Father told us our sister ship going to the New World, the Speedwell, was having problems. It leaked...and the leaks seem to continue.
We had finally left England on August 5th. As we left the channel and proceeded into open waters, the news reached the "tween deck", the area where the passengers resided. The Speedwell was leaking again, so much so, both ships would need to reverse and port once more in south English shores.
The tween deck was crowded. There were 102 passengers all crammed together including over 30 children. The bunk beds were full and some added hammocks to ensure everyone a place to sleep. Other than the dark, damp atmosphere we were surviving. We weren't allowed to have candles or lanterns...direct orders from Captain Jones. It was a wooden ship and he did not trust any one of us. If the days were calm and sunny, the hatches were open and we could go to upper deck. The crew of the Mayflower did not like us being up there because they claimed we got in their way of performing daily duties. If the hatches were shut because the days were cloudy or stormy, it was dark in our living areas...both day and night....did I mention how damp it was?
There were a few cooking places, built ever so carefully on stone and sand. We could only start a fire on good days when the hatches were open. The smoke from the cooking fires would saturate everything on our deck...clothes, hair, beds...even with the fresh salt air blowing down the hatches. Most of the journey to the New World we ate cold food. Everything was salted, pickled, or dried. We ate salted beef, salted fish, pickled eggs, dried vegetables like beans or peas, and of course tasty "hardtaks." Hardtacks were a kind of biscuit that would last until we reached Heaven. In other words, they lasted for months, even years. If these biscuits were cooked four times over instead of twice, you were good for life. Taste?...What taste? They were not cooked for taste. They were cooked for humans to survive.
After returning to England for repairs to the Speedwell, we once again launched for the New World on August 24th. After about 4 days of sailing with good winds, it happened again. The Speedwell was leaking...and leaking bad. We were 300 miles out when the decision was again made...return to English shores and repair the Speedwell once more.
This time was the last time. The Speedwell was officially condemned as an seafaring vessel. What was going to happen now? How about the people on the Speedwell? Were they going to be sent home?
Some of the crewmen came on our deck looking for empty space. They spoke with my father and some of the leaders about adding some passengers from the Speedwell. The discussion got pretty heated, and in the end we found space for a few more families.
As the people from the Speedwell were unloading, there was a lot of obvious frustration. Many were going back home, either to England or the Netherlands, saying they did not invest their money for this kind of treatment. Some were demanding their money back. Tensions were high. Some people on the Mayflower where wondering if this ship was seaworthy, what would happen if the Mayflower began leaking in the middle of the North Atlantic? We had been on this ship in these conditions for almost a month, and on top of all this...no one had been able to take a bath...not one! My hair was so greasy, my clothes stained and dirty, and I am sure I stank like those around me. We have been eating cold salty food, not knowing at times whether it was night or day, AND...we were still in England.
I looked at my mother and said "I wish we could go home. I don't want to go to the New World anymore." Mother grabbed my hands and said "Mary, don't! Your father needs to see your confidence in him...on your face! We might be getting tested severely, yet we must support your father! He needs us more than ever." I wiped the tears off my face with the sleeve of my filthy "doublet", a term we referred to as my jacket, and removed my "biggin", a hat we were required to wear. My hair...slid through my hand from the grease. I felt something on the hand I was holding my hair that was tied back. It was a little bug of some kind. I yelled " Mother!" She came over and I showed her the little insect crawling on my hand. She replied "Lice! We will have to get some things out of a medical bag I brought along. I am sure we all have it."
On September 6th, 1620, the Mayflower finally set sail for the New World...
We had finally left England on August 5th. As we left the channel and proceeded into open waters, the news reached the "tween deck", the area where the passengers resided. The Speedwell was leaking again, so much so, both ships would need to reverse and port once more in south English shores.
The tween deck was crowded. There were 102 passengers all crammed together including over 30 children. The bunk beds were full and some added hammocks to ensure everyone a place to sleep. Other than the dark, damp atmosphere we were surviving. We weren't allowed to have candles or lanterns...direct orders from Captain Jones. It was a wooden ship and he did not trust any one of us. If the days were calm and sunny, the hatches were open and we could go to upper deck. The crew of the Mayflower did not like us being up there because they claimed we got in their way of performing daily duties. If the hatches were shut because the days were cloudy or stormy, it was dark in our living areas...both day and night....did I mention how damp it was?
There were a few cooking places, built ever so carefully on stone and sand. We could only start a fire on good days when the hatches were open. The smoke from the cooking fires would saturate everything on our deck...clothes, hair, beds...even with the fresh salt air blowing down the hatches. Most of the journey to the New World we ate cold food. Everything was salted, pickled, or dried. We ate salted beef, salted fish, pickled eggs, dried vegetables like beans or peas, and of course tasty "hardtaks." Hardtacks were a kind of biscuit that would last until we reached Heaven. In other words, they lasted for months, even years. If these biscuits were cooked four times over instead of twice, you were good for life. Taste?...What taste? They were not cooked for taste. They were cooked for humans to survive. After returning to England for repairs to the Speedwell, we once again launched for the New World on August 24th. After about 4 days of sailing with good winds, it happened again. The Speedwell was leaking...and leaking bad. We were 300 miles out when the decision was again made...return to English shores and repair the Speedwell once more.
This time was the last time. The Speedwell was officially condemned as an seafaring vessel. What was going to happen now? How about the people on the Speedwell? Were they going to be sent home? Some of the crewmen came on our deck looking for empty space. They spoke with my father and some of the leaders about adding some passengers from the Speedwell. The discussion got pretty heated, and in the end we found space for a few more families.
As the people from the Speedwell were unloading, there was a lot of obvious frustration. Many were going back home, either to England or the Netherlands, saying they did not invest their money for this kind of treatment. Some were demanding their money back. Tensions were high. Some people on the Mayflower where wondering if this ship was seaworthy, what would happen if the Mayflower began leaking in the middle of the North Atlantic? We had been on this ship in these conditions for almost a month, and on top of all this...no one had been able to take a bath...not one! My hair was so greasy, my clothes stained and dirty, and I am sure I stank like those around me. We have been eating cold salty food, not knowing at times whether it was night or day, AND...we were still in England.
I looked at my mother and said "I wish we could go home. I don't want to go to the New World anymore." Mother grabbed my hands and said "Mary, don't! Your father needs to see your confidence in him...on your face! We might be getting tested severely, yet we must support your father! He needs us more than ever." I wiped the tears off my face with the sleeve of my filthy "doublet", a term we referred to as my jacket, and removed my "biggin", a hat we were required to wear. My hair...slid through my hand from the grease. I felt something on the hand I was holding my hair that was tied back. It was a little bug of some kind. I yelled " Mother!" She came over and I showed her the little insect crawling on my hand. She replied "Lice! We will have to get some things out of a medical bag I brought along. I am sure we all have it."
On September 6th, 1620, the Mayflower finally set sail for the New World...
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