The ship the English saw pass before the town was not French , but rather a shallop from the '' Sparrow '' , a shipping vessel sponsored by Thomas Weston and one other of the Plymouth settlement 's sponsors , which was plying the eastern fishing grounds . This boat brought seven additional settlers but no provisions whatsoever " nor any hope of any " . In a letter they brought , Weston explained that the settlers were to set up a salt pan operation on one of the islands in the harbor for the private account of Weston . He asked the Plymouth colony , however , to house and feed these newcomers , provide them with seed stock and ( ironically ) salt , until he was able to send the salt pan to them . The Plymouth settlers had spent the winter and spring on half rations in order to feed the settlers that had been sent nine months ago without provisions . Now Weston was exhorting them to support new settlers who were not even sent to help the plantation . He also announced that he would be sending another ship that would discharge more passengers before it would sail on to Virginia . He requested that the settlers entertain them in their houses so that they could go out and cut down timber to lade the ship quickly so as not to delay its departure . Bradford found the whole business " but cold comfort to fill their hungry bellies " . Bradford was not exaggerating . Winslow described the dire straits . They now were without bread " the want whereof much abated the strength and the flesh of some , and swelled others " . Without hooks or seines or netting , they could not collect the bass in the rivers and cove , and without tackle and navigation rope , they could not fish for the abundant cod in the sea . Had it not been for shellfish which they could catch by hand , they would have perished . But there was more , Weston also informed them that the London backers had decided to dissolve the venture . Weston urged the settlers to ratify the decision ; only then might the London merchants send them further support , although what motivation they would then have he did not explain . That boat also , evidently , contained alarming news from the South . John Huddleston , who was unknown to them but captained a fishing ship that had returned from Virginia to the Maine fishing grounds , advised his " good friends at Plymouth " of the massacre in the Jamestown settlements by the Powhatan in which he said 400 had been killed . He warned them : " Happy is he whom other men 's harms doth make to beware . " This last communication Bradford decided to turn to their advantage . Sending a return for this kindness , they might also seek fish or other provisions from the fishermen . Winslow and a crew were selected to make the voyage to Maine , 150 miles away , to a place they had never been . In Winslow 's reckoning , he left at the end of May for Damariscove . Winslow found the fishermen more than sympathetic and they freely gave what they could . Even though this was not as much as Winslow hoped , it was enough to keep them going until the harvest
massacre in the Jamestown settlements
Indian massacre of 1622
Squanto