The Pilgrims of New England | Page 6

of age, and the younger about seven; and one little girl
between ten and eleven, named Edith. In the thoughtful seriousness of
his eldest boy, which was united with great intelligence and spirit, and
a manly resolution beyond his years, Rodolph saw his own character
again depicted; and Helen proudly hoped that her Henrich would one
day manifest all those qualities of mind and person by which his father
had first won her admiration and love, and by which he had since
gained the esteem and affection of all who were in any way connected
with him. Henrich was now old enough to understand, and almost to
appreciate, the motives which had induced his parents and their
companions to become exiles from home: and his young heart exulted
in the resolution that freed him from the cold formality of Dutch
manners, and opened to his adventurous spirit a prospect of liberty and
enterprise, far better suited to his inclination and character. Religious
freedom he desired, because he had been taught that it was his rightful
privilege, and that the want of it had occasioned those troubles which
first drove his parents and friends from their native land. But personal
freedom he yearned for with his whole soul; and the wild shores of
New England, and the depths of the unexplored forests that now met
his eager gaze, filled his ardent mind with anticipations of adventurous
joys hitherto unknown to him. These anticipations were destined to be
fulfilled, ere long, in a manner which he neither foresaw nor desired.
His brother Ludovico was a playful child, too young to share all the
feelings of the earnest Henrich, who always acted as his guide and

protector during their sports and rambles; but in the gentle little Edith
he found a kindred spirit, and a heart that could sympathize in all his
joys and sorrows. Young as she was, Edith felt the influence of her
brother's character; and she looked up to him with feelings of devoted
love and admiring pride. She was his constant companion, and his
ever-ready assistant in all his difficulties. This had been very much the
case during their residence in Holland; but on their arrival in New
England, Edith was left still more to her brother's guidance. Their
parents were necessarily too much occupied with the cares end
anxieties which their new situation brought upon them, to devote much
time to their children; and when the light labors in which Henrich and
Edith were able to render any assistance were over, they and Ludovico
amused themselves by wandering along the shore in search of shells
and seaweed; or else they followed the wood-cutters into the forest, to
seek for such flowering plants as still were to be found in the more
sheltered spots, and to transplant them to the garden that was to
surround and embellish their rude dwelling.
As soon as a tolerable shelter had been obtained, by the erection of a
sufficient number of log-huts, to contain the families of the settlers, it
was resolved that a party of men should go on an exploring expedition,
and endeavor to ascertain the nature and resources of the coast on
which they had landed; and, also, whether it was inhabited by any
tribes of native Indians. Hitherto they had seen no human beings, and
they had remained undisturbed possessors of the soil. But they could
hardly expect that this state of things would long continue; and they
were anxious, if possible, to discover the native inhabitants and natural
possessors of the country, and to establish friendly relations with them.
Sixteen of the Pilgrims volunteered for this expedition, headed by
Rodolph Maitland, whose military experience, and superior intelligence,
well fitted him to be the leader of the party. The rest of the men
remained to protect their families, and to complete the village; which
already presented a very respectable appearance, and promised to
afford a tolerably comfortable residence to the new settlers, until they
should have leisure and means to erect dwellings more in accordance
with their previous habits of life.
The government of the little colony was unanimously confided to John
Carver, who was elected President for one year; but he did not live long

to exercise his authority, or to enjoy the confidence reposed in him by
his fellow-settlers. During the short period, however, that he was spared
to them, he exerted himself successfully to promote the welfare of the
community, and to preserve peace and unanimity among the members
of which it was composed; and before the departure of the exploring
party, he called on all the Pilgrim Fathers to sign a covenant, which had
been drawn up during the voyage, and which contained a statement of
the peculiar religious principles of the congregation, and also of the