CHAPTER X
Showing How they Sought out a place of Habitation; and What Befell them Thereabout
Being thus arrived at Cape Cod the 11th of November, and necessity calling them
to look out a place for habitation (as well as the master's and mariners' importunity);
they having brought a large shallop with them out of England, stowed in quarters in
the ship, they now got her out and set their carpenters to work to trim her up; but being
much bruised and shattered in the ship with foul weather, they saw she would be long
in mending. Whereupon a few of them tendered themselves to go by land and discover
those nearest places, whilst the shallop was in mending; and the rather because as they
went into that harbor there seemed to be an opening some two or three leagues off,
which the master judged to be a river. It was conceived there might be some danger in
the attempt, yet seeing them resolute, they were permitted to go, being sixteen of them
well armed under the conduct of Captain Standish, having such instructions given them
as was thought meet.
Importunity: urgent demand.
Tendered: to offer or present.
Shallop: a heavy sailboat with two masts.
Resolute: determined.
Meet: appropriate.
8. Consider the archaic language in this section; how might this language be paraphrased for
a modern audience?