Journal Entry #1 Aboarding the Mayflower!
9/6/1620
Dear Diary,
Hello. My name is Priscilla Mullins and I am eighteen years old. Today is a very exciting day! Me and my family Joseph (my brother), Alice (my mother), and William (my father) are boarding the great Mayflower. Originally, the voyage was supposed to be journeyed by two ships. The Speedwell ship had something wrong with it so all passengers had to stay in the Mayflower. She is quite big compared to other ships I have seen and is a magnificent work of art! The many strangers around us start to push us around and soon Joseph is lost in the crowd. We frantically search for him and I catch a quick glimpse of his face. As I rush to him, I see that he is being pushed around like Anne my old ragdoll when Elias the dog plays with her and I immediately feel frightened and angered. I grab his hand and take him back to Mother and Father. We all sigh in relief. Joseph is fifteen and insists that he is old enough to take care of himself but I disagree. I am his older sister so I must care for him and make sure he is safe. As we all rejoice, I see an adorable kitten slip through the legs of people like an agile snake slithering through the branches of a tree. I remember father telling me that there were many cats and kittens aboard the ship to rid the rats. We continue to walk towards the ship so we can get to where we are staying. I am not sure what to expect when we get to our rooms. I hope there will be separate rooms. Finally, we are aboard the ship. A man leads us to where we are staying and says "welcome to the Tween Decks, this is where all the passengers are staying". I suddenly realize that all the passengers are staying in one room! There are over 100 passengers here. We all find a place to stay and start to unpack my stuff. The place was very small for all the passengers to fit in, very smelly, and very dirty. Each of us brought a chest full of our belongings. I brought a small pouch of salt, a extra pair of shoes, peas, water, cheese, some clothing, household items like plates and woodenspoons, a monmouth cap, and much more. The five most important items I brought are probably water so I will not become thirsty, dried beef for food, blankets and rugs for warmth and comfort, sewing needles so I can fix my clothes if they rip, and a bag of cloth so I can sew new clothes ( I was taught how to use a sewing needle when I was young) as well as use it for emergency blankets. I was in charge of bringing household items for the family to use. My mother was in charge of bringing food and bedding materials like canvas sheets, bolsters (pillows) filled with straw, and more blankets and rugs. Both my father and brother were in charge of bringing tools as well as some arms. After we all settled in we ate some cheese and got ready to go to bed. It was very crowded. The room was filed with strangers I needed to go bathroom so I looked around for the chamber pots. Finally, I found them but it turns out there was only one! When I came back I got comfortable and started laying down for bed. The boat started lurching as I fell asleep and I quickly told myself I would explore the ship tomorrow. Bye!
Hello. My name is Priscilla Mullins and I am eighteen years old. Today is a very exciting day! Me and my family Joseph (my brother), Alice (my mother), and William (my father) are boarding the great Mayflower. Originally, the voyage was supposed to be journeyed by two ships. The Speedwell ship had something wrong with it so all passengers had to stay in the Mayflower. She is quite big compared to other ships I have seen and is a magnificent work of art! The many strangers around us start to push us around and soon Joseph is lost in the crowd. We frantically search for him and I catch a quick glimpse of his face. As I rush to him, I see that he is being pushed around like Anne my old ragdoll when Elias the dog plays with her and I immediately feel frightened and angered. I grab his hand and take him back to Mother and Father. We all sigh in relief. Joseph is fifteen and insists that he is old enough to take care of himself but I disagree. I am his older sister so I must care for him and make sure he is safe. As we all rejoice, I see an adorable kitten slip through the legs of people like an agile snake slithering through the branches of a tree. I remember father telling me that there were many cats and kittens aboard the ship to rid the rats. We continue to walk towards the ship so we can get to where we are staying. I am not sure what to expect when we get to our rooms. I hope there will be separate rooms. Finally, we are aboard the ship. A man leads us to where we are staying and says "welcome to the Tween Decks, this is where all the passengers are staying". I suddenly realize that all the passengers are staying in one room! There are over 100 passengers here. We all find a place to stay and start to unpack my stuff. The place was very small for all the passengers to fit in, very smelly, and very dirty. Each of us brought a chest full of our belongings. I brought a small pouch of salt, a extra pair of shoes, peas, water, cheese, some clothing, household items like plates and woodenspoons, a monmouth cap, and much more. The five most important items I brought are probably water so I will not become thirsty, dried beef for food, blankets and rugs for warmth and comfort, sewing needles so I can fix my clothes if they rip, and a bag of cloth so I can sew new clothes ( I was taught how to use a sewing needle when I was young) as well as use it for emergency blankets. I was in charge of bringing household items for the family to use. My mother was in charge of bringing food and bedding materials like canvas sheets, bolsters (pillows) filled with straw, and more blankets and rugs. Both my father and brother were in charge of bringing tools as well as some arms. After we all settled in we ate some cheese and got ready to go to bed. It was very crowded. The room was filed with strangers I needed to go bathroom so I looked around for the chamber pots. Finally, I found them but it turns out there was only one! When I came back I got comfortable and started laying down for bed. The boat started lurching as I fell asleep and I quickly told myself I would explore the ship tomorrow. Bye!
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Journal Entry #2 Exploring the Mayflower!
9/7/1620
Dear Diary,
Today I am exploring the Mayflower! I asked Joseph if he wanted to come but he said he was going to try to find some friends for him to play with on this journey. Since my whole family are early risers, we are all up and eating by around 7:00. Right now, it is probably around 7:30. I am not sure. As I finish eating, I hug my parents and make my way out. There are many people still sleeping right now. The first place is the Tween Decks. It is where all us Pilgrims stay. Here it smells terrible, hardly has enough room for everyone, has only one chamber pot, has no privacy, and it is very dirty. The boat is slowly rocking back and forth as I tiptoe out trying to avoid stepping on anybody. As I start climbing up to the deck, I hear the crew of men shouting orders back and forth. This is a 17th century boat. It is quite chilly outside unlike the Tween Decks where many people are staying which help them to stay warm. I wish I brought a sweater to wear. " No worry" I whisper to myself. It will be much warmer when I explore the inside part of the ship. Up here on the decks, it is chilly and there are not many people other than the crew. I look over the edge of the railing and can see the crashing dark blue waves below. Before I came on to the ship, I briefly studied about it. The rigging was made up of six sails which I now can see. It is wind powered and works like a kite. It is quite fascinating to see all the workers up on the sails. During storms they clewed up (clipped up) the sails. I kept on walking and eventually came to the Fo'c'sle. The Fo'c'sle is also known as the Forecastle. It is the kitchen. I did not go inside but I slightly peered in. I was a tiny bit frightened since I did not know if I was allowed to be in this area. The cook was inside working hard preparing food. Some of the things they have in the kitchen are oatmeal, peas, pork, fish, cheese and other food that can be stored easily for long periods at sea. Next I moved on the Hold. The Hold was the storage room. It was where they kept food and supplies. Inside is 180 tons of large barrels. Some of the things in the hold are wine, water, sugar, spices, rice, oatmeal, meat, cheese, and pilgrim furniture and tools. After I stumbled on a bit longer I came to the Steerage. This was the room where the Helmsman steered the ship. As I peered inside I saw the Helmsman steer by using a whipstaff which turned the rudder. In a room above, the Corner told the Helmsman where and how to steer. Just right now I can hear the Corner shout orders. I can just imagine what I tough job he had. He had to steer a 100 foot long ship without seeing anything! I am just waiting to see how many rooms are left to discover! Next I find the Great Cabin. Luckily, I see no one inside. If someone found me here I would be in big trouble. Now I am glad that Joseph did not come. I would not want him to get in trouble too if I were to be found. The great cabin is where the master, masters officers, and masters apprentice slept, ate, and lived. Though it's name was the Great Cabin it wasn't that big. The final room I was able to find was the Round House. This room is where Master charted the ships course. I imagine in the future there will be high tech global positioning devices and radars. Right now, we are not even close to having those. The master had to go on deck and measure position of stars and horizon using instruments like quadrants and cross-staff to help determine latitude (north-south position). The master had to be really excellent at math! After I finished exploring I started making my way back to the Tween Decks. While on the decks I decided to stay awhile a get some fresh air. Now more people are here. Today was very exciting! Below is a map of the Mayflower I made.
Today I am exploring the Mayflower! I asked Joseph if he wanted to come but he said he was going to try to find some friends for him to play with on this journey. Since my whole family are early risers, we are all up and eating by around 7:00. Right now, it is probably around 7:30. I am not sure. As I finish eating, I hug my parents and make my way out. There are many people still sleeping right now. The first place is the Tween Decks. It is where all us Pilgrims stay. Here it smells terrible, hardly has enough room for everyone, has only one chamber pot, has no privacy, and it is very dirty. The boat is slowly rocking back and forth as I tiptoe out trying to avoid stepping on anybody. As I start climbing up to the deck, I hear the crew of men shouting orders back and forth. This is a 17th century boat. It is quite chilly outside unlike the Tween Decks where many people are staying which help them to stay warm. I wish I brought a sweater to wear. " No worry" I whisper to myself. It will be much warmer when I explore the inside part of the ship. Up here on the decks, it is chilly and there are not many people other than the crew. I look over the edge of the railing and can see the crashing dark blue waves below. Before I came on to the ship, I briefly studied about it. The rigging was made up of six sails which I now can see. It is wind powered and works like a kite. It is quite fascinating to see all the workers up on the sails. During storms they clewed up (clipped up) the sails. I kept on walking and eventually came to the Fo'c'sle. The Fo'c'sle is also known as the Forecastle. It is the kitchen. I did not go inside but I slightly peered in. I was a tiny bit frightened since I did not know if I was allowed to be in this area. The cook was inside working hard preparing food. Some of the things they have in the kitchen are oatmeal, peas, pork, fish, cheese and other food that can be stored easily for long periods at sea. Next I moved on the Hold. The Hold was the storage room. It was where they kept food and supplies. Inside is 180 tons of large barrels. Some of the things in the hold are wine, water, sugar, spices, rice, oatmeal, meat, cheese, and pilgrim furniture and tools. After I stumbled on a bit longer I came to the Steerage. This was the room where the Helmsman steered the ship. As I peered inside I saw the Helmsman steer by using a whipstaff which turned the rudder. In a room above, the Corner told the Helmsman where and how to steer. Just right now I can hear the Corner shout orders. I can just imagine what I tough job he had. He had to steer a 100 foot long ship without seeing anything! I am just waiting to see how many rooms are left to discover! Next I find the Great Cabin. Luckily, I see no one inside. If someone found me here I would be in big trouble. Now I am glad that Joseph did not come. I would not want him to get in trouble too if I were to be found. The great cabin is where the master, masters officers, and masters apprentice slept, ate, and lived. Though it's name was the Great Cabin it wasn't that big. The final room I was able to find was the Round House. This room is where Master charted the ships course. I imagine in the future there will be high tech global positioning devices and radars. Right now, we are not even close to having those. The master had to go on deck and measure position of stars and horizon using instruments like quadrants and cross-staff to help determine latitude (north-south position). The master had to be really excellent at math! After I finished exploring I started making my way back to the Tween Decks. While on the decks I decided to stay awhile a get some fresh air. Now more people are here. Today was very exciting! Below is a map of the Mayflower I made.
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Journal Entry #3 Meeting New People!
10/2/1620
Dear Diary,
Hello! Over the long while I was gone, I have been up to many things. Sorta... In the ship, there is not much to do. In my opinion it is very boring. Although I have gotten to meet new people there still is not much to do except for drawing in my journal, talking to new people, and wandering around. In the ship it is very harsh. Many of us have come here unprepared for the journey and already some are injured and sick. As the ships roughly rocks back and forth many of us are injured by being tossed from wall to wall. It is also very cold so many of us have become sick. The majority of us are seasick and often have to get on the deck and get fresh air. Thankfully I only have minor injuries and is neither sick or seasick. Not many exciting things happened but here are some. During the storm a man was tossed overboard! Thankfully he did not die and was pulled back up. He is probably very sick though due to the extremely cold ocean water. No one really goes on deck anymore since there is always a rough and wet storm going on. I feel really bad for the crew since they have to spend the whole day in the rough,wet storm. During the journey so far a baby was born. His name was Oceanus and he is adorable. I personally find the name hilarious since he was born during the voyage at sea. Sometimes when I am bored me and Joseph share stories. Joseph has found some friends to play with and he spends most of his time with them. Most of the children on board are younger than me though. My mother is sick and I spend most of my time caring for her. My father is doing fine and he tries his best to take care of us all. Today I met the captain Christopher Jones. He assures everyone that everything will get better but I am not sure. So far the journey is not going very well for me.
Hello! Over the long while I was gone, I have been up to many things. Sorta... In the ship, there is not much to do. In my opinion it is very boring. Although I have gotten to meet new people there still is not much to do except for drawing in my journal, talking to new people, and wandering around. In the ship it is very harsh. Many of us have come here unprepared for the journey and already some are injured and sick. As the ships roughly rocks back and forth many of us are injured by being tossed from wall to wall. It is also very cold so many of us have become sick. The majority of us are seasick and often have to get on the deck and get fresh air. Thankfully I only have minor injuries and is neither sick or seasick. Not many exciting things happened but here are some. During the storm a man was tossed overboard! Thankfully he did not die and was pulled back up. He is probably very sick though due to the extremely cold ocean water. No one really goes on deck anymore since there is always a rough and wet storm going on. I feel really bad for the crew since they have to spend the whole day in the rough,wet storm. During the journey so far a baby was born. His name was Oceanus and he is adorable. I personally find the name hilarious since he was born during the voyage at sea. Sometimes when I am bored me and Joseph share stories. Joseph has found some friends to play with and he spends most of his time with them. Most of the children on board are younger than me though. My mother is sick and I spend most of my time caring for her. My father is doing fine and he tries his best to take care of us all. Today I met the captain Christopher Jones. He assures everyone that everything will get better but I am not sure. So far the journey is not going very well for me.
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Journal Entry #4 The Voyage Route
11/1/1620
Dear Diary,
We are nearly to our destination! During the storm the ship blew terribly off course. It started going much to north where it is very cold. Us Pilgrims did not plan for this weather. Some of us are becoming deathly sick. My whole family including me now is at least a tiny bit sick. We all spend most of our time laying down with blankets piled up on top of us. I try to be responsible and care for everybody but it is very hard to tend to all there needs all at once. Last week we made a stop at Newfoundland to freshen up ourselves and get new supplies. It is now six people now who are about to die. They are much too sick. Originally, the route was supposed to go straight across to Virginia but now we are headed much north of Virginia. We will probably land in Cape Cod and name our colony Plymouth, just like the name of the colony that the Mayflower left off at. When we arrive it will be winter and it will probably snow. We probably are going to be staying in the boat for a while until we are able to start our own colony. No one expected the journey to be like this. Hopefully there will be friendly people there who will help us. Below is a map of our route that I made.
We are nearly to our destination! During the storm the ship blew terribly off course. It started going much to north where it is very cold. Us Pilgrims did not plan for this weather. Some of us are becoming deathly sick. My whole family including me now is at least a tiny bit sick. We all spend most of our time laying down with blankets piled up on top of us. I try to be responsible and care for everybody but it is very hard to tend to all there needs all at once. Last week we made a stop at Newfoundland to freshen up ourselves and get new supplies. It is now six people now who are about to die. They are much too sick. Originally, the route was supposed to go straight across to Virginia but now we are headed much north of Virginia. We will probably land in Cape Cod and name our colony Plymouth, just like the name of the colony that the Mayflower left off at. When we arrive it will be winter and it will probably snow. We probably are going to be staying in the boat for a while until we are able to start our own colony. No one expected the journey to be like this. Hopefully there will be friendly people there who will help us. Below is a map of our route that I made.
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Journal Entry #5 We Have Arrived!
11/12/1620
Dear Diary,
We finally have arrived! For now we will all be staying in the boat. We are not ready to start building the colony since it is so cold. Outside it is snowing and is very cold. By now some people have died from sickness. Life here is harsh and not at all what we planned. Everyday a few men run outside and gather water and food. Sometimes they take corn from the people that live in this land. I am so excited to finally be able to step on solid ground but it is far to cold to get of the ship. Life now is harsh, people are dying, even more people are getting sick, and we are all running out of supplies. We are probably going to stay on the ship this whole winter. If I had a choice I would never go on this voyage again. We are all worried about our new life here and many of our loved ones have died. Still, we try to have hope in our new life here. Some challenges I am worried we will face are surviving the winter, building our colony, and losing our loved ones. Though I am worried I know everything will work out in the end.
We finally have arrived! For now we will all be staying in the boat. We are not ready to start building the colony since it is so cold. Outside it is snowing and is very cold. By now some people have died from sickness. Life here is harsh and not at all what we planned. Everyday a few men run outside and gather water and food. Sometimes they take corn from the people that live in this land. I am so excited to finally be able to step on solid ground but it is far to cold to get of the ship. Life now is harsh, people are dying, even more people are getting sick, and we are all running out of supplies. We are probably going to stay on the ship this whole winter. If I had a choice I would never go on this voyage again. We are all worried about our new life here and many of our loved ones have died. Still, we try to have hope in our new life here. Some challenges I am worried we will face are surviving the winter, building our colony, and losing our loved ones. Though I am worried I know everything will work out in the end.
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Journal Entry #6 Our New Colony!
2/8/1621
Dear Diary,
This will be my last journal entry for now. During our first winter here my whole family died. I was torn. My amazing father, loving mother, and beloved brother all got far too ill and could not live to see today. Half of the Pilgrims that came on this journey died the first winter. Now, our colony is thriving! With the help from Native Wampanoag indians we were able to survive and build a successful colony here in this new world. Nothing would have been able to happen if the indians never came to our aid. They were so friendly and taught us how to grow crops, build shelter, hunt for food, many other things. We definitely owe everything to them. Now we are all happy and live in harmony with each other. The indians are very kind to us as we are to them. We learn new things from them all the time! Though on the way we all had to sacrifice much, in the end we got the perfect life we always dreamed of!
This will be my last journal entry for now. During our first winter here my whole family died. I was torn. My amazing father, loving mother, and beloved brother all got far too ill and could not live to see today. Half of the Pilgrims that came on this journey died the first winter. Now, our colony is thriving! With the help from Native Wampanoag indians we were able to survive and build a successful colony here in this new world. Nothing would have been able to happen if the indians never came to our aid. They were so friendly and taught us how to grow crops, build shelter, hunt for food, many other things. We definitely owe everything to them. Now we are all happy and live in harmony with each other. The indians are very kind to us as we are to them. We learn new things from them all the time! Though on the way we all had to sacrifice much, in the end we got the perfect life we always dreamed of!