Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-11-24

Two hundred and ninety-f0ur years
ago the. first Thanksgiving dinner was
eaten, and sit was turkey
On the morning Of December a,
1920, 100 English people landed from
the 1hip. ayflogger at most Dfe3lZ
and desolate spot on the rock bound
New England coast. The exact point
OF their landing was not matter Of
choice with them. For years these
people had suffered persecution In
their English homes through their re-
ligious beliefs. They first went to
Holland, but the prosecutions followed
them. and they sailed for America in
the MayfloWer, as every boy and girl
In the land knows. On their voyage
across the Atlantic storms of the most
violent nature assailed them from ev-
cry side. All nautical reckoning was
lost except that of the general sailing
direction, and on the date stated above
they sighted the land of their new
home where they expected to be al
lowed to worship the Creator in their
own way.
After getting on shore they learned
that this particular spot was one dis
covered by Capt. John Smith and was
name Plymouth. Here the stormtoss-
ed Pilgrims settled. History tells US
that at the time these people took up
their abode there, Plymouth was about
the most unpromising place on the
face Of the new continent, and that
this little band Of exiles the least
fitted for such pioneer exertions as
would be required to keep body and
soul together.
When they had time to look about
them they faced rocky, forbidding
wilderness, swarming with hostile In
dams. A very pleasant beginning in
the new world. While one man felled
tree another Cor possibly it was Miles
Standish) stood watch with musket.
In time rude huts were constructed
and all this In the dead of winter.
Then came trials and tribulations.
Famine and disease visited them with
destroying hand and the savages
harassed them from without and be-
fore that first winter had given way
to the milder spring that followed,
one-half Of that stout-hearted little
band had died.
About that time the Mayflower pre-
pared to return to England, but not
one of the surviving colonists would
return In her.
Forest land was cleared and crops
were planted and through the summer
the brave little band kept alive by eat.
ing such fish as they could catch and
a small amount of Indian corn that
they obtained from the Indians.
With the summer came the first
ray of hope. No longer did starvas
ton look them in the face Their
small fields brought forth fairly good
yields. Added to this, trouble with the
Indians grew less, and in many in
stances the Indians became the allies
of the whites. It was wonderful
change from apparent hopelessness to
what seemed prosperity. They
ascribed their good fortune to the
eyer-watchful care of the Supreme Be-
ing, and the governor of the colony,
Bradford by name, called the Pilgrims
together in their little log church and
held session in gratitude to God for
the mercies shown them Savages
stood about the door In open-mouthed
wonder. Before the meeting was
closed it was proposed to celebrate
the day of thanks by a mighty feast.
This was easier said than done. There
we're no cattle roaming the hills" of
New England, yet some form of meat
was necessary, so four huntsmen were