of many a hard brunte, we sought out
in the foule winter a place of habitation. Then we went in so tedious a
time to make provission to sheelter us and our goods, about w^{ch}
labour, many of our armes & leggs can tell us to this day we were not
necligent. But it pleased God to vissite us then, with death dayly, and
with so generall a disease, that the living were scarce able to burie
the dead; and y^e well not in any measure sufficiente to tend y^e sick.
And now to be so greatly blamed, for not fraighting y^e ship, doth
indeed goe near us, and much discourage us. But you say you know we will
pretend weaknes; and doe you think we had not cause? Yes, you tell us
you beleeve it, but it was more weaknes of judgmente, then of hands. Our
weaknes herin is great we confess, therfore we will bear this check
patiently amongst y^e rest, till God send us wiser men. But they which
tould you we spent so much time in discoursing & consulting, &c., their
harts can tell their toungs, they lye. They cared not, so they might
salve their owne sores, how they wounded others."

Two problems quickly confronted the new chief magistrate, and they were
surely serious enough: the problem of a bare subsistence, and of
defense against hostile invasion by the natives.

New Plymouth was not new as a plantation. This was the site of the
Indian village of Patuxet, whose occupants had worked its somewhat
restricted area of tillage, until about four years previously, when they
and other settlements of the aborigines were desolated by plague. A
survivor of these Patuxets, Tisquantum or Squanto, showed himself to the
Englishmen, and became their valued friend and helper. Doubtless glad to
return to his old home, he instructed the colonists in the cultivation
of the maize, or Indian corn, an indigenous American product which has
become appreciated over the world wherever it thrives. It was the
Pilgrims' dependence, and a staple article of trade. The wheat and peas
they brought with them failed, and without the corn, threatening
starvation must soon have closed their career. As it was, during the
first two years they had a veritable battle for existence. Though
distemper did not return to them after the horrors of the first winter,
they became emaciated under reduced rations; but regulations in severity
here were merciful, saving the Colony from annihilation, from one
planting time to another.

Squanto lightened this task of the authorities by his lesson