302 CORN PROCURED AT EASTHAM AND YARMOUTH. XIX. CHAP. more, because the master's sufficiency was much doubted, and the season very tempestuous, and not fit to go 1622. upon discovery, having no guide to direct them. Nov. From thence they departed; and the wind being fair for the Massachusets, went thither, and the rather, because the savages, upon our motion, had planted much corn for us, which they promised not long before that time. When they came thither, they found a great sickness to be amongst the Indians, not unlike the plague, if not the same. They renewed their complaints to our Governor, against that other plantation seated by them, for their injurious walking. But indeed the trade both for furs and corn was overthrown in that place, they giving as much for a quart of corn as we used to do for a beaver's skin; so that little good could be there done. 2 From thence they returned into the bottom of the bay of Cape Cod, to a place called Nauset; where the sachim' used the Governor very kindly, and where they bought eight or ten hogsheads of corn and beans; also at a place called Mattachiest, where they had like kind entertainment and corn also. During the time of their trade in these places, there were so great and violent storms, as the ship was much endangered, and our shallop cast away; so that they had now no means to carry the corn aboard that they had bought, the ship riding by their report well near two leagues from the same, her own boat being small, and so leaky, (having no carpenter with them,) as they durst scarce fetch wood or water in her. Hereupon the Governor caused the corn to be made in a round stack, and bought mats, Aspinet. See page 216. The country between Barnsta ble and Yarmouth harbours. See note on page 215. BRADFORD RETURNS HOME BY LAND. 303 XIX. Nov. and cut sedge, to cover it; and gave charge to the In- CHAP. dians not to meddle with it, promising him that dwelt next to it a reward, if he would keep vermin also from 1622. it; which he undertook, and the sachim promised to make good. In the mean time, according to the Governor's request, the sachim sent men to seek the shallop; which they found buried almost in sand at a high water mark, having many things remaining in her, but unserviceable for the present; whereof the Governor gave the sachim special charge, that it should not be further broken, promising ere long to fetch both it and the corn; assuring them, if neither were diminished, he would take it as a sign of their honest and true friendship, which they so much made show of; but if they were, they should certainly smart for their unjust and dishonest dealing, and further make good whatsoever they had so taken. So he did likewise at Mattachiest, and took leave of them, being resolved to leave the ship and take his journey home by land with our own company, sending word to the ship that they should take their first opportunity to go for Plymouth, where he determined, by the permission of God, to meet them. And having procured a guide, it being no less than fifty miles to our Plantation,' set forward, receiving all respect that could be from the Indians in his journey; and came safely home, though weary and surbated; whither some three days after the ship also came. The corn being divided, which they had got, Master Weston's company went to their own plantation; it The distance from Eastham to Plymouth by land is about fifty miles. With galled feet. 3 The Swan. See page 299. 304 XIX. 1623. STANDISH GOES TO EASTHAM. CHAP. being further agreed, that they should return with all convenient speed, and bring their carpenter, that they might fetch the rest of the corn, and save the shallop. At their return, Captain Standish, being recovered Jan. and in health, took another shallop, and went with them to the corn, which they found in safety as they left it. Also they mended the other shallop, and got all their corn aboard the ship. This was in January, as I take it, it being very cold and stormy; insomuch as, (the harbour being none of the best,) they were constrained to cut both the shallops from the ship's stern; and so lost them both a second time. But the storm being over, and seeking out, they found them both, not having received any great hurt. Whilst they were at Nauset, having occasion to lie on the shore, laying their shallop in a creek1 not far from them, an Indian came into the same, and stole certain beads, scissors, and other trifles out of the same; which, when the Captain missed, he took certain of his company with him, and went to the sachim, telling him what had happened, and requiring the same again, or the party that stole them, (who was known to certain of the Indians,) or else he would revenge it on them before his departure; and so took leave for that night, being late, refusing whatsoever kindness they offered. On the morrow the sachim came to their rendezvous, accompanied with many men, in a stately manner, who saluted the Captain in this wise. He thrust out his tongue, that one might see the root thereof, and therewith licked his hand Nauset, or Eastham, abounds 1 In the original saluting; probwith creeks. See note on page ably a typographical error. 156, and Mass. Hist. Coll. viii. 155. 188. BRADFORD AT MIDDLEBOROUGH AND SANDWICH. 305 XIX. Jan. from the wrist to the finger's end, withal bowing the CHAP. knee, striving to imitate the English gesture, being instructed therein formerly by Tisquantum. His men 1623. did the like, but in so rude and savage a manner, as our men could scarce forbear to break out in open laughter. After salutation, he delivered the beads and other things to the Captain, saying he had much beaten the party for doing it; causing the women to make bread, and bring them, according to their desire; seeming to be very sorry for the fact, but glad to be reconciled. So they departed, and came home in safety; where the corn was equally divided, as before. After this the Governor went to two other inland towns, with another company, and bought corn likewise of them. The one is called Namasket, the other Manomet.1 That from Namasket was brought home partly by Indian women; but a great sickness arising amongst them, our own men were enforced to fetch home the rest. That at Manomet the Governor left in the sachim's custody. This town lieth from us south, well near twenty miles, and stands upon a fresh river, which runneth into the bay of Nanohigganset, and cannot be less than sixty miles from thence. It will bear a boat of The part of Sandwich, which lies on Manomet river. F. 2 "It is almost incredible," says Roger Williams, "what burthens the poor women carry of corn, of fish, of beans, of mats, and a child besides." Gookin says, "In their removals from place to place, for their fishing and hunting, the women carry the greatest burthen." And Wood says, "In the summer they trudge home two or three miles with a hundred weight of lobsters at their backs; in winter 3 This is called Manomet or 306 BUZZARD'S BAY. CHAP. eight or ten tons to this place. Hither the Dutch or XIX. French, or both, use to come. It is from hence to the 1623. bay of Cape Cod about eight miles ;' out of which Jan. bay it floweth into a creek some six miles, almost direct towards the town. The heads of the river and this creek are not far distant. This river yieldeth, thus high, oysters,2 muscles, clams, and other shell-fish ; one in shape like a bean, another like a clam; both good meat, and great abundance at all times; besides it aboundeth with divers sorts of fresh fish in their seasons." 1 "This creek runs out easterly into Cape Cod bay at Scussett harbour; and this river runs out westerly into Manomet bay. The distance over land from bay to bay is but six miles. The creek and river nearly meet in a low ground; and this is the place, through which there has been a talk of making a canal, this forty years; which would be a vast advantage to all these countries, by saving the long and dangerous navigation round the Cape, and through the shoals adjoining." Prince, p. 208, (A. D. 1736.) Mass. Hist. Coll. viii. 122. 2 Oysters are still found in great The common clam, (mya are- Rarities, p. 96, speaks of "clam, or clamp, a kind of shell-fish, a white muscle." Wood says, ch. ix. "clams or clamps is a shellfish not much unlike a cockle; it lieth under the sand. These fishes be in great plenty. In some places of the country there be clams as big as a penny white-loaf." See Mass. Hist. Col. iii. 224, viii. 193, xiii. 125, xxvi. 121, and Dr. Gould's Report on the Mollusca of Mass. pp. 40-42, and 85, 86. The razor-shell, (solen,) which very much resembles a bean pod, or the haft of a razor, both in size and shape. See Mass. Hist Coll. viii. 192. Josselyn calls them "sheath fish, which are very plentiful, a delicate fish, as good as a prawn, covered with a thin shell like the sheath of a knife, and of the color of a muscle." And Morton says, "razor fishes there are." "The animal is cylindrical, and is often used as an article of food under the name of long-clam, razorfish, knife-handle, &c." See Dr. Gould's Report on the Mollusca of Massachusetts, p. 29. 5 In Manomet river, as well as in Buzzard's and Buttermilk bays, are found fish of various kinds, such as bass, sheep's head, tautaug, scuppaug, &c. See Mass. Hist. Coll. viii. 122. |