Support for the Radio West podcast comes from Harmon's Grocery, committed to excellent service and friendly smiles.

Your food is our passion.

In John Turner's book about the Pilgrims, he explains how there are years and years in this story

before they actually boarded the Mayflower for their arduous journey to the new world.

He tells about the religious conviction that got the whole thing started, that they had these

distinctive ideas about the kind of Christian life they wanted to lead.

They wanted out of the Church of England. They believed

church membership should be voluntary. And so for years, they tried to live as separatists

in their own homes and villages. It didn't work. So for years, they gave it a go in Holland.

But finally, after all of that, came the Mayflower and a grueling two months at sea.

Turner explains they arrived off course and much later in the year than they had hoped,

and they had no real idea where they might settle or who had been there before them.

In mid-November of 1620, the pilgrims left the Mayflower.

They are frantically trying to find somewhere they can settle that will have a decent source

of fresh water and arable land, and they don't have a lot of time.

They've got to find a place and begin constructing houses

because they have to survive the winter.

And they explored various parts of Cape Cod.

Picture this landing party, looking like it's ready for battle.

Dozen, 15 men, wearing armor, carrying muskets and swords.

They see some natives in the distance who run away from them.

And they find graves, cornfields, caches of food.

...