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