Remembering

[mooncusser]

The book Flaptail recommended, The Eduring Shore, is a very good read. You'll learn that the Pilgrims were about 150 years behind the first white men to have hit the shores of the Cape and Islands(some say the Vikings had been here almost 1,000 years earlier). When a small group of Pilgrims first encountered the Natives (after rowing a dory from P-town to Eastham) one of the Natives was wearing leather shoes with brass buckles, and an overcoat. The arrival of the Pilgrims was the beginning of the end for the Indians, but hardly the beginning of the white man's arrival on the Cape and Islands.

[pmueller]

there's another good book, Cape Cod by a guy named William Martin.
Good book, reads like a Mitchener novel. Mixes history with modern day fiction.
Gets into the Murder on the Mayflower and the cover up that was involved. Along with some items that were found at the Corn Hill site and who was best to keep these items. One item taken from corn hill was an axe that was in the grave of the man with golden hair. Obviously a decendent of Norsemen.
It weaves the history in and out from past to present scandals on the Cape. Real estate scandels etc.,the with of Billingsgate is mentioned anlong with goody Hallet.

[Backbeach Jake]

Martin's "Cape Cod" is a great read. My favorite part is where some Truro boys, who are enjoying a couple of nights in the "big city" Boston are Shanghiaed by the Brits during the War of 1812. By the Somerset. ( Paul Revere rowed stealithly past it prior to his ride). As the Somerset sailed past the back beach of Truro the lads said that they could be dropped off right here. When they were informed that they were in His Magestry's Navy, they grounded the Somerset. It sits at Peaked Hill Bar to this day. Oh yeah the British were marched all the way back to Boston by the good citizens of Truro at the tines of pitchforks.

[Squid kids Dad]

All these books are gonna make good winter reading..thanks

[Backbeach Jake]

When the Pilgrims were "finding" corn at Corn Hill they also found a blonde body dressed in European sailor's clothes and an iron pot. There was also the remains of a fort at the mouth of the Pamet River. I have a Smithsonian Magazine around here that tells of a French crew that was washed ashore at Long Point and probably built that fort. They were picked off one at a time and paraded as prizes up and down the Cape. And tortured at various villages. Mostly as an act of revenge for the havoc that Cpt. John Smith's previous visit had caused. Rampant disease that nearly wiped out the Natives, and slaving, Natives were taken and sold by Smith's Captain. One of the natives being Squanto, who not only helped the Pilgrims survive their first year, but had been to Europe and back. Twice. And who also was vieing for power against Massasoit. The Plymouth Pilgrims were not the first attempt at colonizing New England btw, there was a failed attempt in Maine almost 20 years prior. This story is not all tall hats, big buckles, and turkeys. It is worthy of serious study.

[chris L]

im related to the guy that scraped the barnacles off the bottom of the mayflower . his name was Bill Bailey , he had a nickname
"barnacle bill the sailor"