Having now made some progress with their affairs at home, it was thought advisable to send a deputation to their new friend Massasoyt, and to bestow upon him some gratuity to bind him faster to them; also at the same time to view the country, and see in what manner he lived, what strength he had about him, and what was the way to his place, if at any time they should have need. So on July 2nd they sent Mr. Edward Winslow and Mr. Hopkins, with the aforesaid Squanto for their guide. They gave Massasoyt a suit of clothes, and a horseman’s coat, with some other small things, which were kindly accepted, though they found but short commons, and came home both weary and hungry. The Indians in those times did not have nearly so much corn as they have had since the English supplied them with hoes, and set them an example by their industry in preparing new ground therewith. Massasoyt’s place was found to be forty miles off and the soil good. But his people had died in great numbers during the recent plague throughout these parts, about three years before the coming of the English. Thousands of them died, until the living were not able to bury the dead, and their skulls and bones were found in many places lying still above ground, where their houses and dwelling places had been,—a very sad spectacle. But they brought word that the Narragansetts lived just on the other side of the great bay, and were a strong, populous tribe living close together, and had not been attacked by this wasting plague. About the latter end of this month one John Billington lost himself in the woods, and wandered up and down for about five days, living on berries and what he could find. At length he came across an Indian plantation, twenty miles to the south, called Manamet. They conveyed him further off to Nauset, among the Indians who had set upon the landing party when they were coasting and whilst their ship lay at the Cape, as before noted. But the Governor caused him to be enquired for among the Indians, and at length Massasoyt sent word where he was, and the Governor sent a shallop for him, and had him delivered. The Indians there also came and made their peace and full satisfaction was given by the settlers to those whose corn they had found and taken when they were at Cape Cod.