THE PILQRIMS "FIRST THINGS" IN THE PILGRIM STORY

FIRST LANDING THE FIRST SERMON HE passengers 011 the first The first sermon preached before the Pil­ sighted , November 19, grims in the New World was delivered by T1620. Two days later, while the ves­ Reverend , in January, sel was at anchor in Cape Cod harbor, the 1621, on the "Sin and Danger of Self­ Fathers signed the Compact. On Novem­ Love." On this Sunday the company all ber 25th the first exploring party left the came ashore for the first time, and met in ship and made their the new "common way in a small boat to house," thefirst build­ a place on the main­ ing erected for public land near the site of use in New England. Provincetown, Mas­ The first edifice sachusetts. During a erected in later expedition, on exclusively for church December 18th, Cap­ f worship rose on the tain Standish and hill a quarter of a seventeen companions century later. had their first en­ The first meeting counter with Indians. called to mature plans Shot and arrows were for the formal defense exchanged for the first of New Plymouth was time in the land held February 27, called New England, 1621. Miles Standish

near the town now ELDER BREWSTER'S CHAIR AND THE CRADLE OF was appointed chief named Eastham. The in command. The same party spent their Pilgrim settlers first first Sunday on New England soil on Clark's sowed gardens in their new home in Island, December 20th. On the next day, March, and in that same month they known to posterity as "Forefathers' Day"— received the first of many friendly visits the third exploring party landed on the shore from natives, led by the educated chief, of Flymouth harbor, and searched the . Governor Carver, who died in coast for a suitable place for a settlement. April, 1621, was the first of the colony's On the occasion of the landing, Mary Chil­ leaders to succumb to the dread malady ton, springing ahead of the others in the that carried off so many of the Pilgrim shallop, tradition says, stepped first on families in that year of 1620­1621. Gov­ , thus establishing her ernor Bradford was his successor. claim to fame as the first woman to put foot on the historic boulder. FIRST EXPORT CARGO On the first anniversary of the Pilgrims' TIIE FIRST BABY arrival they rejoiced in the sight of eleven The first baby born after the Mayflower buildings on the hill where they had chosen reached America was Peregrine (Pilgrim) to dwell. In November, 1621, the first White, who came into the world during a vessel after the Mayflower to come from raging snowstorm, on board the historic England entered the harbor—the Fortune, vessel, December 7th. He was a little over with thirty­five passengers. On the very two weeks old when his birth­ship left night after these later Pilgrims had landed Cape Cod and entered Plymouth harbor. a child was born to goodwife Ford. The second day of the New Year, prepara­ The Fortune carried back the first cargo tions were begun for building a shelter on shipped overseas by the colonists—beaver shore, the exact spot selected being the rise skins in great quantity, sassafras and tim­ now known as Burial Hill. The first guns ber; but was overhauled by a French man­ for the defense of the colony were mounted of­war and her cargo confiscated before on the hill in March, 1621. The first build­ reaching England. So ended the first ings erected were the "common house" effort of the Fathers to trade with the and the fort­meetinghouse. mother country. 30