Log of the Mayflower essays

Log of the Mayflower essays ISBN 0-911180-02-8, Hardback edition, 1980 What was it like aboard the Mayflower? Often one may think it was fun and adventuresome on the ship; however, the people on board were ordinary people that faced many hardships. In Log of the Mayflower, the author, Philip J. Simon, gives a day by day account of the happenings on the ship. He writes in the form of a journal kept by John, a man aboard the ship. Simon exhausted himself with research and his first completion of the book was in 1935; however, the book had to wait until 1956 to be published. During those twenty-one years, Simon accomplished more research, and when the time came for the publishing of the book, it was practically a different book. This book reveals the reality of life on the sea and the hardships one would face if one were aboard the Mayflower. Although the people aboard the Mayflower were seeking religious freedom in the New World, they were not always righteous and agreeable with others. The book begins on September 5, 1620, one day before the Mayflower set out for the third time to the New World. The first two attempts were unsuccessful because of a dishonest captain. The Puritans set out on August 5, 1620, with two ships, the Speedwell and the Mayflower; however, after going a short distance out, the captain of the Speedwell stated that his ship was leaking. They returned to England, had the Speedwell caulked and once again set out for America. Again the captain claimed it was leaking and not seaworthy; therefore, the two ships once again returned to England. Later, it was found that the captain of the Speedwell purposely strained the ship with too much mast, and this caused it to leak. By causing his ship to leak, he avoided going to the New World. (p.11-13) Because there would only be one ship traveling to the New World, some of the people, who had originally planned to go on the voyage, were required to stay at home and wait for the spring voyage....