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1617 -1618
Most sources agree that once Squantum returned to England, he stayed in the home of John Slany, treasurer of the Newfoundland Company. Slany probably hoped to find a native guide to assist with his colonizing ventures. He worked on refining Squantum's English, so that Squantum could be a skilled interpreter. Perhaps he hoped that Squantum would be able to communicate with the Beothuk Indians1 in Newfoundland.
Squantum was provided with a passage to Cupids (then known as Cuper's Cove) in 1618. John Mason (who was later to become the founder of New Hampshire) was the governor of the colony. Captain Thomas Dermer was in the colony at that time with his friend John Mason. Dermer might have been involved in the fishing trade, but more likely he was involved in exploration of the island's natural resources on behalf of Sir Ferdinando Gorges. He wrote a letter in 1616 from Cuper's Cove (Cupids) in which he describes in flattering terms the fertility of the soil, the abundance of wild life and mineral potentialities. This is evidence that he had an interest in the commercial possibilities of the area.
By the time Squantum arrived the colony had been in existence for 8 years. During that time the colonists had learned many survival skills for the harsher climate conditions of the Atlantic cost line of North America. One of the skills they employed was to utilize some of the abundant fish to fertilize the crops. Squantum later taught the Pilgrims to fertilize their crops in this way.2
The kind of surval skills that he observed colonists using in Newfoundland, coupled with his knowledge of the area where the Plymouth colonists were living, gave him the unique background that would later enable him to help the New England colonists.
Captain Dermer, who worked for Ferdinando Gorges, knew Squantum's intelligence and his ability to speak English. He had no trouble persuading Squantum to act as his guide and pilot in further exploration of the New England Coast. In 1618 Squantum accompanied Dermer back to England to confer with Gorges about making the trip to Squantum's land.
In a publication attributed to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, optimism is expressed that Squamtum will be able to help make peace with the Indians of the Coast in New England:3
Notwithstanding these disasters, it pleased God so to work for our encouragement again, as he sent into our hands Tasquantum [Squanto], one of those savages that formerly had been betrayed by this unworthy Hunt....There was hope conceived to work a peace between us, and his friends, they being the principal inhabitant of that coast....But this savage Tasquantum, being at that time in the New-found land with Captain Mason governour there...Master Darmer (who was there also, and sometimes before employed...by us) found the means to give us intelligence of him, and his opinion of the good use that might be made of his employment....4
1. "The Beothucks."
Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web Site, maintained by Memorial University.
Based on The Beothucks or Red Indians: The Aboriginal Inhabitants of Newfoundland by James P. Howley
2. John A. Garraty, "Tisquantum" Dictionary of American Biography, 703.
3. The use of the offensive word "savage" in this passage demonstrates an attitude held towards native people.
4. "A Brief Relation of the Discovery and Plantation of New England, 1620."
Printed in London by John Haviland in 1622.
Believed to be written by Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Found on the Tomson/Tompson Family Web Site
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Cupids (Cupper's Cove) Colony
Since 1995, digging in Cupids by archaeologist Bill Gilbert and his team has revealed a fireplace and building foundations plus over 50,0005 artifacts dating back to the early 1600's.6
Cupids, which is the site of the first Official English settlement in Canada (and the second in North America, following Jamestown, Virgina, which was settled in 1607) had been settled in 1610 by John Guy, an experienced merchant from Bristol under charter from King James I. John Guy and the 39 colonists who accompanied him had specific instructions.
"They were to fortify the settlement at Cupids (Cuper's Cove) in Conception Bay, experiment with farming, cut spars and planks, make salt, potash and glass, collect samples of ore and, significantly, to fish and trade in cured fish and train oil. The first two winters were mild, the death rate was low, and the colonists were able to carry out their instructions. In 1612 Guy brought out 16 women. The company hoped, obviously, that the settlement would eventually become self-replicating. On 17 March 1613 a son was born to the wife of Nicholas Guy (probably a relative of John). It is thought that this was the first English child born in Newfoundland." 7
By 1613 the small colony was experiencing significant problems. The colonists determined that they could raise vegetables, but not grain. They did not harvest enough hay to keep the animals through the harsh winter of 1613. The pirate Peter Easton8 harassed the colony and they had to pay him protection in the form of livestock. John Guy had a disagreement with the Bristol merchants about property and wages for his men. As a result, he left the colony in 1615.
The Bristol merchants established a colony at Bristol's Hope (then known as Mosquito.) Perhaps the most important factor that led to the demise of the colony was the fact that West Country fishermen, who migrated to the Newfoundland coast to fish every summer, viewed the colonists as serious competition and by 1618 they were at odds with the planters.
Although the Cupids plantation was ultimately a business failure, it was successful in a different sense. The English were now actually established in a new and somewhat inhospitable territory. Many of the people involved in Newfoundland settlement, such as Captain John Mason, Thomas Dermer, and Squantum used the experience gained to settle the New England states.
5. Lillian Simmons, "Cupids archeology site offers up rare piece of German stoneware," The Compass, October 13, 1999, p.1
6. The illustrations from Cupids were found on the Web SiteArchaeology @ Cupids which is maintained by Stephen Dawe.
7. Memorial University's Web Site of Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage
8. Web Site about Peter Easton
A 17th century South Somerset storage jar from structure Photo Credit: John Bourne, BTHC 3
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Recipes
