 | ADVERTISEMENTS:
Or, The Path-way to Experience
to erect a Plantation. |  |
Chapter 8.
Extremity next despaire, Gods great mercy, their estate,
they make good salt, an unknowne rich myne.
AT New-Plimoth, having planted there Fields and Gardens, such
an extraordinary drought insued, all things withered, that they
expected no harvest; and having long expected a supply, they heard
Ship: thus in the very labyrinth of despaire, they solemnly assembled
themselves together nine houres in prayer. At their departure, the
parching faire skies all overcast with blacke clouds, and the next
morning, such a pleasant moderate raine continued fourteene daies,
that it was hard to say, whether their withered fruits or drooping
affections were most revived; not long after came two Ships to supply
them, with all their Passengers well, except one, and he presently
recovered; for themselves, for all their wants, there was not one sicke
person amongst them: the greater Ship they returned fraught with
commodities. This yeare went from England, onely to fish, five and
forty saile, and have all made a better voyage than ever.
In this Plantation there is about an hundred and fourescore
persons, some Cattell, but many Swine and Poultry: their Towne
containes two and thirty houses, whereof seven were burnt, with the
value of five or six hundred pounds in other goods, impailed about
halfe a mile, within which within a high Mount, a Fort, with a
Watch-tower, well built of stone, lome, and wood, their Ordnance
well mounted, and so healthfull, that of the first Planters not one
hathdied this three yeares: yet at the first landing at Cape Cod, being
an hundred passengers, besides twenty they had left behind at
Plimoth for want of good take heed,
better than I advised them, spent six or seven weekes in ∥ wandring
up and downe in frost and snow, wind and raine, among the woods,
cricks, and swamps, forty of them died, and threescore were left in
most miserable estate at New-Plimoth, where their Ship left them,
and but nine leagues by Sea from where they landed, whose misery
and variable opinions, for want of experience, occasioned much
faction, till necessity agreed them. These disasters, losses, and uncertainties,
made such disagreement among the Adventurers in England,
who beganne to repent, and rather lose all, than longer
continue the charge, being out of purse six or seven thousand pounds,
accounting my bookes and their relations as old Almanacks. But the
Planters, rather than leave the Country, concluded absolutely to
supply themselves, and to all their adventurers pay them for nine
yeares two hundred pounds yearely without any other account;
where more than six hundred Adventurers for Virginia, for more
than two hundred thousand pounds, had not six pence. Since they
have made a salt worke, wherewith they preserve all the fish they
tun, living so well they desire nothing but more company, and
what ever they take, returne commodities to the value.
Thus you may plainly see, although many envying I should
bring so much from thence, where many others had beene, and some
the same yeare returned with nothing, reported the Fish
I brought home, I had taken from the French men of Canada, to discourage
any from beleeving me, and excuse their owne misprisions,
some onely to have concealed this good Country (as is said) to their
private use; others taxed me as much of indiscretion, to make my
discoveries and designes so publike for nothing, which might have
beene so well managed by some concealers, to have beene all rich ere
any had knowne of it. Those, and many such like wise rewards, have
beene my recompences, for which I am contented, so the Country
prosper, and Gods name bee there praised by my Country-men, I
have my desire; and the benefit of this salt and fish, for breeding
Mariners and building ∥ ships, will make so many fit men to raise a
Common-wealth, if but managed, as my generall history will shew
you; it might well by this have beene as profitable as the best Mine
the King of Spaine hathin his West Indies.
| ADVERTISEMENTS:
Or, The Path-way to Experience
to erect a Plantation. | |