The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-11-19

which time, among other recreations, we
exercised our arms, many of the Indians
coming among us, among the rest their
greatest king, Massasoyt, with some nine
ty men, who for three days we entertain
ed and feasted, and they (the Indians)
went out and killed five deer, which they
brought to the plantation and bestowed
on our Governor and on the Captain
(Myles Standish) and others. And al
though it be not always SO plentiful with
us, yet by the goodness of God. we are
so far from want that we often wish you
partakers of our plenty"
Being such sternly religious people,
probably the Pilgrims aimed at repeating
in this somewhat prolonged open-air fes-
tival the Biblical Feast of the Taberna-
cles, which includes the Feast of the
Harvest of the Ingathering." 1t was
evidently hearty, healthy public play
spell, few days of much-needed re-
joicing and good cheer.
We moderns, with our luxurious taste,
would not have much gratitude for the
short commons they called "good cheer -
but even we might have approved of the
wild turkeys, which tradition tells us
sometimes weighed sixty pounds. There
were also wild geese in their season, and
as one writer assures us, "over 200 yarie-
ties of fish. including sheilfish.'' Love for
the latter seems almost gift of heredity
with New Englanders The relish for
oysters is undying, and as for CLAIMS, the
rule still prevails at tine annual clam
bakes on the seashore that feaster must
eat till the pile of emptIed shells in front
of him screens him entirely from view.
For several years there were occasional
appointments of especial days to return
thanks for certain mercIes,ssuch as "a re-
freshing rain which hac fallen in time
to revive the crops Derishing from
drought"
In 1868 colonial records of Oct. % say:
''The Court, taking notice of the goodness
of God in the continuance of our civil
and religious liberty, the general health
we have enjoyed-doe conceive that these
and other fayors doe call upon us for
returns of thankfulness.' Then, remem-
bering only. the mercies and forgetting
the horrors and sorrows which have beset
them and the famine that almost came,
the proposal is made that all unite to keep
the 25th of November as "a Solemne day
of Thanksgiving, with respect to Gods
goodness in the particulars above men
toned"
There are no more records of Thanks
giving days till 1880. Then another lapse
till 1890, when Nov. 20 was appointed.
All these. celebrations were in Plymouth
Colony, and probably the bitter expe-
riences that visited the struggling settlers
made fasting take the place of feasting
and prayers of agonized entreAty for, the
safety of lives and homes seem more ap-
propriate than praise anc rejoicing.
Then the Indian attacks were an ever
expectant dread and the starving point
so nearly reached that, as the legend
tells us, on the day the Lion sailed into
their harbor with provisions five grains
of parched corn were dealt out as the
ration for each member of the little strick-
en- band. ;S.s,. !.
In 1880 a day of thanksgiving was APP
pointed in the Massachusetts Colony, ip
Acknowledgement of the safe Arrival OF
many ships. "We kept it." says Gov.
Winthrop, SIN all thes plan taieosy u9Fdd-
ing Salem, Dorchester, ,sGhaFlest ston sassa
'n In Boston day of a lhanksssMfvitSgs Ks Il itSsafle zee
brated the safe arri1af of Mrs. Win
throp and her children; .aithough the baby
born after the fatherse,eft EngfHi1d and
never seen by him diedson theslong Soy-
age. ;s.:: s.,av .=
In the Connecticut Colony, after f649,
the courts appointed yearly "tbanksgiy-
ing for the blessing of the harvest" with
some regularity. But in 1876 even that
grateful, appreciative community found
their hearts too bowed down with grief
to wear the garment of rejoicing. The
ferocious Indian warfare had cruelty deci-