large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_11_edwards_64kb_14
large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_11_edwards_64kb
English
8677
At this point the Pilgrims looked with less favorable eyes upon newcomers into the harbor, and when shortly after two ships appeared bringing sixty more men from Weston, consternation reigned. These emigrants were supposed to get their own food from their own vessels and merely lodge on shore, but they proved a lawless set and stole so much green corn that it seriously reduced the next year's supply. After six weeks, however, these uninvited guests took themselves off to Wessagusset (now Weymouth) leaving their sick behind, and only the briefest of "thank you's." AT THIS POINT THE PILGRIMS LOOKED WITH LESS FAVORABLE EYES UPON NEW COMERS INTO THE HARBOR AND WHEN SHORTLY AFTER TWO SHIPS APPEARED BRINGING SIXTY MORE MEN FROM WESTON CONSTERNATION REIGNED THESE EMIGRANTS WERE SUPPOSED TO GET THEIR OWN FOOD FROM THEIR OWN VESSELS AND MERELY LODGE ON SHORE BUT THEY PROVED A LAWLESS SET AND STOLE SO MUCH GREEN CORN THAT IT SERIOUSLY REDUCED THE NEXT YEAR'S SUPPLY AFTER SIX WEEKS HOWEVER THESE UNINVITED GUESTS TOOK THEMSELVES OFF TO WEST AGAZIT NOW WEYMOUTH LEAVING THEIR SICK BEHIND AND ONLY THE BRIEFEST OF THANK YOUS
f forgot, half forgave, the sting of Weston's reproof. Again they gazed out and waited for a sail; again England seemed very far away. So, doubtless, in the spring, when a shallop appeared from a fishing vessel, they all eagerly hurried down to greet it. But if the Fortune had been like a rich and disagreeable aunt, this new visitation was like an influx of small, unruly cousins. And such hungry cousins! Weston had sent seven men to stay with them until arrangements could be made for another settlement. New Englanders are often criticized for their lack of hospitality, and in this first historic case of unexpected guests the larder was practically bare. Crops were sown, to be sure, but not yet green; the provisions in the store-house were gone; it was not the season for wild fowl; although there were bass in the outer harbor and cod in the bay there was neither tackle nor nets to take them. However, the seven men were admitted, and given shellfish like the rest--and very little beside. N TIME THE PILGRIMS HALF FORGOT HALF FORGAVE THE STING OF WESTERN'S REPROOF AGAIN THEY GAZED OUT AND WAITED FOR A SAIL AGAIN ENGLAND SEEMED VERY FAR AWAY SO DOUBTLESS IN THE SPRING WHEN A SHALLOP APPEARED FROM A FISHING VESSEL THEY ALL EAGERLY HURRIED DOWN TO GREET IT BUT IF THE FORTUNE HAD BEEN LIKE A RICH AND DISAGREEABLE AUNT THIS NEW VISITATION WAS LIKE AN INFLUX OF SMALL UNRULY COUSINS AND SUCH HUNGRY COUSINS WESTON HAD SENT SEVEN MEN TO STAY WITH THEM UNTIL ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE MADE FOR ANOTHER SETTLEMENT NEW ENGLANDERS ARE OFTEN CRITICIZED FOR THEIR LACK OF HOSPITALITY AND IN THIS FIRST HISTORIC CASE OF UNEXPECTED GUESTS THE LARDER WAS PRACTICALLY BARE CROPS WERE SOWN TO BE SURE BUT NOT YET GREEN THE PROVISIONS IN THE STOREHOUSE WERE GONE IT WAS NOT THE SEASON FOR WILD FOWL ALTHOUGH THERE WERE BATHS IN THE OUTER HARBOUR AND COD IN THE BAY THERE WAS NEITHER TACKLE NOR NETS TO TAKE THEM HOWEVER THE SEVEN MEN WERE ADMITTED AND GIVEN SHELL FISH LIKE THE REST AND VERY LITTLE BESIDES
large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_11_edwards_64kb
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