The Mayflower Log Book

Have you ever wondered what life was really like for the passengers of the Mayflower? Are you looking for an interesting topic for a Thanksgiving assignment? You may be interested in reading the log book of the Mayflower.

In 1907, physician Azel Ames published a book entitled The May-Flower & Her Log July 15, 1620 - May 6, 1621. The author uses many primary sources like letters and journals to augment the actual excerpts of the ship’s log book. The result is a fascinating glimpse of day to day life for passengers.

The voyage was no luxury cruise, for certain. The Mayflower passengers were constantly cold, wet, underfed, and crowded. They dined on hard bread, cheese, dried fish, cured meats, oatmeal, and an occasional vegetable.

Reading about their daily routines and their living arrangements is like visiting a great museum. It gives the reader insight into the mind of the Pilgrims, and an idea of what items they deemed as valuable.

As you read the text, you will discover what animals the passengers brought along, what furnishings they brought, and what challenges they faced as they traveled to their exciting new world.

Some sample passages from the book:

• Whales playing about the ship in considerable numbers. One lying within half a musket-shot of the ship, two of the Planters shot at her, but the musket of the one who gave fire first blew in pieces both stock and barrel, yet no one was hurt…

• In one of the heaviest storms, while lying at hull, [hove to D.W.] a lusty young man, one of the passengers, John Howland by name, coming upon some occasion above the gratings latticed covers to the hatches, was with the seel [roll] of the ship thrown into the sea, but caught hold of the topsail halliards, which hung overboard and ran out at length; yet he held his hold, though he was sundry fathoms under water, till he was hauled up by the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with a boathook and other means got into the ship again and his life saved.