Dartmouth Harbour – William Henry Bartlett (1854)

Described by William Henry Bartlett as a ‘romantic harbour’, his beautiful illustration of a peaceful seaside scene contrasts starkly with the difficulties the separatists faced in commencing their Atlantic voyage:

"The emigrants were then regularly organized for the voyage, being first distributed for either ship, and an overseer and assistants being appointed to serve out provisions and attend to those under their charge. The larger number of course were put on board the "Mayflower." On the 5th of August they finally parted with their Southampton friends, and sailing down the river, and past the Isle of Wight and its picturesque rocks, the Needles, were speedily in the English Channel. But hardly had they got into the open sea when their disasters began. The master of the "Speedwell," who had been hired to remain a year abroad with the vessel, moved either by cowardice or dislike to the enterprise, pretended that his ship was so leaky that he durst not proceed further in her. As the "Mayflower" could not sail without her consort, both vessels went into the romantic harbour of Dartmouth, where a week was consumed in the repair of the "Speedwell," until that vessel was pronounced quite sound by the carpenters. Accordingly they again set sail, but here they reached Plymouth the captain of the "Speedwell" declared that he was ready to founder, and going into that port, a fresh examination was made. Although no special cause could be discovered for these complaints, it was at length decided that the "Speedwell" should be sent back to London as unseaworthy, with such of her passengers as, being discouraged by their repeated hindrances, lost heart to persevere in their design, the remainder being transferred to the lager ship. A hundred passengers — many of them aged and infirm, children, women in an advanced state of pregnancy — were thus cooped up in a vessel of a hundred and eighty tons burthen. By this unworthy stratagem not only were many valuable hands lost to the company, and great inconvenience occasioned to the rest, but such serious delay had taken place, that it was the beginning of September before the "Mayflower" with its crowd of suffering passengers, could continue the voyage thus inauspiciously commenced."

William Henry Bartlett, The Pilgrim Fathers, or, The Founders of New England in the Reign of James the First (London: Arthur Hall, Virtue & co, 1854), p.115.