It was afterwards found that the leakiness of the ship was partly caused by being overmasted and too much pressed with sail; for after she was sold and put into trim she made many voyages, to the profit of her owners. But it was partly due to the cunning and deceit of the captain and his crew, who had been hired to stay a whole year at the Settlement, and now, fearing want of victuals, they plotted this stratagem to free themselves, as was afterwards confessed by some of them. Yet in order to encourage the captain the majority of those who had come from Leyden had been put aboard this ship, to content him. But so strong was self-love that he forgot all duty and former kindnesses, and dealt thus falsely with them, though he pretended otherwise. Amongst those who returned was Mr. Cushman and his family, whose heart and courage had failed them before. He was assistant to Mr. Martin, who was governor in the bigger ship. I insert here a passionate letter he wrote to a friend in London from Dartmouth, whilst the ship lay there mending, which, besides the expression of his own fears, shows how the providence of God was working for their good beyond man’s expectations, and other things concerning their condition in these straits. And though it discloses some infirmities in him (as who under temptation is free), he afterwards continued to be a special instrument for their good, and performed the offices of a loving friend and faithful brother to them, and was a partaker of much comfort with them. _Robert Cushman at Dartmouth to Edward Southworth, at Heanage House, Duke’s Place, London._ Loving Friend, My most kind remembrances to you and your wife, with loving E. M., etc., whom in this world I never look to see again. For beside the imminent dangers of this voyage, which are no less than deadly, an infirmity has seized me which will not in all likelihood leave me till death. What to call it I know not; but it is, as it were, a bundle of lead crushing my heart more and more these fourteen days, so that though I perform the actions of a living man I am but as dead; but the will of God be done.