On the 5th of August, the two ships, the Speedwell and Mayflower, set sail from Southampton, but had not proceeded far before the smaller vessel, belying her name, proved leaky, and both returned to Dartmouth for her repair. Again they weighed anchor, and having advanced about one hundred leagues beyond the Land’s-End, the captain of the Speedwell, either having lost courage or the ship being really unseaworthy, declared that they must return or sink. They returned to Plymouth, and however grievous and discouraging it was, determined to part with the ship and all those whose hearts failed them, and taking in the rest, with such provisions as they could well stow in the larger vessel, resolved to proceed on the voyage alone. After another sad parting the Mayflower again set sail, having on board 101 souls, not alone resolute men, but brave-hearted women, their wives, some far advanced in pregnancy, children and infants. A richer freight, fraught with more momentous consequences to humanity, never crossed the ocean. Midway on the Atlantic they encountered fierce storms, which so much damaged the ship, that their arrival on the other side seemed hardly possible. “But a passenger having brought a great iron screw from Holland, they with it raised the beam into its place, and then, committing themselves to the Divine will, proceeded.” On the 10th of November, after a voyage of sixty-three days, they entered the harbour of Cape Cod, when, falling on their knees they blessed God for having brought them safely across the great waters. Far-seeing and prudent as well as religious in all their actions, and in order to avoid any after dissatisfaction, they did not leave the ship until they had formed themselves into a body-politic, by a solemn contract, to which they set their hands. “In the name of God, amen,” says this remarkable document, the register of the birth of popular, constitutional liberty in the New World, “we, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign King James, having undertaken, for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage, to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body-politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furthering of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof, to enact, constitute and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most convenient for the general good of the colony. Unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.” This instrument being signed by forty-one persons as representatives of their families and descendants, John Carver, “a pious and well-approved gentleman,” was chosen their governor for the first year.