| Plymouth Rock is a deserving American shrine, but the | | | | the best we could find. The season and our present |
| legends surrounding it - and the so-called Pilgrims who | | | | necessity made us glad to accept of it. So, we |
| stepped on it - are not as interesting as the | | | | returned to our ship with the news to the rest of our |
| facts.Contrary to popular belief, the coast of North | | | | people, which did much comfort their hearts." In addition |
| America was well known to Spanish, French, Dutch | | | | to the landings on Nov. 21, there were other |
| and other English colonists prior to the arrival of a | | | | exploratory landings on the 28th, 29th and |
| reformist religious sect we associate with | | | | 30th.Abandoned cornfields and Indian villages were |
| Thanksgiving.George Weymouth explored Maine in | | | | found on the mainland. A smallpox epidemic and Indian |
| 1605 and brought back five Indians to London. Three of | | | | warfare had wiped out the coastal Pawtuxit. This was |
| them were turned over to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, | | | | a fateful stroke for the Pilgrims. They were too |
| harbormaster at Plymouth, England.Contact with these | | | | exhausted and few in number to contest hostile |
| pleasant and dignified Native Americans so intrigued | | | | natives or clear forest in winter.Upon returning to the |
| Gorges that he spent the rest of his life promoting | | | | ship, the entire company voted to build at Plymouth |
| colonization among them.Largely through Gorges' | | | | Harbor. The "Mayflower" weighed anchor and sailed |
| enthusiasm, two colonies were launched in 1607 - one | | | | across Massachusetts Bay.So anxious were some of |
| at Jamestown, Virginia; the other at Sagadahoc, Maine. | | | | the men to get started, ten of them disembarked |
| Jamestown survived, but Sagadahoc gave up a year | | | | during the night and were waiting the next morning |
| later when its leader, George Popham, died.Fishing | | | | when the main party came ashore.THEN the Pilgrims |
| expeditions to New England continued, however. If the | | | | stepped onto the great rock at the end of a channel |
| haul was sparse, Indians often were kidnapped and | | | | through the oyster flats. The date was Dec. 22, 1620.A |
| sold in Spain as slaves. One of these was a Pawtuxit | | | | few women remained aboard the "Mayflower" until |
| brave named Tsquantum. He was to play a decisive | | | | March 31 when the ship began the voyage home. The |
| role in the Pilgrims survival.It should be remembered | | | | ship returned the following year with supplies and then |
| that the religious folks we call Pilgrims today were | | | | sailed out of American history. First WinterMany |
| known then as "Separatists" for their determination to | | | | Pilgrims died that first, terrible winter. Bodies were |
| break away from the Church of England. They called | | | | buried secretly so the Indians would not detect the |
| themselves "Gathered Saints" and their other | | | | plight. Survivors need not have worried. An unknown |
| companions "Strangers."The name "Pilgrim" did not | | | | friend was restraining the nearest Indians 40 miles |
| come into use until 1792 - 172 years later - when a | | | | away.Tsquantum, who was sold into Spanish slavery, |
| local poet so termed all Plymouth Colony members | | | | managed to escape and make his way to Plymouth, |
| whether Saints or Strangers.Nor should Pilgrims be | | | | England. There he found safety with Sir Gorges who |
| confused with Puritans - today's Congregationalists -- | | | | returned him to America on a fishing vessel.It was this |
| who colonized Boston in 1629. The latter were | | | | Indian, called Squanto by the Pilgrims, who now sat in |
| reformists of the Church of England and disdained the | | | | the lodge of the Wampanoak and advised friendship |
| Gathered Saints.Stylized paintings of New England | | | | with the colonists.The Pilgrims were alarmed in March |
| settlers in black clothing, broad-brim hats for men and | | | | when Squanto, Massasoit and 60 warriors lined up on |
| starched bonnets for women, depict Puritans. Plymouth | | | | a rise overlooking the colony. Imagine the colonists' |
| colonists wore individual, rough dress. Just 37 members | | | | surprise when Squanto hailed them: "Welcome |
| of the "Mayflower" voyagers were Gathered Saints. | | | | Englishmen!"Edward Carver, secretary of the colony, |
| The other 65 were workmen seeking opportunity.A | | | | walked slowly to the entourage, his arms extended to |
| young boy, servant to Samuel Fuller, died on the | | | | show he carried no weapon.Said Squanto: "Do you |
| 66-day voyage across the Atlantic. However, | | | | dare to walk among us alone?"Carver replied, "Where |
| Elizabeth Hopkins gave birth to a son; so the ship's | | | | there is love, there is no fear."So began a lasting |
| manifest of 102 passengers was maintained.The | | | | friendship between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoak. |
| famous "Mayflower Compact" was signed en route | | | | Squanto made frequent visits to the colony to teach |
| only by the Saints minority to govern themselves - not | | | | the Pilgrims how to hunt, fish, plant corn with a herring |
| to plant democracy, as is so often thought. Pilgrims | | | | for fertilizer, make popcorn balls with maple syrup and |
| ArriveBy the time the Pilgrims landed, there were | | | | play a dice game called hubdub.By Fall, the Pilgrims had |
| thriving colonies at St. Augustine, Fla. (1565); | | | | built homes and gathered in a "goodly" crop of corn. In |
| Jamestown, Va. (1607); Port Royal, Nova Scotia (1613); | | | | gratitude, they invited Massoit and Squanto to a |
| Quebec, Canada (1613); and Albany, N.Y. (1614).The | | | | Thanksgiving feast. The two invited guests showed up |
| "Mayflower" voyage, sponsored by the London | | | | with 60 Wampanoak braves and stayed three |
| Company, aimed for the Hudson River that was | | | | days.Squanto died a year later while leading a trading |
| considered to be part of the Virginia territory. However, | | | | trip for winter corn. He shares with Pocahontas at |
| contrary winds drove the ship to the tip of Cape Cod, | | | | Jamestown the gratitude of English settlers who |
| now Provincetown, Mass., on Nov. 17, 1620.Several | | | | probably would have perished without Indian help. Rock |
| trips ashore were made to replenish water and | | | | SymbolPilgrims paid little attention at first to the |
| firewood while the Pilgrims assessed their situation.The | | | | shore-side rock on which they finally stepped ashore. It |
| tangle of shoals, bad weather and discontent among | | | | simply was a convenience used as such for many |
| the Strangers led them all to gave up their original | | | | years.In 1741, it was decided to build a wharf at the |
| destination and opt for immediate settlement. | | | | channel. A crib-work of logs was constructed, and the |
| Eventually they replaced their unexecuted London | | | | landing rock covered to its top surface. There the rock |
| Company charter with a new one from Gorges' New | | | | formed part of a pavement to be ground down by |
| England Company.After resting for a couple of seeks, | | | | wagons.It was during this construction that Elder |
| a party of 18 men assembled a pre-fabricated boat | | | | Faunce, 95, asked to be carried to the site so he could |
| and set out to reconnoiter. The "Mayflower" captain | | | | see the boulder that his father had always described |
| claimed to have visited the bay once before. He | | | | to him as the "Forefathers' Rock."A contemporary |
| assured his passengers that good colony sites were | | | | account related that the old gentleman "bedewed it |
| near by.The scouting party camped overnight on Cape | | | | with his tears and bid to it an everlasting adieu."The |
| Cod where it discovered several bushels of buried | | | | emotional scene impressed the Plymouth inhabitants to |
| corn and a human skull with remnants of blond hair.On | | | | such an extent the rock achieved a lasting |
| the second day, the men beat off a dawn attack by | | | | symbolism."Animated by the glorious spirit of liberty," |
| five Indians then coasted along the shore. They were | | | | the citizens of Plymouth in 1744 determined to |
| looking for a harbor which Coppin, the "Mayflower's" | | | | preserve Plymouth Rock. The great stone was lifted |
| pilot, said he had once visited. William Bradford later | | | | from its bed by jacks and 30 yoke of oxen.In the |
| recounted the search:"After some hours' sailing, it | | | | process, the rock split. The larger, bottom part, fell back |
| began to snow and rain. About the middle of the | | | | into its socket. The top was moved to the foot of a |
| afternoon, the wind increased. The sea became very | | | | Liberty Pole in the public square.Independence Day |
| rough, and we broke our rudder. It was as much as | | | | 1834 was celebrated at Plymouth by moving the upper |
| two men could do to steer our shallop with a couple of | | | | rock piece to a newly built Pilgrim Hall. During the |
| oars. "The storm increasing, and night drawing on, we | | | | transfer, the rock fell from a wagon and broke into |
| bore what sail we could while we could see. Herewith, | | | | two pieces. It is this mended break that is visible to |
| we broke our mast in three pieces, and our sail fell | | | | visitors today.The Plymouth Society bought the old |
| overboard. Yet, by God's mercy, we recovered | | | | wharf in 1859 and built a marble canopy over the piece |
| ourselves and struck into the harbor. "However, the | | | | of Plymouth Rock imbedded there.Finally, in 1880, the |
| pilot was deceived in the place and said the Lord be | | | | upper parts of the rock were cemented to the original |
| merciful unto us, but his eyes never saw the place | | | | base. The rock was once more whole - in three |
| before; and that he and the master's mate would have | | | | sections but one-third smaller from loss of fragments |
| run us ashore in a cove full of breakers before the | | | | chipped off over the years for souvenirs. The date |
| wind. "It was very dark, and rained sore. Yet, in the | | | | 1620 was carved to replace painted numerals.The |
| end, we got under the lee of a small island remained | | | | rock was moved in 1925 to its present location under a |
| there all that night in safety. "The next day was a fair, | | | | new canopy at the high-tide line. There the famous |
| sun-shining day. We found ourselves to be on an | | | | relic is once again washed by the sea twice a |
| island, secure from the Indians, where we might dry our | | | | day.Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who can be |
| stuff, fix our pieces and rest ourselves. This being the | | | | contacted at:Website: with several hundred of Lin's |
| last day of the week, we prepared there to keep the | | | | Editorial & At Large articles written over 40 years.Also |
| Sabbath."On Monday, we sounded the harbor and | | | | featured in its entirety is Lin's groundbreaking book |
| found it fit for shipping. We marched into the land and | | | | "Boldly Onward," that critically analyzes and develops |
| found divers cornfields and little running brooks - a | | | | theories about the original Spanish explorers of |
| place, we supposed, fit for situation. "At least, it was | | | | America. |