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The ''Sparrow-Hawk'' was a 'small pinnace' similar to the full-rigged pinnace ''Virginia'' that sailed for the English Colonies in June 1626. She is notable as the earliest ship known from the first decades of English settlement in the New World to have survived to the present day. A rough, six week voyage ended in a storm off Orleans, Massachusetts on Cape Cod when the heavily loaded “Sparrow-Hawk” was driven onto the isolated Nauset Beach. All aboard survived and were removed to the nearby Plymouth Colony. Storms and shifting sand buried the wrecked pinnace within several weeks. ''Sparrow-Hawk'' remained buried until May, 1863 storms uncovered the hull which was soon salvaged. Keel, planks, rudder and other hull elements from the ''Sparrow-Hawk'' were found in good condition, removed from the beach and carefully reconstructed for subsequent exhibition. ''Sparrow-Hawk'' is important to the history of ship building in England and colonies. Several of the best naval architects of the 1860s in Boston collaborated on a reconstruction which received widespread exhibition during the next few years. Considerable information has been gleaned from the ''Sparrow Hawk'' about hull design and construction of the 'small' pinnace design of the early 17th century. She is now on long term loan from the Pilgrim Society to the Cape Cod Maritime Museum in Hyannis, Massachusetts. ==Wrecked on Cape Cod== The ''Sparrow-Hawk'' left London, June 1626 loaded with passengers for the Jamestown Colony and Virginia. Certainly, she was of a minimum size that any Company would choose to send across the Atlantic with settlers and passengers, many of whom would be unfamiliar with the great ocean and its sometimes violent weather.〔For comparison, the Mayflower at 180 tons was one of the larger ships to leave England for the colonies during the early decades of the 17th century although it (the ''Mayflower'') was a relatively averaged size vessel in general 17th century terms. By contrast, the ''Ark'' which brought the Maryland Colony in 1634 was 400 tons.〕 After six weeks, the ''Sparrow-Hawk'' reached the coast of Massachusetts, and was wrecked at Potanumaquut Harbor Cape Cod. Upon reaching Cape Cod, the ''Sparrow-Hawk'' no longer had fresh water or 'beer'. Captain Johnston was in his cabin, sick and lame with scurvy. At night, the ''Sparrow-Hawk'' hit a sand bar but the water was smooth and she laid out an anchor. The morning revealed that the caulking between hull planks - Oakum - had been driven out. High winds drove the ''Sparrow-Hawk'' over the bar and into the Harbor. Many goods were rescued and no lives were lost. Two survivors were guided to William Bradford and the Plimouth Plantation by two Indians who spoke English. A shallop with Governor Bradford and supplies to repair the ''Sparrow-Hawk'' was sent to rescue the crew. ''Sparrow-Hawk'' was repaired and set to sea with cargo. However, yet another violent storm drove her onshore, and render her condition beyond repair. Mariners and passengers removed to the Plimouth Plantation. There, they were housed and fed for nine months before joining two vessels headed down the coast to Virginia. 〔(Sparrow Hawk Ye antient wrecke.--1626 Loss of the Sparrow-Hawk in 1626 ), by Charles W.Livermore and Leander Crosby, Alfred Mudge & Son: Boston: 1865, pp 3-5.〕〔(An account of the discovery of an ancient ship on the eastern shore of Cape Cod (1864) ), by Amos Otis, Albany: J.Munsell 1864: pp4-5.〕 ''Sparrow-Hawk'' was buried in the sand and marsh mud of an Orleans, Massachusetts beach that came to be known as “Old Ship Harbor”. Her 'grave' was a low oxygen environment which greatly aided preservation of hull timbers which were described as devoid of worms and barnacles. All metal fastenings had disappeared through oxidation. Her keel and hull timbers were visible from time to time when high winds shifted sand on the beach. Visitors were struck by the long "tail-like" projection from the stern. Although a single fierce storm in this area can move sand to a depth of six feet, it is judged that it took several years for the ''Sparrow-Hawk'' to be completely buried. Her burial site retained the name ''Old Ship Harbor'' into the late 19th century.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sparrow Hawk (pinnace)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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