sought an interview. This was felt to be an important event and it was treated with due respect. Edward Winslow was sent to greet them, a formal meeting was held with appropriate hospitalities, and a treaty of peace was agreed upon. Thus the colonists' fears of the natives were largely removed; and, as matters turned out, partly because of the comparatively small number of Indians in the nearer country and partly because of the uniform fair dealing of the Pilgrims with the natives, as well as of the firm and apparently fearless behavior of the former whenever the latter did venture upon an aggressive policy, the settlers thenceforth had only occasional and never very serious trouble from this

source.

As the spring opened they were able to devote themselves more freely to completing their settlement. At the best, however, their case was hard and their prospect far from cheering. In addition to the ordinary severities and perils attending

the establishing of a new colony, and their not yet finally allayed fear of the Indians, concerning atrocities at whose hands elsewhere they continued to hear now and then, they had encountered a far more cold and tempestuous winter than they were equipped to endure. There also had been disaffection among some, as had been feared when their compact had been drawn up, but this fortunately had been suppressed by firmness and fair dealing. Sickness, however, had been among them continually and death frequently. That they had not abandoned the colony in despair reveals their firmness of purpose and faith. The straits in which they had been at times cannot be described in any other words so faithfully as in those of Bradford himself.

That which was most sadd & lamentable was, that in 2. or 3. moneths time halfe of their company dyed, espetialy in Jan: & February, being ye depth of winter, and wanting houses & other comforts; being infected with ye scurvie & other diseases,

which this long vioage & their inacomodate condition had brought upon them; so as ther dyed some times 2. or 3. of a day, in ye foresaid time; that of 100. & odd persons, scarce 50. remained.

They did not even dare to bury their dead openly, lest the Indians should detect the growing weakness of the colony, and were forced to inter them at night. They laid them not in the present buryingground on the hill but probably on Cole's Hill, a mound or bluff lower and near the rock where they had landed, even smoothing the soil over them lest their graves should attract attention. So greatly was the strength of the company reduced

that

of these in ye time of most distres, ther was but 6. or 7. sound persons," who, to their great comendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day,

but with abundance of toyle and hazard of their owne health, fetched them woode, made them fires, drest them meat, made their beads, washed their lothsome cloaths, cloathed & uncloathed them; in a word, did all ye homly & necessarie offices for them wch dainty & quesie stomacks cannot endure

to hear named; and all this willingly and cherfully, without any grudging in ye least, shewing herein their true love unto their freinds & bretheren.

Truly their trials after gaining their spiritual liberty were equal to those which they had undergone during their long endeavor to obtain it.

CHAPTER XVIII.

AS

THE FURTHER HISTORY OF THE

FIRST YEAR.

S the spring season came on, the forlorn condition of the colony slowly began to mend. Warmer weather brought them both health and encourage

ment.

It pleased God the mortalitie begane to cease amongst them, and ye sick and lame recovered apace, which put as it were new life into them; though they had borne their sadd affliction with much patience & contentednes.1

On April 2 the civil organization was completed and John Carver was reëlected. governor for a year. After his death about a fortnight later William Bradford was chosen in his place, and as Bradford had not yet recovered wholly from a daǹgerous illness Isaac Allerton was chosen