The Sufferings Of The Pilgrims

THE SUFFERINGS OF THE PILGRIMS

The sufferings of these pilgrims has been a theme often repeated and yet it remains an amazing story. Within three months of the Mayflower landing in December 1620, only about fifty of the original hundred survived. Their graves had to be unmarked and grassed over to prevent the Indians discovering how weak the survivors were numerically. Most died from illness, others went more tragically. Together through several years this little band faced danger, toil and famine. "I have seen men stagger," says Winslow, "by reason of faintness for want of food." And yet in the midst of it all there was no spirit of murmuring and discontent.