It was the original intention of the emigrants to establish themselves in the district of Virginia, but stress of weather, or the ignorance of the pilot, or as some say the treachery of the captain of the Mayflower, who was bribed by the Dutch to take the vessel north of their plantation, or more probably the overruling hand of Providence, they now found themselves, at the commencement of winter, on a bleak, barren and unknown coast, which the inclement season forbade them to leave. On Saturday, the 13th of November, the “people went ashore to refresh themselves, the whales playing round about them; and they being obliged to wade a bowshot or two to get to land, which was covered with snow, and the weather being freezing, many took grievous colds and coughs which ere long caused their death. Death was their welcome to this dreary coast, which thus was early hallowed by the graves of their friends. After resting on the sabbath-day, sixteen of their company again went on shore, well armed, to search for a convenient place of settlement. Many days were thus spent to no purpose, during which they suffered greatly, lodging in the woods and travelling over dreary country among Indian graves, into which they dug, and finding several baskets full of Indian corn, carried them away with them, and this served as seed-corn for the next harvest.” On the 27th they proceeded into Cape Cod Bay; again landed, but it blew, snowed and froze all day and night; the ground was hard frozen and covered many inches deep with snow; they were tired with travelling up and down the steep hills and valleys; they dug in divers places, “but found no more corn, nor any thing else but graves.” What an omen this for the superstitious, if there were any such among them! Two Indian wigwams they saw, but no natives; and thus, with nothing comfortable to relate, they returned on the 1st of December to their ship. In the midst of these dreary prospects it is recorded that Mrs. Susanna White was delivered of a son, the first-born of European parentage in New England. He was called Peregrine, and lived to be eighty-four. In the meantime death was busy in the little company, and the next entry after this birth records four deaths.