who died in 1746, aged ninety-nine years, and who well remembered many of the “First Comers,” and knew the “Rock,” on which they first landed. When so aged that he could not be abroad, the Elder was informed that the “Rock” was covered, or about to be covered, by the erection of a store and wharf; and he was so affected by the information, that he wept grievously. Out of respect to the feelings of the Elder, and perhaps veneration for the place, the “Rock” was not covered. The writer of this note had these facts of the Deacon himself, and they are also substantially so related by Dr. Holmes.—Annals, vol. i., p. 168. they sounded the harbour, and found it fit for shipping, and marched into the land, and found divers cornfields, and little running brooks, a place (as they supposed) fit for situation, at least it was the best that they could find, and the season and their present necessity made them glad to accept of it. So they returned to their ship with this news to the rest of their people, which did much comfort their hearts.¹⁸

On the fifteenth of December they weighed anchor, to go to the place they had discovered, and arrived the sixteenth day in the harbour they had formerly discovered, and afterward took better view of the place, and resolved where to pitch their dwellings; and on the five and twentieth day of December began to erect the first house for common use, to receive them and their goods. And after they had provided a place for their goods and common store (which was long in unlading for want of boats, and by reason of foulness of the winter weather, and sickness of divers) they began to build some small cottages for habitation, as time would admit; and also consulted of laws and orders both for their civil and military government, as the necessity of their present condition did require. But that which was sad and lamentable, in two or three month’s time half their company died, especially in January and February, being the depth of winter, wanting houses and other comforts, being infected with the scurvy and other diseases, which this long voyage and their incommodate condition had brought upon them, so as there died, sometimes two, sometimes three, on a day, in the aforesaid time, that of one hundred and odd persons, scarce fifty remained. Amongst others in the time fore named, died Mr. William Mullins, a man pious and well deserving, endowed also with a considerable outward estate; and had it been the will of God that he had survived, might have proved an useful instrument in his place, with several others who deceased in this great and common affliction, whom I might take notice of to the like effect. Of those that did survive in this time of distress and calamity that was upon them, there was sometimes but six or seven sound persons, who (to their great commendation be it spoke) spared no pains night nor day to be helpful to the rest, not shunning to do very mean services to help the weak and impotent.¹⁹ In which sickness the seamen shared also deeply, and many died, to about the one half of them before they went away. Thus being but few, and very weak, this was an opportunity for the savages to have made a prey of them, who were wont to be most cruel and treacherous people in all these parts, even like lions; but to them they were as lambs, God striking a dread in their hearts, so that they received no harm from them. The Lord also so disposed, as aforesaid, much to waste them by a great mortality, together with which were their own civil dissensions, and bloody wars, so as the twentieth person was scarce left alive when these people arrived, there remaining sad spectacles of that mortality in the place where they seated, by many bones and skulls of the dead lying above ground; whereby it appeared that the living of them were not able to bury their dead. Some of the ancient Indians, that are surviving at the writing here-of, do affirm, that about some two or three years before the first English arrived here, they saw a blazing star, or comet²⁰ which was a forerunner of this sad mortality, for soon after it came upon them in extremity.²¹

The poets knew how to use this superstition of the baneful influence of comets to advantage:—

Mr. Oliver was the first among us who seems to have viewed the “mysterious strangers” with a true philosophical spirit and ken: “they are now received with a cordial welcome, and are looked upon with calm complacence.”—Trea. Com. Thus God made way for his people, by removing the heathen, and planting them in the land; yet we hope in mercy to some of the posterity of these blind savages, by being