president by general vote, and of seven counselors to assist him; the
only privilege granted to the president being that his vote counted
double. This state of things continued for eighteen years, after which
time the growth of the colony rendered a change expedient, and each new
town that was founded sent delegates to a general court. It would,
however, be useless here to follow the political changes of these early
settlers, as it is only with their first form of government that our
story is concerned.

According to the habitual custom of the Pilgrims, the Sabbath which
preceded the sending forth this band of spies to search the land, was
observed with the utmost solemnity; for no press of occupations--no
necessity for haste--ever induced them to neglect this duty. For the
liberty of practicing their own mode of worship, they had sought these
shores; and, having been permitted safely to reach them, they used that
liberty, and were never unmindful of their religious privileges. Every
Sabbath was a day of sacred rest; and every undertaking was sanctified
by prayer; sometimes even, as we shall have occasion to observe, when
the undertaking was such as could hardly be supposed to deserve the
blessing of God. Still, there is every reason to believe that their
piety, as a body, was sincere; and while we condemn the sternness and
severity into which they were too frequently betrayed, we must yield
our heartfelt approbation to the self-denying resolution and
unflinching faith that were their governing principle and their ever-
actuating motive. Well have these principles and motives been
described by a late well-known poet, and well may we conclude this
introductory chapter with the last verse of that exquisite song, with
the first of which we commenced it:

'What sought they thus afar?