99 



The records of llieir sojourn at Cape Cod — the "Shoal Hope" of 

 Gosnold — show that they were not only anxious to settle on the coast, 

 but on such particular parts of it as would afford them the surest re- 

 wards for searching the seas.* 



Nothing in our history is more certain than this; but I have not roora 

 to go into the evidence. Their good pastor, Robinson, who was the 

 soul of the undertaking, never joined th(^.m; but his sons did; and as 

 one of them settled at Cape Ann, and another fixed his abode at Scitu- 

 ate, we may conclude that they designed to follow the "honest trade" 

 of fishing. We may close the discussion with the sentiment that our 

 fisheries should be dear to the American people because of the hallowed 

 names connected with their origin, and should be thought woithy of 

 national protection for this reason alone. 



True to their indenture with the English merchants, we are now to 

 find that the Pilgrims embarked at once in the fisheries. 



Singular to observe, early in the spring after their arrival an Indian, 

 to their "no small amazement," came boldly in among them, and said: 

 " Welcome, Englishmen," in their own language. His name was 

 Samoset. He was f)llowed in a few da3's by another, who was called 

 Squanto, or Tisquantum. Both had been acquainted wnth the Enghsh 

 who had fished on the coast, and could even tell the names of the mas- 

 ters and fishermen of the ships. The latter, indeed, had been carried 

 to England by a vessel that fished at Monhegan, and had lived with 

 a London merchant two years. S(]uanto served them faithfully till 

 the end of his life. He instructed them in the manner of taking fish, 

 of planting corn, and of manuring the ground w'ith alewives ; and acted 

 a^ their guide in their journeys. 



In the spring of 1622, the settlers were in a famishing condition. 

 Fortunately a boat from one of Weston's fishing vessels (the Sparrow) 

 came into the harbor, and gave information that thirty English ships 

 were then engaged in making fares at Monhegan. Edward Winslovf 

 departed immediately for that island to procure a supply of provisions. 

 The fishermen had no food to spare, and refused to sell, but freely gave 

 sufficient to relieve the pressing wants of their Plymouth brethren; 

 regretting, says Winslow, that their store was small, and that they 

 could not express their love by a more liberal contribution. He re- 

 turned with all convenient speed. "I found," he remarks, "the state 

 of the colony much weaker than when t left it; for till now we were 

 never without some bread, the want whereof much abated the strength 

 and Hesh of some, and swelled others." To answer the charge of 

 negligence in suffering extreme destitution in a country represented to 

 abound with fish and fowl, he adds: '■'■For though our hay and crceAs 

 were full of bass and other fish, yet, for want of ft and strong seines and 

 other netting, they, for the most yart, hrake through, and carried all away 

 before them. And though the sea were fall of cod, yet we had neither tack- 



* After the Pilgrims had held a solemn coosultation respecting their final settlement, a part 

 of theiii were disposed to select a place which they called Cold Harbor, (between Truro and 

 Wellfleet, Cape Cod;) becanse, amcmg other things, "i« seemed to offer some afhantages both, 

 for whale and cod-fisher ij." Others " insisted that they should proceed about twenty leases 

 further, to a pla'-e called Agawam, (now Ipswich,) « harbor ickkh was known to fislicrmen wita 

 bad beeu on tlie coast.^' 



