The Women Who Came in the Mayflower | Page 6

to the brook where flagons were filled for drink and where the
clothes were washed.
A few events that have been recorded by Winslow, Bradford and
Morton were significant and must have relieved the monotony of life.
On January fourth an eagle was shot, cooked and proved "to be
excellent meat; it was hardly to be discerned from mutton." [Footnote:
Mourt's Relation.] Four days later three seals and a cod were caught;
we may assume that they furnished oil, meat and skins for the
household. About the same time, John Goodman and Peter Brown lost
their way in the woods, remained out all night, thinking they heard
lions roar (mistaking wolves for lions), and on their return the next day
John Goodman's feet were so badly frozen "that it was a long time
before he was able to go." [Footnote: _Ibid._] Wild geese were shot and
used for broth on the ninth of February; the same day the Common
House was set ablaze, but was saved from destruction. It is easy to
imagine the exciting effects of such incidents upon the band of thirteen
boys and seven girls, already enumerated. In July, the cry of "a lost
child" aroused the settlement to a search for that "unwhipt rascal," John
Billington, who had run away to the Nauset Indians at Eastham, but he
was found unharmed by a posse of men led by Captain Standish.
To the women one of the most exciting events must have been the
marriage on May 22, 1621, of Edward Winslow and Mistress Susanna
White. Her husband and two men-servants had died since The
Mayflower left England and she was alone to care for two young boys,
one a baby a few weeks old. Elizabeth Barker Winslow had died seven
weeks before the wedding day. Perhaps the Plymouth women gossiped
a little over the brief interval of mourning, but the exigencies of the
times easily explained the marriage, which was performed by a
magistrate, presumably the Governor.

Even more disturbing to the peaceful life was the first duel on June 18,
between Edward Lister and Edward Dotey, both servants of Stephen
Hopkins. Tradition ascribed the cause to a quarrel over the attractive
elder daughter of their master, Constance Hopkins. The duel was
fought with swords and daggers; both youths were slightly wounded in
hand and thigh and both were sentenced, as punishment, to have their
hands and feet tied together and to fast for twenty-four hours but, says a
record, [Footnote: A Chronological History of New England, by
Thomas Prence.] "within an hour, because of their great pains, at their
own and their master's humble request, upon promise of better carriage,
they were released by the Governor." It is easy to imagine this scene:
Stephen Hopkins and his wife appealing to the Governor and Captain
Standish for leniency, although the settlement was seriously troubled
over the occurrence; Elder Brewster and his wife deploring the lack of
Christian affection which caused the duel; Edward Winslow and his
wife, dignified yet tolerant; Goodwife Helen Billington scolding as
usual; Priscilla Mullins, Mary Chilton and Elizabeth Tilley condoling
with the tearful and frightened Constance Hopkins, while the children
stand about, excited and somewhat awed by the punishment and the
distress of the offenders.
Another day of unusual interest and industry for the householders was
the Thanksgiving Day when peace with the Indians and assured
prosperity seemed to follow the ample harvests. To this feast, which
lasted for three days or more, came ninety-one Indians bringing five
deer which they had killed and dressed. These were a great boon to the
women who must prepare meals for one hundred and forty people.
Wild turkeys, ducks, fish and clams were procured by the colonists and
cooked, perhaps with some marchpanes also, by the more expert cooks.
The serious prayers and psalms of the Pilgrims were as amazing to the
Indians as were the strange whoops, dances, beads and feathers of the
savages marvellous to the women and children of Plymouth Colony.
In spite of these peaceable incidents there were occasional threats of
Indian treachery, like the theft of tools from two woodsmen and the
later bold challenge in the form of a headless arrow wrapped in a
snake's skin; the latter was returned promptly and decisively with the

skin filled with bullets, and the danger was over for a time. The
stockade was strengthened and, soon after, a palisade was built about
the houses with gates that were locked at night. After the fort of heavy
timber was completed, this was used also as a meeting-house and "was
fitted accordingly for that use." It is to be hoped that warming-pans and
foot-stoves were a part of the "fittings" so that the women might not be
benumbed as, with dread of possible Indian attacks, they