The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-04
THE MAYFLOWERs.
Fate of the Famous One That Came tn
Plymouth Not known.
Boston transcript.

Boston Transcript.
When a cable dispatch stated that the
log OF the Mayflower' would be given 10
the United States by the Bishop OF Lon
don many persons doubtless rushed TO the
conclusion; natural under the circum-
stances, that a very important historical
discovery had been made. Correction trav-
eled on the heels of the announcement and
undeceived those who may have thought
the most famous craft since the Argo had
been brought TO light If the log OF the
Mayfower could be dug out of the archive
bins II would be worth its weight in gold.
The researches undertaken forty years ago
by Rev. Joseph Hunter. who. IN addition
to being an Official of the British Record
Office, was q corresponding member OF the
Massachusetts Historical Society. failed to
clear up the mystery that surrounds the
Mayfiower. Not only was no log discOv-
cred, but Mr.. Hunter. who had a genius
for patience. was unable to ascertain the
hailing port Of the Mayfiower. There were
many M~ayfiowerS in the British merchant
marine of that day. for the name. which
came into vogue about the close of the six
teenth century, rapidly grew popular. Mr..
Hunter noted that before the year 100
there We're Mayhowers or May-Flowers
hailing from Hastings. RE, Newcastle.
Lynn. Yarmouth, Hull. and three Srom the
port of London. In 1908 there wat a May
Flower Of Dartmouth. There was a May
Flower hailing from Ipswich i'm 1918. aud
records of 1921 allude TO a vessel OF the
same name as owned i'm York. Which OF
all these Mayfiowers the Pilgrim ship was
MIR. Hunter could not decide. She may
have been among the earliest ships on
which the name was bestowed, built about
the year 1888, for in those days stout wood
en- vessels lasted long. Thirty-seven years
would nave been no great age for a vessel
employed in peaceful commerce. Even
war ships took = good deal OF pounding be-
fore they wore out in old times, and the
Victory was forty years old at Trafalgar.
Mr.. Hunter left the story that the May
flower that carried the Pilgrims TO Ply
mouth afterwards was the slave ship that
carried the slaves ito Barbados not a leg
to stand on. The Pilgrim Mayflower was
OF but $50 tons burden. whereas the SLAYER
Mayfiower, OF which the records are pre-
served. was of $50 tons and had capacity
10 carry $50 slaves. besides her officers and
crew. The Pilgrim Mayfiower was or our
coast several times after her first famous
voyage, but as no one realized that she had
carried in her cramped quarters the foun-
derS of an empire. no one was gifted with
a prophetic eye; there was no note taken
of her Mailing port or OF other things relat-
ing to her that the world would like To
know. She sailed away into mystery and
no one knows her fate. for II has never
been settled beyond p~eradventure whether
she is now transformed into the mud OF
oceans floor or whether she was broken up
and her timbers put into a house in some
seaport town. No one can tell. We see
her only with the minds eye whenever her
name is brought up. which need not pre-
| vent us carrying out for her O'Reilly's be-
hest concerning a later May1ower:
Shout from the banks to her,
| Cheer from the ranks to her,
Mayfiower, bravest and best of our ships"