rthy and the captain refused
to go on, so a second time the little flotilla put back to Plymouth.
This time, since the season was far advanced and the Pilgrims feared
that winter would be upon them before they could get established in
their new home, the _Speedwell_ was left behind, and on September 16,
1620, the _Mayflower_ left alone for the New World. Halfway across the
ocean the ship was beset by a long series of storms, so severe that it
took more than two months for the ship to make the trip across the
Atlantic. At last, on the morning of November 20, 1620, the ship's
company were awakened by the electric cry of--

VOICE

Land--ho! Land--land--ho!

JONES [_calling_]

Where away?

VOICE

Two points off the starboard bow!

MOB [_voices swelling up_]

Land! Land! Is it really land? Captain, Captain! Have we really made
land? Land? [_etc._]

JONES

Aye, we've made land! Helmsman, bring the ship to bear on land, dead
ahead!

VOICE

Aye, aye, sir, land dead ahead.

CARVER [_coming up_]

Ah, Captain Jones, at last!

JONES

Aye, at last--land ahead!

CARVER

Praise Jehovah!

ALL

Praise Jehovah! Amen! [_etc._]

CARVER

Captain, tell us, is this Virginia that lies before us?

JONES

I know not; I've not yet taken our bearings.

CARVER

Do you not know where we are?

JONES

How should I? We've been tossed about in storms for a month, with no
sun for days on end.

CARVER

There is sun this morning. Can you not take your bearings now?

JONES

The mate is figuring our position even now.

CARVER

Good!

VOICE

Captain Jones?

JONES

Aye, mate, have you the position?

VOICE

I made it, sir, about seventy west by forty-two north.

CARVER

Forty-two north--but, Captain, we are bound for forty north--we're out
of our course.

JONES

What do you expect--with the storms we've had?

CARVER

Put your ship about--make for the south--this is not Virginia!

JONES

We'll land here.

CARVER

We have no right to land here. Our charter grants us land in Virginia,
not here!

JONES

I can't help that. The ship is in bad shape--I won't risk sailing her
any farther without repairs.

CARVER

Very well, you may stop here for repairs, but we must go on as soon as
they are made.

JONES

It will take some time.

CARVER

My people will help you. We must speed the work.

JONES

Of course, I'll speed it all I can, but a man can't do any more than
he can do