• With the coming of spring, deaths among the pilgrims ceased and the sick recovered a pace.
• Till then, the pilgrims had no chance to speak to an Indian but that chance came a week later when the Indian Samoset arrived in their settlement.

One day in mid-March, an Indian called Samoset strolled unexpectedly down the street towards the community house: 'He very boldly came all alone and along the houses, straight to the rendezvous . . . saluted us in English and bade us 'Welcome!' For he had learned some broken English among the Englishmen that came to fish at Monchiggon, and knew by name most of the Captains, Commanders and Masters that usually come there.' Samoset was not a local man but of Morattigon and had been 8 months in these parts.

The Puritans were acutely embarrassed by the Indian's appearance - Samoset was naked except for a brief loin-cloth. He told them that he now belonged to the local tribe, the Masasoits, who were friendly, while the Nausites further North were hostile. Apparently a Captain Thomas Hunt had carried away 7 Nausites along with 20 natives from this very area and sold them as slaves in Spain for £20 a man. Samoset also explained why New Plymouth had not been attacked by the Indians. Four years earlier all the local natives of this area, called Patuxet, had died of an extraordinary plague and so no Indian wishes to lay claim to the area.

Two days later Samoset brought back 5 more Indians who were: 'tall, sturdy men. They had every man a deer's skin on him, and the principal of them had a wildcat's skin. . . They are of a complexion like our English gypsies. No hair, or very little on their faces. On their heads long hair to their shoulders, only cut before: some trussed up before with a feather, broadwise like a fan; another with a fox's tail hanging out.'

The Indians showed their friendliness by dancing, not realising that the Puritans felt their antics ungodly. The Indians brought valuable beaver skins but being the Sabbath Day the Puritans would not trade. The Indians promised to return in a day or two.

Chief Masasoit

The Indians did return two days later with their great chief Sagamore Masasoit, his brother Quadequina and all their men. Samoset was with them, as was Squanto, the only surviving native of Patuxet. Squanto was one of the 20 local natives abducted by Captain Hunt and had dwelt for a time in London with a merchant. Since he could speak a little English he acted as spokesman for the Indians. Edward Winslow acted as spokesman for the Puritans and after some parleying and exchanging of gifts, Chief Masasoit came forward to meet the settlers (picture below right)

'Then instantly came our Governor with drum and trumpet after him and some few musketeers. After salutations, our Governor kissed his hand, the King kissed him, and so they sat down.' The settlers were fascinated by the exotic appearance of Chief Masasoit and his companions: 'His face was painted with sad red-like mulberry, and he oiled both head and face, that he looked greasily. All his followers likewise were in their faces, in part or in whole, painted: some black, some red, some yellow, and some white; some with crosses, and other antic works. Some had skins on them and some were naked: all strong, all men, in appearance.'

An agreement was made between the settlers and Indians which included terms such that each side would not to injure or hurt the other, and each side would aid the other in any unjust war. At the end of negotiations, Chief Masasoit returned to his home village of Sowams about 40 miles to the north. Squanto stayed behind and became a valuable ally to the pilgrims. He was: 'their interpreter, and became a special instrument sent of God for their good, beyond their expectation. He showed them how to plant their corn, where to take fish and other commodities, and guided them to unknown places.'

The secret of planting corn, Squanto told them, was to fertilise little hillocks with dead fish. He also caught eels for them, leaving at noon and returning at nightfall 'with as many as he could well lift in one hand which our people were glad of.'

Mayflower Sails Home

On 5 April 1621 the empty and undermanned Mayflower sailed home. Captain Jones would liked to have sailed home earlier: 'Now many of the crew being dead - and some of the ablest of them - and the rest lay sick and weak, the captain did not dare put to sea till he saw them begin to recover, and the heart of winter over.'

Soon after the Mayflower sailed, the Colony's first Governor, Mr.John Carver, suddenly died of a stroke. Although William Bradford was not fully recovered from his illness in which he had been on the point of death, he was chosen to succeed him as Governor.

At the end of June, the pilgrims sent Stephen Hopkins, Edward Winslow and a savage named Tisquantum, who could speak English, on a formal visit to Chief Masasoit and his tribe. They desired to see the Indian strength, discover the country and continue the peace and friendship between them. The pilgrims were also short of seed corn. The Indians at Sowams were delighted at the gifts they received. Chief Masasoit was especially proud of the horseman's coat of red cotton and the copper chain that he received and said he would help with the seed corn.

Indian Quarrel

When two friendly Indians, Squanto and Hobbamok, were threatened by Corbitant, a Sachem and a lesser chief, William Bradford decided to rescue them. The pair had got into a quarrel with Corbitant at an Indian town called Namassaket. Hobbamok had run away when Corbitant threatened to stab him and told William Bradford that he feared Corbitant had killed Squanto.

Captain Standish set out with 14 well-armed men and Hobbamok as guide to deal with Corbitant. After surrounding Corbitant's wigwam they found it empty. They soon learned that Squanto was alive - Corbitant had only made as if to stab him - and the party did no more than return to the settlement.

The pilgrims toiled hard that summer at building and farming. Edward Winslow wrote home to England: 'You shall understand that in this little time that a few of us have been here, we have built 7 dwelling houses; and 4 for the use of the plantation: and have made preparation for divers others . . . We set last Spring some 20 acres of Indian corn, and sowed some 6 acres of barley and pease: and according to the manner of the Indians we manured our ground with herrings, or shads, which we have in great abundance and take with ease at our doors. Our corn did prove well and - God be praised! - we had a good increase of Indian corn; and our barley indifferent good. But our pease were not worth gathering, for we feared they were too late sown.'

With the harvest gathered in, William Bradford arranged a day of thanksgiving (pictured right) like the harvest festival the Colonists had known in England. 'Our harvest gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might have a more special rejoice together, after we had gathered in the fruit of our labours. The four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help besides, served the Company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us.'

Masasoit and his braves were entertained during the celebrations and made their own contribution to the festivities: 'And they went out and killed 5 deer which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others.' With thanksgiving over the pilgrims prepared for their second winter.

Trade across the Atlantic is expected to flourish. A cargo of negro slaves has already arrived in Jamestown (pictured right) to serve as labour in the fields for the fast-growing tobacco trade.

The number of settlers at New Plymouth increased from 50 to 85 with the arrival of the ship Fortune during the second week of November 1621. They came without food, supplies, equipment, bedding, utensils or even clothes: 'for many had sold their coats and cloaks at Plymouth on their way out.'

With them came a letter from the merchant-adventurers, demanding that the Fortune return as soon as possible full of supplies. The Fortune sailed away within a fortnight, loaded with the Plymouth Colony's first exports to England: 'Good clapboard, as full as she could stow, and two hogsheads of beaver and otter skins.'