Chapter I: Preface

The adventures of our Pilgrim Fathers must ever be a theme of absorbing interest to all their descendants. Their persecutions in England, their flight to Holland, their passage across the stormy ocean, this new world, as they found it, swept by the storms of approaching winter, their struggles with the hardships of the wilderness, and conflicts with the ferocious savage,--all combine in forming a narrative replete with the elements of entertainment and instruction.

Fortunately, there can be no doubt in reference to the essential facts. All these events have occurred within the last three hundred years, a period fully covered by authentic historical documents. In giving occasional extracts from these documents, I have deemed it expedient to modernize the spelling, and occasionally to exchange an unintelligible, obsolete word for one now in use.

For a period of about forty years, Captain Miles Standish was intimately associated with the Pilgrims. His memory is inseparably connected with theirs. It has been a constant pleasure to the author to endeavor to rear a worthy tribute to the heroic captain and the noble man, who was one of the most illustrious of those who laid the foundations of this great Republic.

JOHN S. C. ABBOTT.

FAIR HAVEN, CONN.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE
Elizabeth’s Act of Uniformity.--Oppressive Enactments.--
King James and his Measures.--Persecution of the
Non-Conformists.--Plans for Emigration.--The Unavailing
Attempt.--The Disaster near Hull.--Cruel Treatment of the
Captives.--The Exiles at Amsterdam.--Removal to Leyden.--
Decision to Emigrate to America.--The reasons.--Elder
Brewster Selected as Pastor.--The Departure from Leyden.--
Scene at Delft Haven.--The Embarkation. 9

CHAPTER II.

The Departure from Southampton.--Hindrances.--Delay at
Dartmouth and Plymouth.--Abandonment of the Speedwell.--
Sketch of Miles Standish.--Death at Sea.--Perils and
Threatened Mutiny.--Narrow Escape of John Howland.--
Arrival at Cape Cod.--Testimony of Governor Bradford.--The
Civil Contract.--John Carver Chosen Governor.--The First
Exploring Tour.--The Sabbath. 30

CHAPTER III.

Repairing the Shallop.--The Second Exploring Tour.--Interesting
Discoveries.--Return to the Ship.--A Week of Labor.--The
Third Exploring Tour.--More Corn Found.--Perplexity of the
Pilgrims.--The Fourth Expedition.--The First Encounter.--
Heroism of the Pilgrims.--Night of Tempest and Peril.--A
Lee Shore Found.--Sabbath on the Island. 44

CHAPTER IV.

The Voyage Resumed.--Enter an Unknown Harbor.--Aspect of the
Land.--Choose it for their Settlement.--The Mayflower
Enters the Harbor.--Sabbath on Shipboard.--Exploring the
Region.--The Storm and Exposure.--The Landing.--View from
the Hill.--Arduous Labors.--The Alarm.--Arrangement of the
Village.--The Evident Hostility of the Indians.--Gloomy
Prospects.--Expedition of Captain Standish.--Billington
Sea.--Lost in the Woods.--Adventures of the Lost men.--The
Alarm of Fire. 71

CHAPTER V.

Days of Sunshine and Storm.--Ravages of Pestilence.--A Raging
Storm.--New Alarm of Fire.--Twelve Indians Seen.--
Two Indians Appear on the Hill.--Great Alarm in the
Settlement.--Measures of Defense.--More Sunny Days.--
Humanity and Self-Denial of Miles Standish and Others.--
Conduct of the Ship’s Crew.--Excursion to Billington Sea.--
The Visit of Samoset.--Treachery of Captain Hunt.--The
Shipwrecked Frenchmen.--The Plague.--The Wampanoags.--More
Indian Visitors.--Bad Conduct of the Billingtons. 92

CHAPTER VI.

Two Savages on the Hill.--The Return of Samoset with Squantum.--
The Story of Squantum.--The Visit of Massasoit and His
Warriors.--Etiquette of the Barbarian and Pilgrim Courts.--
The Treaty.--Return of the Mayflower to England.--A View
of Plymouth.--Brighter Days.--Visit of Messrs. Winslow and
Hopkins to the Seat of Massasoit.--Incidents of the Journey.
117

CHAPTER VII.

The Lost Boy.--The Expedition to Nauset.--Interesting
Adventures.--The Mother of the Kidnapped Indians.--
Tyanough.--Payment for the Corn.--Aspinet, the Chief.--
The Boy Recovered.--Alarming Intelligence.--Hostility
of Corbitant.--The Friendship of Hobbomak.--Heroic
Achievement of Miles Standish.--The Midnight Attack.--
Picturesque Spectacle.--Results of the Adventure.--Visit
to Massachusetts.--The Squaw Sachem.--An Indian Fort.--
Charming Country.--Glowing Reports. 145

CHAPTER VIII.

Arrival of the Fortune.--Object of the Pilgrims in their
Emigration.--Character of the New-Comers.--Mr. Winslow’s
Letter.--The First Thanksgiving.--Advice to Emigrants.--
Christmas Anecdote.--Alarming Rumor.--The Narragansets.--
Curious Declaration of War.--The Defiance.--Fortifying
the Village.--The Meeting in Council and the Result.--The
Alarm.--The Shallop Recalled. 164

CHAPTER IX.

The Double-Dealing of Squantum.--False Alarm.--Voyage to
Massachusetts.--Massasoit Demands Squantum.--The Arrival
of the Boat.--The Virginia Massacre.--Preparations for
Defense.--Arrival of the Charity and the Swan.--Vile
Character of the Weymouth Colonists.--Arrival of the
Discovery.--Starvation at Weymouth.--Danger of the Plymouth
Colony.--Expeditions for Food.--Death of Squantum.--Voyage
to Massachusetts and the Cape. 187

CHAPTER X.

Search for Corn.--Trip to Buzzard’s Bay.--Interesting
Incident.--Energy and Sagacity of Captain Standish.--
Hostile Indications.--Insolence of Witeewamat.--The Plot
Defeated.--Sickness of Massasoit.--The Visit.--Gratitude
of the Chief.--Visit to Corbitant.--Condition of the
Weymouth Colony.--The Widespread Coalition.--Military
Expedition of Captain Standish.--His Heroic Adventures.--
End of the Weymouth Colony. 209

CHAPTER XI.

Letter from Rev. Mr. Robinson.--Defense of Captain Standish.--
New Policy Introduced.--Great Destitution.--Day of Fasting
and Prayer.--Answer to Prayer.--The First Thanksgiving.--
The Colony at Weymouth.--Worthless Character of the
Colonists.--Neat Cattle from England.--Captain Standish
Sent to England.--Captain Wollaston and His Colony.--
Heroism of Captain Standish.--Morton Vanquished.--
Difficulty at Cape Ann.--Increasing Emigration.--The
Division of Property. 232

CHAPTER XII.

The Virginia Emigrants.--Humanity and Enterprise of the
Governor.--Envoy Sent to England.--Trading-Posts on the
Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers.--Capture by the French.--
The Massachusetts Colony.--Its Numbers and Distinguished
Characters.--Trade with the Indians.--Wampum the New
Currency.--Trading-Post at Sandwich.--Sir Christopher
Gardener.--Captain Standish Moves to Duxbury.--Lament of
Governor Bradford. 257

CHAPTER XIII.

Removal to Duxbury.--Intercourse with the Dutch.--Trading-Posts
on the Connecticut.--Legend of the Courtship of Miles
Standish.--Personal Appearance of the Captain.--Proposition
to John Alden.--His Anguish and Fidelity.--Interview
with Priscilla.--The Indian Alarm.--Departure of Captain
Standish.--Report of his Death.--The Wedding. 281

CHAPTER XIV.

Menace of the Narragansets.--Roger Williams.--Difficulty on
the Kennebec.--Bradford’s Narrative.--Captain Standish
as Mediator.--The French on the Penobscot.--Endeavors to
Regain the Lost Port.--Settlements on the Connecticut
River.--Mortality Among the Indians.--Hostility of the
Pequots.--Efforts to Avert War.--The Pequot Forts.--Death
of Elder Brewster.--His Character. 301

CHAPTER XV.

Friendship Between Captain Standish and Mr. Brewster.--Character
of Mr. Brewster.--His Death and Burial.--Mode of Worship.--
Captain’s Hill.--Difficulty with the Narragansets.--
Firmness and Conciliation.--Terms of Peace.--Plans
for Removal from Plymouth.--Captain Standish’s Home in
Duxbury.--Present Aspect of the Region. 332

CHAPTER XVI.

The Will of Captain Standish.--His Second Wife.--Captain’s
Hill.--The Monument.--Letters from President Grant and
General Hooker.--Oration by General Horace Binney Sargent.--
Sketch of his Life.--Other Speakers.--Laying the Corner
Stone.--Description of the Shaft. 358