The Mayflower - November 16th, 1620

. . . and the next morning followed their track till they had headed a great creek and so left the sands and turned another way into the woods.  But they still followed them by guess, hoping to find their dwellings; but they soon lost both them and themselves, falling into such thickets as were ready to tear their clothes and armor in pieces, but were most distressed for want of drink.  But at length they found water and refreshed themselves, being the first New England water they drunk of and was now in their great thirst as pleasant unto them as wine or beer had been in fore-times.  Afterwards they directed their course to come to the other shore, for they knew it was a neck of land they were to cross over and so at length got to the seaside, and marched to this supposed river, and by the way found a pond of clear fresh water, and shortly after a good quantity of clear ground where the Indians had formerly set corn and some of their graves.  And proceeding further they saw new stubble where corn had been set the same year, also they found where lately a house had been, where some planks and a great kettle was remaining, and heaps of sand newly paddled with their hands, which they, digging up found in them diverse fair Indian baskets filled with corn, and some in ears, fair and good, of diverse colors which seemed to them a very goodly sight (having never seen any such before).  This was near the place of that supposed river they came to seek; unto which they went and found it to open itself into 2 arms with a high cliff of sand in the entrance, but more like to be creeks of salt water than any fresh, for ought they saw; and that there was good harborage for their shallop; leaving it further to be discovered by their shallop when she was ready.  So their time limited them being expired, they returned to the ship, least they should be in fear of their safety; and took with them part of the corn and buried up the rest and so like the men from Eshkol [Numbers 13] carried with them of the fruits of the land, and showed their brethren; of which and their return, they were marvelously glad and their hearts encouraged.