Colonial Sense: Regional History: Journals: An Account Of Two Voyages: Chapter 2

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They acknowledge a God who they call Squantam, but worship him they do not, because (they say) he will do them no harm. But Abbamocho or Cheepie many times smites them with incurable Diseases, scares them with his Apparitions and pannick Terrours, by reason whereof they live in a wretched consternation worship- ping the Devil for fear. One black Robin an Indian sitting down in the Corn field belonging to the house where I resided, ran out of his Wigwam frighted with the apparition of two Infernal spirits in the shape of Mohawkes. Another time two Indians and an Indess, came running into our house crying out they should all dye, Cheepie was gone over the field gliding in the Air with a long rope hanging from one of his legs: we askt them what he was like, they said all wone Englishman, clothed with hat and coat, shooes and stockings, &c, They have a remarkable observation of a flame that appears before the death of an Indian or English upon their Wigwams in the dead of the night: The first time that I did see it, I was call'd out by some of them about twelve of the clock, it being a very dark night, I perceived it plainly mounting into the Air over our Church, which was built upon a plain little more than half a quarter of a mile from our dwelling house, on the Northside of the Church: look on what side of a house it appears, from that Coast respectively you shall hear of a Coarse within two or three days.

They worship the Devil (as I said) their Priests are called Powaws and are little better than Witches, for they have familiar conference with him, who makes them invulnerable, that is shot-free and stick-free. Craftie Rogues, abusing the rest at their pleasure, having power over them by reason of their Diabolical Art in curing of Diseases, which is performed with rude Ceremonies; they place the sick upon the ground fitting, and dance in an Antick manner round about him, beating their naked breasts with a strong hand, and making hideous faces, sometimes calling upon the Devil for his help, mingling their prayers with horrid and barbarous charms; if the sick recover they send rich gifts, their Bowes and Arrowes, Wumpompers, Mohacks, Beaver skins, or other rich Furs to the Eastward, where there is a vast Rock not far from the shore, having a hole in it of an unsearchable profundity, into which they throw them.

Their Theologie is not much, but questionless they acknowledge a God and a Devil, and some small light they have of the Souls immortality; for ask them whither they go when they dye, they will tell you pointing with their finger to Heaven beyond the white mountains, and do hint at Noah's Floud, as may be conceived by a story they have received from Father to Son, time out of mind, that a great while agon their Countrey was drowned, and all the People and other Creatures in it, only one Powaw and his Webb foreseeing the Floud, fled to the white mountains carrying a hare along with them and so escaped; after a while the Powaw sent the Hare away, who not returning emboldned thereby they descended, and lived many years after, and had many Children, from whom the Countrie was filled again with Indians. Some of them tell another story of the Beaver, saying that he was their Father.

Their learning is very little or none. Poets they are as may be ghessed by their formal speeches, sometimes an hour long, the last word of a line riming with the last word of the following line, and the whole doth Constare ex pedibus. Musical too they be, having many pretty odd barbarous tunes which they make use of vocally at marriages and feastings; but Instruments they had none before the English came amongst them, since they have imitated them and will make out Kitts and string them as neatly, and as Artificially as the best Fiddle-maker amongst us; and will play our plain lessons very exactly: the only Fidler that was in the Province of Meyn, when I was there, was an Indian called Scozway, whom the Fishermen and planters when they had a mind to be merry made use of.

Arithmetick they skill not, reckoning to ten upon their fingers, and if more doubling of it by holding their fingers up, their age they reckon by Moons, and their actions by steeps, as, if they go a journie, or are to do any other business they will say, three steeps me walk, or two or three steeps me do such a thing, that is in two or three days. Astronomie too they have no knowledge of, seldom or never taking observation of the Stars, Eclipses, or Comets that I could perceive; but they will Prognosticate shrewdly what weather will fall out. They are generally excellent Zenagogues or guides through their Countrie.

Their exercises are hunting and fishing, in both they will take abundance of pains. When the snow will bear them, the young and lustie Indians, (leaving their papouses and old people at home) go forth to hunt Moose, Deere, Bear and Beaver, Thirty or forty miles up into the Countrey; when they light upon a Moose they run him down, which is sometimes in half a day, sometimes a whole day, but never give him over till they have tyred him, the snow being usually four foot deep, and the Beast very heavie he sinks every step, and as he runs sometimes bears down Arms of Trees that hang in his way, with his horns, as big as a mans thigh; other whiles, if any of their dogs (which are but small) come near, yerking out his heels (for he strikes like a horse) if a small Tree be in the way he breaks it quite asunder with one stroak, at last they get up to him on each side and transpierce him with their Lances, which formerly were no other but a staff of a yard and half pointed with a Fishes bone made sharp at the end, but since they put on pieces of sword-blades which they purchase of the French, and having a strap of leather fastned to the but end of the staff which they bring down to the midst of it, they dart it into his sides, haret latere lethalis arundo, the poor Creature groans, and walks on heavily, for a space, then sinks and falls down like a ruined building, making the Earth to quake; then presently in come the Victors, who having cut the throat of the slain take off his skin, their young webbs by this time are walking towards them with heavie bags and kettles at their backs, who laying down their burdens fall to work upon the Carkass, take out the heart, and from that the bone, cut off the left foot behind, draw out the sinews, and cut out his tongue &c. and as much of the Venison as will serve to satiate the hungry mawes of the Company; mean while the men pitch upon a place near some spring, and with their snow shoos shovel the snow away to the bare Earth in a circle, making round about a wall of snow; in the midst they make their Vulcan or fire near to a great Tree, upon the snags whereof they hang their kettles fil'd with the Venison; whilst that boils, the men after they have refresht themselves with a pipe of Tobacco dispose themselves to sleep. The women tend the Cookerie, some of them scrape the slime and fat from the skin, cleanse the sinews, and stretch them and the like, when the venison is boiled the men awake, and opening of their bags take out as much Indian meal as will serve their turns for the present; they eat their broth with spoons, and their flesh they divide into gobbets, eating now and then with it as much meal as they can hold betwixt three fingers; their drink they fetch from the spring, and were not acquainted with other, until the French and English traded with that cursed liquor called Rum, Rum-bullion, or kill-Devil, which is stronger than spirit of Wine, and is drawn from the dross of Sugar and Sugar Canes, this they love dearly, and will part with all they have to their bare skins for it, being perpetually drunk with it, as long as it is to be had, it hath killed many of them, especially old women who have dyed when dead drunk. Thus instead of bringing of them to the knowledge of Christianitie, we have taught them to commit the beastly and crying sins of our Nation, for a little profit. When the Indians have stuft their paunches, if it be fair weather and about midday they venture forth again, but if it be foul and far spent, they betake themselves to their field-bed at the sign of the Star, expecting the opening of the Eastern window, which if it promise serenity, they truss up their fardles, and away for another Moose, this course they continue for six weeks or two moneths, making their Webbs their Mules to carry their luggage, they do not trouble themselves with the horns of Moose or other Deer, unless it be near an English plantation; because they are weighty and cumbersome. If the English could procure them to bring them in, they would be worth the pains and charge, being sold in England after the rate of forty or fifty pounds a Tun; the red heads of Deer are the fairest and fullest of marrow, and lightest; the black heads are heavie and have less marrow; the white are the worst, and the worst nourished. When the Indians are gone, there gathers to the Carkass of the Moose thousands of Mattrises, of which there are but few or none near the Sea-coasts to be seen, these devour the remainder in a quarter of the time that they were hunting of it

Their fishing followes in the spring, summer and fall of the leaf First for Lobsters, Clams, Flouke, Lumps or Podles, and Alewives; afterwards for Bass, Cod, Rock, Blew-fish, Salmon, and Lampres, &c.

The Lobsters they take in large Bayes when it is low water, the wind still, going out in their Birchen-Canows with a staff two or three yards long, made small and sharpen'd at one end, and nick'd with deep nicks to take hold. When they spye the Lobster crawling upon the Sand in two fathom water, more or less, they stick him towards the head and bring him up. I have known thirty Lobsters taken by an Indian lad in an hour and a half, thus they take Flouke and Lumps; Clams they dig out of the Clam-banks upon the flats and in creeks when it is low water, where they are bedded sometimes a yard deep one upon another, the beds a quarter of a mile in length, and less, the Alewives they take with Nets like a pursenet put upon a round hoop'd stick with a handle in fresh ponds where they come to spawn. The Bass and Blew-fish they take in harbours, and at the mouth of barr'd Rivers being in their Canows, striking them with a sisgig, a kind of dart or staff, to the lower end whereof they fasten a sharp jagged bone (since they make them of Iron) with a string fastened to it, as soon as the fish is struck they pull away the staff, leaving the bony head in the fishes body and fasten the other end of the string to the Canow: Thus they will hale after them to shore half a dozen half a score great fishes: this way they take Sturgeon; and in dark evenings when they are upon the fishing ground near a Bar of Sand (where the Sturgeon feeds upon small fishes (like Eals) that are called Lances sucking them out of the Sands where they lye hid, with their hollow Trunks, for other mouth they have none) the Indian lights a piece of dry Birch-Bark which breaks out into a flame & holds it over the side of his Canow, the Sturgeon seeing this glaring light mounts to the Surface of the water where he is slain and taken with a sisgig. Salmons and Lampres are catch'd at the falls of Rivers. All the Rivers of note in the Countrey have two or three desperate falls distant one from another for some miles, for it being rising ground from the Sea and mountainous within land, the Rivers having their Originals from great lakes, and hastning to the Sea, in their passage meeting with Rocks that are not so easily worn away, as the loose earthie mould beneath the Rock, makes a fall of the water in some Rivers as high as a house; you would think it strange to see, yea admire if you saw the bold Barbarians in their light Canows rush down the swift and headlong stream with desperate speed, but with excellent dexterity, guiding his Canow that seldom or never it shoots under water, or overturns, if it do they can swim naturally, striking their pawes under their throat like a dog, and not spreading their Arms as we do; they turn their Canow again and go into it in the water.

Their Merchandize are their beads, which are their money, of these there are two sorts blew Beads and white Beads, the first is their Gold, the last their Silver, these they work out of certain shells so cunningly that neither Jew nor Devil can counterfeit, they dril them and string them, and make many curious works with them to adorn the persons of their Sagamours and principal men and young women, as Belts, Girdles, Tablets, Borders for their womens hair. Bracelets, Necklaces, and links to hang in their ears. Prince Phillip a little before I came for England coming to Boston had a Coat on and Buskins set thick with these Beads in pleasant wild works and a broad Belt of the same, his Accoutrements were valued at Twenty pounds. The English Merchant giveth them ten shillings a fathom for their white, and as much more or near upon for their blew Beads. Delicate sweet dishes too they make of Birch-Bark sowed with threads drawn from Spruse or white Cedar-Roots, and garnished on the out-side with flourisht works, and on the brims with glistering quills taken from the Porcupine, and dyed, some black, others red, the white are natural, these they make of all sizes from a dram cup to a dish containing a pottle, likewise Buckets to carry water or the like, large Boxes too of the same materials, dishes, spoons and trayes wrought very smooth and neatly out of the knots of wood, baskets, bags, and matts woven with Sparke, bark of the Line-Tree and Rushes of several kinds, dyed as before, some black, blew, red, yellow, bags of Porcupine quills woven and dyed also; Coats woven of Turkie-feathers for their Children, Tobacco pipes of stone with Imagerie upon them, Kettles of Birchen-bark which they used before they traded with the French for Copper Kettles, by all which you may apparently see that necessity was at first the mother of all inventions. The women are the workers of most of these, and are now, here and there one excellent needle woman, and will milk a Cow neatly, their richest trade are Furs of divers sorts, Black Fox, Beaver, Otter, Bear, Sables, Mattrices, Fox, Wild-Cat, Rattoons, Martins, Musquash, Moose-skins.

Ships they have none, but do prettily imitate ours in their Birchen-pinnaces, their Canows are made of Birch, they shape them with flat Ribbs of white Cedar, and cover them with large sheets of Birch-bark, sowing them through with strong threds of Spruse-Roots or white Cedar, and pitch them with a mixture of Turpentine and the hard rosen that is dryed with the Air on the outside of the Bark of Firr-Trees. These will carry half a dozen or three or four men and a considerable fraight, in these they swim to Sea twenty, nay forty miles, keeping from the shore a league or two, sometimes to shorten their voyage when they are to double a Cape they will put to shore, and two of them taking up the Canow carry it cross the Cape or neck of land to the other side, and to Sea again; they will indure an incredible great Sea, mounting upon the working billowes like a piece of Corke; but they require skilful hands to guide them in rough weather, none but the Indians scarce dare to undertake it, such like Vessels the Ancient Brittains used, as Lucan relates.

Primum cana salix, madefacto vimine, parvam
Texitur in puppim, cæsoqtue induta juvenco,
Vectoris patiens tumidum super emicat amnem.
Sic Venetus stagnante Pado, fusoque Britanus
Navigat oceano -

When Sicoris to his own banks restor'd
Had left the field, of twigs, and willow boord
They made small Boats, cover'd with Bullocks hide,
In which they reacht the River's further side.
So fail the Veneti if Padus flow,
The Brittains sail on their calm ocean so:
So the Ægyptians fail with woven Boats
Of paper rushes in their Nilus floats.

Their Government is monarchical, the Patrueius or they that descend from the eldest proceeding from his loyns, is the Roytelet of the Tribe, and if he have Daughters, his Son dying without a Son, the Government descends to his Daughters Son: after the same manner, their lands descend. Cheetadaback was the chief Sachem or Roytelet of the Massachusets, when the English first set down there. Massasoit, the great Sachem of the Plimouth Indians, his dwelling was at a place called Sowans, about four miles distant from New-Plimouth. Sasasacus was the chief Sachem of the Pequots, and Mientoniack of the Narragansets. The chief Roytelet amongst the Mohawks now living, is a Dutchmans Bastard, and the Roytelet now of the Pocanakets, that is the Plimouth-Indians, is Prince Philip alias Metacon, the Grandson of Massasoit. Amongst the Eastern Indians, Summersant formerly was a famous Sachem. The now living Sachems of note are Sabaccaman, Terrumkin and Robinhood.

Their Wars are with Neighbouring Tribes, but the Mowhawks are enemies to all the other Indians, their weapons of Defence and Offence are Bowes and Arrowes, of late he is a poor Indian that is not master of two Guns, which they purchase of the French, and powder and shot, they are generally excellent marks men; their other weapons are Tamahawks which are staves two foot and a half long with a knob at the end as round as a bowl, and as big as that we call the Jack or Mistriss. Lances too they have made (as I have said before) with broken sword blades, likewise they have Hatchets and knives; but these are weapons of a latter date. They colour their faces red all over, supposing that it makes them the more terrible, they are lustie Souldiers to see to and very strong, meer Hercules Rusticuses, their fights are by Ambushments and Surprises, coming upon one another unawares. They will march a hundred miles through thick woods and swamps to the Mowhawks Countrey, and the Mowhawks into their Countrey, meeting sometimes in the woods, or when they come into an Enemies Countrey build a rude fort with Pallizadoes, having loop-holes out of which they shoot their Arrowes, and fire their Guns, pelting at one another a week or moneth together; If any of them step out of the Fort they are in danger to be taken prisoners by the one side or the other; that side that gets the victory excoriats the hair-scalp of the principal slain Enemies which they bear away in Triumph, their prisoners they bring home, the old men and women they knock in the head, the young women they keep, and the men of war they torture to death as the Eastern Indians did two Mowhawks whilst I was there, they bind him to a Tree and make a great fire before him, then with sharp knives they cut off the first joynts of his fingers and toes, then clap upon them hot Embers to sear the vains; so they cut him a pieces joynt after joynt, still applying hot Embers to the place to stanch the bloud, making the poor wretch to sing all the while; when Arms and Legs are gone, they flay off the skin of their Heads, and pesently put on a Cap of burning Embers, then they open his breast and take out his heart, which while it is yet living in a manner they give to their old Squaes, who are every one to have a bite at it. These Barbarous Customs were used amongst them more frequently before the English came; but since by the great mercy of the Almighty they are in a way to be Civilized and converted to Christianity; there being three Churches of Indians gathered together by the pains of Mr. John Eliot and his Son, who Preaches to them in their Native language, and hath rendered the Bible in that Language for the benefit of the Indians. These go clothed like the English, live in framed houses, have flocks of Corn and Cattle about them, which when they are fat they bring to the English Markets, the Hogs that they rear are counted the best in New-England. Some of their Sons have been brought up Scholars in Harvard Colledge, and I was told that there was but two Fellowes in that Colledge, and one of them was an Indian; some few of these Christian Indians have of late Apostatized and fallen back to their old Superstition and course of life.

Thus much shall suffice concerning New-England, as it was when the Indians solely possest it. I will now proceed to give you an accompt of it, as it is under the management of the English; but methinks I hear my sceptick Readers muttering out of their scuttle mouths, what will accrew to us by this rambling Logodiarce? you do but bring straw into Egypt, a Countrey abounding with Corn. Thus by these Famacides who are so minutely curious, I am dejected from my hope, whilst they challenge the freedom of David's Ruffins, Our Tongues are our own, who shall control us. I have done what I can to please you, I have piped and you will not dance. I have told you as strange things as ever you or your Fathers have heard. The Italian saith Chi vide un miraculo facilmente ne crede un altro, he that hath seen one miracle will easilie believe another, miranda canunt sed non credenda poetæ. Oh I see the pad, you never heard nor saw the like, therefore you do not believe me; well Sirs I shall not strain your belief any further, the following Relation I hope will be more tolerable, yet I could (it is possible) insert as wonderful things as any my pen hath yet gone over, and may, but it must be upon condition you will not put me to the proof of it. Nemo tenetur ad impossibilia, no man is obliged to do more than is in his power, is a rule in law. To be short; if you cannot with the Bee gather the honey, with the Spider suck out the poyson, as Sir John Davis hath it.

The Bee and Spider by a divers power
Suck honey and poyson from the self-same flower.

I am confident you will get but little poyson here, no 'tis the poyson of Asps under your tongue that swells you: truly, I do take you rather to be Spider catchers than Spiders, such as will not laudably imploy themselves, nor suffer others; you may well say non amo hominem, sed non possum dicere quare, unless it be because I am a Veronessa, no Romancer. To conclude; if with your mother wit, you can mend the matter, take pen in hand and fall to work, do your Countrey some service as I have done according to my Talent. Henceforth you are to expect no more Relations from me. I am now return'd into my Native Countrey, and by the providence of the Almighty, and the bounty of my Royal Soveraigness am disposed to a holy quiet of study and meditation for the good of my soul; and being blessed with a transmentitation or change of mind, and weaned from the world, may take up for my word, non est mortale quod opto. If what I have done is thought uprears for the approvement of those to whom it is intended, I shall be more than meanly contented.

New-England was first discovered by John Cabota and his Son Sebastian in Anno Dom. 1514. A further discovery afterwards was made by the honourable Sir Walter Rawleigh Knight in Anno 1584. when as Virginia was discovered, which together with Maryland, New-England, Nova Scotia was known by one common name to the Indians, Wingandicoa, and by Sir Walter Rawleigh in honour of our Virgin Queen, in whose name he took possession of it, Virginia. In King James his Reign it was divided into Provinces as is before named. In 1602. these north parts were further discovered by Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold. The first English that planted there, set down not far from the Narragansets-Bay, and called their Colony Plimouth, since old Plimouth, An. Dom. 1602. Sir John Popham Lord chief Justice authorized by his Majesty, King James, sent a Colony of English to Sagadehock, An. 1606. Newfound-land was discovered by one Andrew Thorn an English man in Anno 1527. Sir Humphrey Gilbert a west Countrey Knight took possession of it in the Queens name, Anno 1582. The two first Colonies in New-England failing, there was a fresh supply of English who set down in other parts of the Countrey, and have continued in a flourishing condition to this day.

The whole Countrey now is divided into Colonies, and for your better understanding observe, a Colony is a sort of people that come to inhabit a place before not inhabited, or Colonus quasi, because they should be Tillers of the Earth. From hence by an usual figure the Countrey where they sit down, is called a Colony or Plantation.

The first of these that I shall relate of, though last in possession of the English, is now our most Southerly Colony, and next adjoyning to Maryland, scil. the Manadaes or Manahanent lying upon the great River Mohegan, which was first discovered by Mr. Hudson, and sold presently by him to the Dutch without Authority from his Soveraign the King of England, Anno 1608. The Dutch in 1614 began to plant there, and call'd it New-Netherlands, but Sir Samuel Argal Governour of Virginia routed them, the Dutch after this got leave of King James to put in there for fresh water in their passage to Brasile, and did not offer to plant until a good while after the English were settled in the Countrey. In Anno 1664 his Majestie Charles the Second sent over four worthie Gentlemen Commissioners to reduce the Colonies into their bounds, who had before incroached upon one another, who marching with Three hundred red-Coats to Manadaes or Manhataes took from the Dutch their chief town then called New-Amsterdam, now New York; the Twenty ninth of August turn'd out their Governour with a silver leg, and all but those that were willing to acknowledge subjection to the King of England, suffering them to enjoy their houses and estates as before. Thirteen days after Sir Robert Carr took the Fort and Town of Aurania now called Albany; and Twelve days after that, the Fort and Town of Awsapha, then De-la-ware Castle, man'd with Dutch and Sweeds. So now the English are masters of three handsome Towns, three strong Forts and a Castle, not losing one man. The first Governour of these parts for the King of England was Colonel Nicols, a noble Gentleman, and one of his Majesties Commissioners, who coming for England in Anno Dom. 1668 as I take it, surrendered the Government to Colonel Lovelace.

The Countrey here is bless'd with the richest soil in all New-England, I have heard it reported from men of Judgement and Integrity, that one Bushel of European-Wheat hath yielded a hundred in one year. Their other Commodities are Furs, and the like.

New-York is situated at the mouth of the great River Mohegan, and is built with Dutch Brick alla-moderna, the meanest house therein being valued at One hundred pounds, to the Landward it is compassed with a Wall of good thickness; at the entrance of the River is an Island well fortified, and hath command of any Ship that shall attempt to pass without their leave.

Albany is situated upon the same River on the West-side, and is due North from New-York somewhat above Fifty miles.

Along the Sea-side Eastward are many English-Towns, as first Westchester, a Sea-Town about Twenty miles from New-York; to the Eastward of this is Greenwich, another Sea-Town much about the same distance; then Chichester, Fairfield, Stratford, Milford, all Sea-Towns twenty and thirty mile distant from one another, twenty miles Eastward of Milford is Newhaven the Metropolis of the Colony begun in 1637. One Mr. Eaton being there Governour; it is near to the shoals of Cape-Cod, and is one of the four united Colonies.

The next Sea-Town Eaftward of Newhaven is called Guilford about ten mile, and I think belonging to that Colony.

From Guilford to Connecticut-River, is near upon twenty miles, the fresh River Connecticut bears the name of another Colony begun in the year 1636 and is also one of the four united Colonies. Upon this River are situated 13 Towns, within two, three & four miles off one another. At the mouth of the River, on the West-side is the Lord-Say, and Brooks fort, called Saybrook-fort. Beyond this Northward is the Town of Windsor, then Northampton, then Pinsers-house. On the Eastside of the River, Hartford, about it low land well stored with meadow and very fertile. Wethersfield is also situated upon Connecticut River and Springfield; but this Town although here seated is in the jurisdiction of the Mattachusets, and hath been infamous by reason of Witches therein. Hadley lyes to the Northward of Springfield. New-London which I take to be in the jurisdiction of this Coloney is situated to the Eastward of Connecticut River by a small River, and is not far from the Sea. From Connecticut-River long-Island stretcheth itself to Mohegan one hundred and twenty miles, but it is but narrow and about sixteen miles from the main; the considerablest Town upon it is Southampton built on the Southside of the Island towards the Eastern end: opposite to this on the Northernside is Feversham, Westward is Ashford, Huntingdon, &c. The Island is well stored with Sheep and other Cattle, and Corn, and is reasonable populous. Between this Island and the mouth of Connecticut-River lyeth three small Islands, Shelter-Island, Fishers-Island, and the Isle of Wight. Over against New-London full South lyeth Block-Island.

The next place of note on the Main is Narragansets-Bay, within which Bay is Rhode Island a Harbour for the Shunamitish Brethren, as the Saints Errant, the Quakers who are rather to be esteemed Vagabonds, than Religious persons, &c.

At the further end of the Bay by the mouth of Narragansets-River, on the South-side thereof was old Plimouth plantation Anno 1602. Twenty mile out to Sea, South of Rhode-Island, lyeth Martins vineyard in the way to Virginia, this Island is governed by a discreet Gentleman Mr. Mayhew by name. To the Eastward of Martin's vinyard lyeth Nantocket-Island, and further Eastward Elizabeths-Island, these Islands are twenty or thirty mile asunder, and now we are come to Cape-Cod.

Cape-Cod was .so called at the first by Captain Gosnold and his Company Anno Dom. 1602, because they took much of that fish there; and afterward was called Cape-James by Captain Smith: the point of the Cape is called Point-Cave and Tuckers Terror, and by the French and Dutch Mallacar, by reason of the perillous shoals. The first place to be taken notice of on the South-side of the Cape is Wests-Harbour, the first Sea-Town Sandwich formerly called Duxbury in the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth. Doubling the Cape we come into the great Bay, on the West whereof is New-Plimouth-Bay, on the Southwest-end of this Bay is situated New-Plimouth, the first English-Colony that took firm possession in this Countrey, which was in 1620, and the first Town built therein, whose longitude is 315 degrees, in latitude 41 degrees and 37 minutes, it was built nine years before any other Town, from the beginning of it to 1669 is just forty years, in which time there hath been an increasing of forty Churches in this Colony (but many more in the rest,) and Towns in all New-England one hundred and twenty, for the most part along the Sea-Coasts, (as being wholsomest) for somewhat more than two hundred miles: onely on Connecticut-River (as I have said) is thirteen Towns not far off one another.

Source: Overview by Bryan Wright

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