The Voyage
The Coming of the Mayflower
N.C. Wyeth (1882–1945)
" They were encountred many times with crosse winds, and mette with many fierce storms, with which ye ship was shroudly shaken... "
–William Bradford
The Mayflower and Speedwell twice set sail from England but were forced to return because the Speedwell leaked. After the second return, the Speedwell was deemed unseaworthy, although no specific leak was found. A significant reorganization of the voyage followed.
On September 6, 1620, 102 passengers and 25 to 30 crew members crowded aboard the Mayflower and set sail again, a month behind schedule. They left behind some passengers and vital supplies and would cross the Atlantic Ocean at the height of the storm season.
The Mayflower was a modest merchant ship built to carry crew and cargo rather than people. It featured no passenger cabins, beds, dining rooms, or toilets, and lacked adequate ventilation. The passengers were confined to the "gun deck," which measured about five and a half feet tall, preventing anyone taller from standing upright. At that time, all vessels were cargo ships; the concept of dedicated passenger ships would not emerge for another two hundred years.
The sixty-six day voyage was highly eventful. A baby was born, a young passenger died, and a male passenger fell overboard, requiring a dramatic rescue. During one severe storm, the main mast cracked and bowed, casting doubt on the ship's fate. Fortunately, the passengers had brought along a large iron screw, which the crew used to jack the beam back into place and reinforce it. Furthermore, the seas were frequently turbulent, leaving the relentlessly cold and wet passengers to suffer from seasickness, scurvy, dehydration, and hunger.
On November 9, the ship sighted American land, bringing great joy to everyone on board. However, as they approached the upper end of Cape Cod, they realized they were north of the territory where King James had authorized them to settle. After deliberating with the shipmaster, the Mayflower changed direction to sail south along the coast toward its intended destination.
Within a day, joy turned to terror as treacherous shoals and crashing waves threatened to splinter the ship. Unable to continue south and facing harsh winter weather, dwindling food and water supplies, and rampant illness, they had no choice. The crew reversed course and sailed back to the safety of Cape Cod to find a place to settle.
The Arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers
by Antonio Gisbert, c. 1864
DID YOU KNOW?
By the time the Pilgrims left England, they had already been living on board the ship for over a month.
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The Mayflower was known as a "sweet ship" because it was used to haul wine, but the sweet aroma would have worn off quickly with so many seasick passengers on board.
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Ship Master Christopher Jones owned the Mayflower with three other investors.
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In the 17th century, navy ship commanders were called captains, while merchant ship commanders were called masters.
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The Mayflower was designed for short cargo trips along the European coast, making it poorly suited for a brutal, two-month voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
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Some of the Speedwell crew later confessed to plotting a fake leak to abandon the voyage. Indeed, the ship went on to make many successful commercial voyages after it returned to England.
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The Pilgrims set sail just four years after William Shakespeare died.
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Beer was the main beverage on the ship, even for children, because it stayed fresh and clean much longer than water.
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At least two dogs sailed on the Mayflower: a Mastiff and an English Springer Spaniel.
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A few lucky passengers slept in suspended hammocks, but most slept on the hard deck floor.
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The Pilgrims mostly stayed below on their dark, windowless deck because the crew was afraid they would get swept overboard.
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With no bathrooms on the merchant ship, the passengers had to relieve themselves in shared buckets below deck.
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One arrogant sailor constantly mocked the seasick Pilgrims, telling them he couldn't wait to throw their dead bodies overboard. Ironically, he was the first person to die and be buried at sea.
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Very few women had traveled across the Atlantic to North America before 1620.
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There were 18 married women onboard, three of whom were in their final trimester of pregnancy.
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John Howland was swept overboard during a violent storm, but miraculously grabbed a trailing rope in the water and held on long enough to be rescued with a boat hook.
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The passengers ate salted meat and "hardtack," a rock-hard dry biscuit, at almost every meal.
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The mischievous Francis Billington nearly blew up the ship when he fired a musket inside a cabin, setting off a gunpowder flash right next to an open keg of powder. Fortunately, no permanent damage was done.
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The baby born at sea was fittingly named Oceanus.
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