Arthur Mullen's blog
"The vegetation of Cape Cod has changed mightily, too. As the Pilgrims saw it, the northern part of Cape Cod was 'wooded to the brinke of the sea...' It had large trees, 'Okes, Pines, Sassafras, Juniper, Birch, Holly, Vines, some Ash, Walnut...' Stumps of large size were remembered in 1802. Large trees in small number existed in Provincetown around 1934. But they are all gone now."
"On a stern and rock-bound coast / The breaking waves dashed high / And the woods, against a stormy sky / Their giant branches toss'd / And the heavy night hung dark / The hills and waters o'er / When a band of exiles moor'd their bark / On the wild New England shore..."
"Crossing over the north branch they came upon the deposit of corn made in their former expedition, and named the place Cornhill. By turning up the crusted snow with their cutlasses and short swords they found other deposits, including beans, one of the products of Indian farming. They took about ten bushels of the shelled corn, besides some good specimens, upon the ears, of the various colors, and a quantity of beans, in all enough, with that obtained before, for the spring planting. They rejoiced greatly at this timely supply, and at the divine guiding which had directed the land party here before the snow had fallen, which now hid every mark of the deposits. In view of this hand of God they devoutly exclaimed, 'The Lord is never wanting unto his in their greatest needs; let his holy name have all the praise.'"