Charity
returned to England. Before leaving for Massachusetts,the newcomers left their sick in the care of surgeon Samuel Fuller at his own charge. As they recovered, the doctor sent them to Massachusetts.
    Shortly after, the Bay Indians came to Bradford with bitter complaints that the newcomers were robbing the Indian corn fields. The Governor could do no more than advise the new settlers to deal honestly with the Indians. Before the coming of Weston’s men, the Plymouth settlers had planned to start a trading post on the Bay.
    By August, the provisions at Plymouth were exhausted. Two more ships arrived—the
Discovery
, Thomas Jones, Master; and the
Sparrow
, a smaller ship belonging to Weston. The
Sparrow
carried a cargo of fish.
    Captain Jones of the
Discovery
had plenty of supplies which he was willing to sell, at top prices, though he demanded in exchange beaver skins at below their current market value.
    These unlooked-for provisions were enough to keep them till harvest time.
    “Had not the Almighty in his all-ordering Providence, directed him to us; it would have gone worse with us than ever it had been, or after was.”
    The unruly Weston colony at Wessagussett (Weymouth) on the Bay soon used up all their provisions. Winter was at hand. They sent to Plymouth, proposing that the two plantations join in trading along the coast with the Indians for corn. The Weston men would furnish their ship
Swan
for this purpose and the proceeds would be divided between them.
    The Plymouth Colony agreed, but Standish, their usual leader, was sick with fever, and so Governor Bradford led the expedition. Squanto, too, went along, promising to guide the
Swan
around the Cape and through the shoals of Pollack’s Rip. Not long after they left the harbor, fierce winter storms beat down on them, and forced them to turn back. However, they traded with the Cape Indians and collected some twenty-eight hogsheads of corn.
    During this voyage, Squanto was taken ill with an Indian fever. Within a few days he died, asking the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen’s God in heaven.
    The corn was divided and the Weston colonists returned to Wessagussett. Captain Standish had now recovered and went along the Cape in the shallop, trading for corn in the bitter January weather. Through the long winter, he came and went, trading and treating with the sometimes treacherous Indians. Once he barely escaped an Indian plot on his life by “a notable insulting villain,” Witawamat, whose hands were stained with the blood of many a castaway English and Frenchman. The fearless Captain and his men came back in the weather-beaten shallop with corn enough to keep alive the families in the Plymouthcabins. The flame of hope and faith was kept aglow through the lean winter days and nights.
    One day, an Indian came with news that Massasoit was sick unto death. The Plymouth folk had not heard of the Chief since the quarrel over Squanto, but this was not the time to harbor ill will. After all, the great Chief had been and still was their faithful ally. Bradford appointed Winslow to visit the sick sachem. With him went Master John Hamden, a visiting gentleman from London who wanted to see the country. Hobomok was their guide.
    On the way, they heard that the Chief was dead. When they reached Massasoit’s village, they found that the sachem was still alive. From his lodge came the chanting of the medicine men. Enough din to make a well man sick, thought Winslow. The lodge was crowded with sorrowing friends who believed their Chief as good as dead. Six squaws sat around the sick man, chafing his arms and legs.
    Winslow saw at once that Massasoit was indeed at the point of death. He had lost his sight and his jaws were set. As the Englishman leaned over him, the dying man reached out a feeble hand and groaned, “Keen Winsnow? [Is this you, Winslow?]” for the Indians could