Great Epochs in American History, Vol. II eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 194 pages of information about Great Epochs in American History, Vol. II.

Great Epochs in American History, Vol. II eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 194 pages of information about Great Epochs in American History, Vol. II.
& it was as much as 2. men could doe to steere her with a cupple of oares.  But their pillott bad them be of good cheere, for he saw y^e harbor; but y^e storme increasing, & night drawing on, they bore what saile they could to gett in, while they could see.  But herwith they broake their mast in 3 peeces, & their saill fell over herd, in a very grown sea, so as they had like to have been cast away; yet by Gods mercie they recovered themselves, & having y^e floud with them, struck into y^e harbore.  But when it came too, y^e pillott was deceived in y^e place, and said, y^e Lord be merciful unto them, for his eys never saw y^t place before; & he & the m^r. mate would have rune her ashore, in a cove full of breakers, before y^e winde.  But a lusty seaman which steered, bad those which rowed, if they were men, about with her, or ells they were all cast away; the which they did with speed.  So he bid them be of good cheere & row lustly, for ther was a faire sound before them, & he doubted not but they should find one place or other wher they might ride in saftie.

And though it was very darke, and rained sore, yet in y^e end they gott under y^e lee of a smalle iland, and remained ther all y^t night saftie.  But they knew not this to be an iland till morning, but were devided into their minds; some would keepe y^e boate for fear they might be amongst y^e Indians; others were so weake and could, they could not endure, but got ashore, & with much adoe got fire, (all things being so wett,) and y^e rest were glad to come to them; for after midnight y^e wind shifted to the north-west, & it frose hard.  But though this had been a day & night of much trouble & danger unto them, yet God gave them a morning of comforte and refreshing (as usually he doth to his children), for y^e next day was a faire sunshinig day, and they found them selvs to be on an iland secure from y^e Indeans, wher they might drie their stufe, fixe their peeces, & rest them selves, and gave God thanks for his mercies, in their manifould deliverances.  And this being the last day of y^e weeke, they prepared ther to keepe y^e Sabath.  On Munday they sounded y^e harbor, and founde it fitt for shipping; and marched into y^e land, & found diverse cornfields, & little runing brooks, a placed (as they supposed) fitt for situation; at least it was y^e best they could find, and y^e season, & their presente necessitie, made them glad to accept of it.  So they returned to their shipp againe with this news to y^e rest of their people, which did much comforte their harts.

On y^e 15. of Desem^r. they wayed anchor to goe to y^e place they had discovered, & came within 2. leagues of it, but were faine to bear up againe; but y^e 16. day y^e winde came faire, and they arrived safe in this harbor.[3] And afterwards took better view of y^e place, and resolved wher to pitch their dwelling; and y^e 25. day begane to erecte y^e first house for comone use to receive them and their goods.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Great Epochs in American History, Vol. II from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.