The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-11-27

England, Edward Winslow has given US a brief
account Of the festivities. This letter bears the
date of Dec. II, 1921, and in 1t Winslow wrote:
Our harvest beinge gotten in, our governor sent
four men on fowling that so we might after spe-
cial manner rejoice together after we had gath
cred the fruits of our labors. They four killed
as much fowl as with a little help beside served
the company about a week. At which times,
among other recreations, we exercised our arms,
many Of the Indians coming amongst US, and
among the rest their greatest king, Massasoyt,
with some ninety men, whom for three days we
entertained and Toasted, and they went out and
killed five deer, which they brought and be-
slowed on our governor and upon the captains
and others"
From other sources we know that there were
athletic contests besides the exercises Of arms
which Winslow mentioned. No doubt they play
ed at "stoolbaIl," an old form of croquet, and
pitch ye bar" which Bradford mentions In his
journal. There were no special religious services
at least there is no evidence of any. The pill
grfms had their daily prayers before breakfast.
In this service, and in the joyous spirit that
seems to have dominated the occasion as we'll.
there was, no doubt, a devout thanksgiving to
God for all the blessings he had vouchsafed them.
It has been repeatedly asserted that this
Thanksgiving festival was suggested to the pill
grims by the Jewish feast of ingathering." This
is not probable. as the differences between them
are more striking than the likenesses. They were
of the anne duration. each lasting a week; and
in common with all other harvest festivals they
had the same intent. But in the Jewish festival
sacrifice and worship were the prevailing char
acteristics, while in that OF the pilgrims they
were entirely wanting.
If the Plymouth festival has immediate kinship
with similar events in the past. it has a~nalogies
with the harvest home Of England which may
relate them. The pilgrims were familiar with the
English celebration and many of them, no doubt,
had participated in 1t. The dominant mark Of
each was the Joy over the ingathering harvest.
In some districts in England, too, the festival had
continued a week. Richard Carew In hts "S1r-
vey of Cornwell," in speaking of the English fns-
tival, says: Neither doth good cheere WHOLLY
expire Though 1t somewhat decrease) but with
the end Of the weeke."
The chief difference between the two was the
want of ceremony at Plymouth that characterized
the English festival. In some parts Of England
the merry making was around the ~"nodding
sheaf," or kern baby" and in many places the
last load of the harvest was drawn to the barn
in a wagon called the "hoch cart" In front went
pipe and tabor, and around it gathered the reap
ers. male and female. singing joyously as they
proceeded. At Plymouth there was no ceremony.
The last shock of corn was not brought In "ar-
rayed in brilliant finery." Neither was there any
blessing of the cart" or kissing Of the sheaves."
There was no harvest song so familiar In the
fatherland:
Here's health to the barley NOW;
Here's a health to the man
Who very we'll can
Both harrow and plow and SOW"