within a league of us; therefore our captain, because he would
show he was not afraid of them, and that he might see the issue
before night should overtake us, tacked about and stood to meet
them, and when we came near we perceived them to be our friends--
the little Neptune, a ship of some twenty pieces of ordnance, and
her two consorts, bound for the Straits, a ship of Flushing, and a
Frenchman and three other English ships bound for Canada and
Newfoundland. So when we drew near, every ship (as they met)
saluted each other, and the musketeers discharged their small
shot, and so (God be praised) our fear and danger was turned into
mirth and friendly entertainment. Our danger being thus over, we
espied two boats on fishing in the channel; so every one of our
four ships manned out a skiff, and we bought of them great store
of excellent fresh fish of divers sorts."

It is an astonishing fact, that no line in Anne Bradstreet's poems
has any reference to this experience which held every alternation
of hope and fear, and which must have moved them beyond any other
happening of the long voyage. But, inward states, then as
afterward, were the only facts that seemed worthy of expression,
so far as she personally was concerned, and they were all keyed to
a pitch which made danger even welcome, as a test of endurance and
genuine purpose. But we can fancy the dismay of every house-wife
as the limited supply of "bed matters," went the way of many other
things "subject to take fire." Necessarily the household goods of
each had been reduced to the very lowest terms, and as the
precious rugs and blankets sunk slowly, or for a time defied the
waves and were tossed from crest to crest, we may be sure that the
heart of every woman, in the end at least, desired sorely that
rescue might be attempted. Sheets had been dispensed with, to