"The dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible...their ends were good and honorable...and therefore they might expect the blessing of God."
William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth Colony
As we sailed into the North Atlantic to our new home in the New World, the first few days were accommodating. We were able to get out on the top deck to get fresh air and sun. Many were sick from sea sickness, both those of our group of around forty and the "strangers", those who were not Separatists.
In our group, I noticed some contention between those who had boarded the Mayflower from Holland and those from England. Yet for the most part there were simply too many problems facing all of us; sickness, food supplies, water rationing, and we could not wash our clothes or ourselves. One day I was on the top deck and could hear a couple crew members mention the "westerlies". The one man said he could feel them comin' in his bones. The other man agreed. They seemed nervous the Mayflower had started her voyage so late in the year. Since the death of their one evil crew member, crew members seemed more sympathetic to our cause. The one man even smiled at me as he could see I was listening in on their conversation. He asked my name and I replied: "Annie." Both men exchanged pleasantries. The other man said I was a brave lass.
And sure enough, the westerlies came.
Westerlies are severe crosswinds that blow across the north Atlantic about the time the Mayflower was trying to pass through. It was horrifying. The ship rocked continually...and quite violently. It was all we could do from being thrown fiercely into one another's laps. Mr. Rigdale's daughter Maggie had been thrown against a beam resulting in a large bump on her head. Mr. Rigdale arose to help her and as he did he was slammed against a ceiling rafter and received a large deep gash on the left side of his head. He was already seasick and the injury caused him to sit on the floor in his own vomit. Others came to their aid.
As we tried to hang on, attention was given to the pregnant women. People sacrificed their own bodies by leaning up against these ladies to protect them from being thrown about. These winds seemed to go on for days.We became weak and exhausted from lack of food and drink. Finally, the winds ceased...at least for a while.
Food was passed around for us to eat. It was all cold food like salted fish, dried grain, and of course the tasty hardtacks. The water in the barrels was not safe to drink so we all drank beer; the young, old, women, and children. It was what we called "small beer," not as potent as ale, yet safe to drink.
I could hear Captain Jones on the top deck yelling for his men to lower some sails, the crosswinds were too strong and could damage the Mayflower. Suddenly, there was a crack. It almost sounded like lightening had struck the Mayflower, but it hadn't. The crew members were running on deck advancing toward the center of the ship. Captain Jones continued to yell to lower the sails and began calling for the ship's carpenter to estimate repairs. A main support beam of the ship had cracked and the ship was in danger of peril. The carpenter arrived and surmised the damage of the beam. He climbed down from the beam and looked up once more. He spoke to the Captain saying it will break soon if we cannot find a way to support it and close the crack.
Mr. Eaton, one of the saints from Bristol (England) then spoke to the carpenter saying some of the men from Holland had brought a large screw jack to build homes in the New World. Perhaps it could cement the crack in the beam and hold till we got to port.
The crew members and a few of the Holland saints went down to the cargo deck and retrieved the large jack. They managed to place it next to the beam and close the cracked part of the beam until it was secure against the main beam. I heard the ship's carpenter say the screw jack was in place and would not move from it's position. It may hold!
There was joy and relief among all of us. Captain Jones reached out his hand to the men from Holland in appreciation for the screw jack they had provided. The winds were still blowing.
Mr. Warren, a merchant who was a part of our group, spoke up and offered all to bow our heads in a moment of grateful prayer, and to request His blessings on the screw jack, that it might hold the beam for the duration of the trip. We all bowed our heads in that moment of silence...including the Captain and his men.
I will forever remember that moment in my mind; in the midst of rain, wind, blood, vomit, cold, and of all us wore and hungry...we gave thanks.
William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth Colony
As we sailed into the North Atlantic to our new home in the New World, the first few days were accommodating. We were able to get out on the top deck to get fresh air and sun. Many were sick from sea sickness, both those of our group of around forty and the "strangers", those who were not Separatists.
In our group, I noticed some contention between those who had boarded the Mayflower from Holland and those from England. Yet for the most part there were simply too many problems facing all of us; sickness, food supplies, water rationing, and we could not wash our clothes or ourselves. One day I was on the top deck and could hear a couple crew members mention the "westerlies". The one man said he could feel them comin' in his bones. The other man agreed. They seemed nervous the Mayflower had started her voyage so late in the year. Since the death of their one evil crew member, crew members seemed more sympathetic to our cause. The one man even smiled at me as he could see I was listening in on their conversation. He asked my name and I replied: "Annie." Both men exchanged pleasantries. The other man said I was a brave lass.
And sure enough, the westerlies came.
Westerlies are severe crosswinds that blow across the north Atlantic about the time the Mayflower was trying to pass through. It was horrifying. The ship rocked continually...and quite violently. It was all we could do from being thrown fiercely into one another's laps. Mr. Rigdale's daughter Maggie had been thrown against a beam resulting in a large bump on her head. Mr. Rigdale arose to help her and as he did he was slammed against a ceiling rafter and received a large deep gash on the left side of his head. He was already seasick and the injury caused him to sit on the floor in his own vomit. Others came to their aid.
As we tried to hang on, attention was given to the pregnant women. People sacrificed their own bodies by leaning up against these ladies to protect them from being thrown about. These winds seemed to go on for days.We became weak and exhausted from lack of food and drink. Finally, the winds ceased...at least for a while.
Food was passed around for us to eat. It was all cold food like salted fish, dried grain, and of course the tasty hardtacks. The water in the barrels was not safe to drink so we all drank beer; the young, old, women, and children. It was what we called "small beer," not as potent as ale, yet safe to drink.
I could hear Captain Jones on the top deck yelling for his men to lower some sails, the crosswinds were too strong and could damage the Mayflower. Suddenly, there was a crack. It almost sounded like lightening had struck the Mayflower, but it hadn't. The crew members were running on deck advancing toward the center of the ship. Captain Jones continued to yell to lower the sails and began calling for the ship's carpenter to estimate repairs. A main support beam of the ship had cracked and the ship was in danger of peril. The carpenter arrived and surmised the damage of the beam. He climbed down from the beam and looked up once more. He spoke to the Captain saying it will break soon if we cannot find a way to support it and close the crack.
Mr. Eaton, one of the saints from Bristol (England) then spoke to the carpenter saying some of the men from Holland had brought a large screw jack to build homes in the New World. Perhaps it could cement the crack in the beam and hold till we got to port.
The crew members and a few of the Holland saints went down to the cargo deck and retrieved the large jack. They managed to place it next to the beam and close the cracked part of the beam until it was secure against the main beam. I heard the ship's carpenter say the screw jack was in place and would not move from it's position. It may hold!There was joy and relief among all of us. Captain Jones reached out his hand to the men from Holland in appreciation for the screw jack they had provided. The winds were still blowing.
Mr. Warren, a merchant who was a part of our group, spoke up and offered all to bow our heads in a moment of grateful prayer, and to request His blessings on the screw jack, that it might hold the beam for the duration of the trip. We all bowed our heads in that moment of silence...including the Captain and his men.
I will forever remember that moment in my mind; in the midst of rain, wind, blood, vomit, cold, and of all us wore and hungry...we gave thanks.
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