One of my favorite events in ancient American history occurred on this date in 1621. The Mayflower had arrived in the new world the prior November and spent the next month scouring the New England coastline for a suitable place for the Pilgrims (Latin for funsters) to call home. They had decided to head to Florida for the winter, when the week before Christmas they found a former Indian settlement which had been cleared by the locals and looked just about perfect for homesteading, so they stayed.
Ever been to New England in winter? It's cold, and the weather is bad. The Pilgrims that could stayed aboard the Mayflower. Those that couldn't went to work building shelter. Over the winter 7 homes and 4 common buildings were built, while 45 of the 102 newcomers died. By the end of January the Mayflower was finally unloaded, and by the end of February the menfolk had formed a rifle club and militia.
So now it's mid March. The Mayflower is itching to return home, the weather is improving and the surviving Pilgrims somewhat apprehensively take tentative steps to build a permanent settlement in the middle of nowhere, when proud as punch, on March 16 in walks Samoset, a local (Indian to Americans) and greets the new neighbors in English with "Welcome Englishmen". The Pilgrims never saw that coming.
Later, Samoset let drop that the reason the Pilgrims found the village vacant was that the previous tenants died during a smallpox epidemic. Samoset invited the Pilgrims to his place for Thanksgiving dinner if they survived. The witches came later.
Toad
Posts
2 comments:
Your account is fascinating. Enough to send me looking around for more, I don't know why I'd never have imagined this minor detail gleaned via Wikipedia, but I suppose that's how it was back then:
"He was a man free in speech, so far as he could express his mind, and of a seemly carriage...The wind being to rise a little, we cast a horseman's coat about him, for he was stark naked.."
-F
Sir Thomas Rights:-
Toad you old scoundrel are you still holding those two young German Girls in Tow.
I have burial plans for you my little re-insurer.
You remind me of that old Diamond Gunner from the Landcaster Thomas Lenton.
I am going to cycle hot wax through your leathered lower abdomen and place you in the Australian room with the buried unknown soldier across from capitol hill Canberra in the Peace Memorandum and paint your heart purple for your last dealing that prevented a Korean Kris Ease.
Good on you ale mate and Farewell.
Post a Comment