l love to think of old Ipswich town,

Old lpswich town in the east countree,

Whence on the tide you can float down

Through the long salt grass to the wailing sea

Where the "Mayflower" drifted off the bar

Sea-worn and weary, long years ago,

And dared not enter, but sailed away

Till she landed her boats in Plymouth Bay.

After many months at sea the pilgrims finally reached the shore of New England. They found a sheltered harbor backed with rolling green and lush hills. There were river entrances to bring the ship into shore and out of the harsh sea weather. It was an idylic spot for their landing in the new world.

They dropped the long boats to send a party to the shore but alas it was low tide and as they neared the shore all that they saw was sand sticking up out of the bay. The beautiful Ipswich sand bars were not an attraction to the wary Pilgrims and in 1620 they sailed off to the south finally landing in Plymouth harbor.

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