Standish, with the others, went back to the _Mayflower_ with a good
report. They had found just what they wanted,--an excellent harbor
where ships from England could come in; a brook of nice
drinking-water; and last of all, a piece of land that was nearly free
from trees, so that nothing would hinder their planting corn early
in the spring. Captain John Smith of Virginia[7] had been there
before them, and had named the place Plymouth on his map of New
England. The Pilgrims liked the name, and so made up their minds to
keep it. The _Mayflower_ soon sailed for Plymouth, and the Pilgrims
set to work to build the log cabins of their little settlement.

[Illustration: THE _Mayflower_ IN PLYMOUTH HARBOR.]

[Footnote 6: Manomet (Man'o-met).]

[Footnote 7: See paragraph 46.]


67. Sickness and death.--During that winter nearly half the Pilgrims
died. Captain Standish showed himself to be as good a nurse as he
was a soldier. He, with Governor Carver and their minister, Elder
Brewster, cooked, washed, waited on the sick, and did everything that
kind hearts and willing hands could to help their suffering friends.
But the men who had begun to build houses had to stop that work to
dig graves. When these graves were filled, they were smoothed down
flat so that no prowling Indian should count them and see how few
white men there were left.


68. Samoset,[8] Squanto,[9] and Massasoit[10] visit the