Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin ! Three Visits to Early Plymouth:

EMMANUEL ALTHAM (1600–1635/1636): A GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER

Now we move on to the four letters written by Emmanuel Altham (1600—1635/36) from New England describing his visits there during the years from 1623 to 1625.

Emmanuel Altham was born into a gentlemanly English family with strong ties to commerce and the legal profession rather than the aristocracy. As a younger son, he inherited little wealth and few prospects at home. Defying his family’s expectations, he sought adventure and fortune through overseas trade. He became an investor and agent for the Company of Adventurers for New Plymouth and emerged as a passionate supporter of the colony. Driven by ideals of honour and a romanticized view of commerce, he helped sustain English backing for the Pilgrims, even when profits were limited and conditions in the colony were harsh.

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin ! Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
John Pory continues about the local people:
“The people seem to be of one race with those in Virginia, both in respect of their qualities and language. They are great lovers of their children and people, and very revengeful of wrongs offered. They make their canoes, their arrows, their bows, their to***co pipes and other their implements far more neat and artificially than in those parts. They dress, also, and paint leather; and make trousers, buskins, shoes with far greater curiosity.”

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin ! Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
Pory describes in his letter of 1622 that a wealth of rich minerals, with silver and copper believed to be the most abundant, were surmised to lie hidden within an endless expanse of rocks and from these rocks, pure, delicate streams of water flowed. These things, combined with the temperate air, made the place remarkably healthy during the summer months. He says that while he was there, he did not witness a single person fall ill, except for a scoundrel who met his end aboard the Bona Nova, dying as he had lived: in madness. However, the air could be too cold even in summer and was often plagued by fogs and mists when the wind blew from the east.

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin ! Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
Pory writes, “Now, as concerning the soil, it is all along, as far as I could perceive, rocky, rough and uneven; and, that as I hear, from a little on this side [of] Cape Cod as far as to Newfoundland, being all along the sea coast a labyrinth of innumerable islands or broken lands rent in sunder by intricate channels, rivers and arms of the sea. Upon these rocky grounds do grow naturally fir, spruce, birch and other trees, and in some open places abundance of rasps, gooseberries, hurts and such fruit; in other places, high rank grass for the grazing of cattle, to make hay withal; as likewise, great plenty of pease like our English pease, growing naturally without any tilth. Upon these rocky places, there is passing good soil, yet culturable with hoe and spade rather than with the plow.”

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin ! Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
The next letter contained in the book, “Three Visitors to Early Plymouth”, was written by John Pory to the Governor of Virginia, Sir Francis Wyatt in the autumn of 1622.
Here is a summary in modern-day English of the first part of his letter:
People think that fish are not always available here year-round, but experience has proven otherwise. For example, during the two months when cod (which can only be caught during the day) are not biting, there are other excellent fish called hake that can be caught at night. Fishing spots along this coast are plentiful. One man, John Gibbs, who traveled several times between here and New Plymouth this summer, found that no matter where he cast his hook, he could catch plenty of good fish. Based on his success, many plan to fish further southwest next year.
Cape Cod earns its name for a reason—one small boat’s catch could likely feed the entire New Plymouth colony for a year. There are also plenty of fish to the east and north of this area, as well as to the south and west. While some question whether cod are found to the south of here, a Flemish navigator has marked a place about 15 leagues west of Elizabeth’s Island, which he calls Cod Island, as a promising fishing spot.

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin ! Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
The Plymouth settlers maintain peaceful relations, John Pory writes in his January 1622 letter to the Earl of Southampton, with neighboring Indigenous groups, including those from Cohasset, Massachusetts, Pocanocket, Pamet, Nauset, and Capawack, despite Capawack’s hostility toward other English because of past abuses by Captain Hunt. The pilgrims’ fairness and refusal to tolerate mistreatment of the local people fosters goodwill. However, they remain vigilant, guarding against threats day and night. When the Narragansett tribe, possibly influenced by French or Flemish forces, sent a snake’s skin filled with arrows as a challenge, the settlers responded by returning it filled with shot and powder, signaling their readiness to defend themselves. This display deterred further aggression.

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin !
Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
John Pory describes in his January 1622 letter that the settlers in this area are noted for their moral character and industriousness which contrasts with perceived vices in the Southern Colony. Their efforts are evident in their well-built structures, including a sturdy palisade enclosing the town, and a blockhouse on the highest point, equipped with ordnance to oversee and protect the harbour.

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin !
Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
Regarding fruit found around Plymouth, Pory writes that there are common varieties such as raspberries, cherries, gooseberries, strawberries, and plums and the region has five distinct types of grapes. These grapes have a muscatel flavour and are larger and more attractive than any that Pory had seen in the South Colony. He contemplates that if transplanted to a southern climate, they would likely thrive even more. He writes, “The wine vines can rival those of Martha’s Vineyard, which I believe lies south of the 40th parallel and could become a paradise for anyone able to cultivate and control it.”

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin !
Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
Quoting from John Pory’s letter dated January 13, 1622 describing early Plymouth: “From the beginning of September till the end of March, their bay in a manner is covered with all sorts of water fowl, in such sort of swarms and multitudes as is rather admirable than credible. The reasons of their continual plenty for those seven months in the year may be their continual tranquility of the place, being guarded on all sides from the fury of the storms; as also the abundance of food they find at low water, the bottom of the bay then appearing as a green meadow; and lastly, the number of freshets running into the bay, where after their powdered salads, their brackish shellfish and other cates [specialties], they may refresh and quench their thirst. And therefore, this bay is such a pond for fowl as in any man’s knowledge of our nation that hath seen it, all America hath not the like.”

This week sees the next instalment in this new series of Wayback Wednesday articles from our Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants' Surgeon General, Dr. Carol Martin !
Three Visits to Early Plymouth:
John Pory describes that the mussels and clams are abundant year-round and provide a reliable food source even in times of scarcity. While oysters are absent near the settlement, the Massachusetts area reports having extraordinarily large ones, that the locals describe as being massive and potentially containing valuable pearls. However, these claims have not been verified because of the captain’s other priorities.