Too Many Mysteries, Too Little Time
Every era of history, right up to today, offers a selection of head-scratching mysteries to explore. As we delve into ones that catch Nerd’s attention, you will see them listed here, with a link to research and discussion. The list will run the gamut from ancient times to the 20th Century ~ whatever we stumble across that looks intriguing.
Squanto is the First on Our List?!
What’s mysterious about Squanto? We’ll explain.
Nerd’s soon-to-be-published Braving the New World, Book One, 1616 ~ 1621 finds Squanto in London in 1616, and follows his adventures closely, back to 1614 and on to 1621, in a well-referenced and imaginative narrative that weaves the tapestry of American colonization by the British. During six-plus years of research and writing, your Nerd discovered a number of fascinating and documented aspects of Squanto’s life that are rarely if ever presented to students or fans of history. It requires quite a lot of diligence to navigate varying accounts and references and tie together the threads of Squanto’s tale, a story which covers a lot more ground than most readers realize ~ a story which highlights Britain’s second, successful American colony (mostly unknown to Americans) and the critically important role of an unsung hero, Captain Thomas Dermer.
Wow! Lead on, Squanto!
But one thing in particular shocked Nerd. Very good and reliable sources gave more than one scenario regarding the snatching away from his homeland of the future savior of the Pilgrims ~ some historians say one kidnap, and some say two. “What?!” exclaimed Nerd. There were two kidnaps? Or not? And no source even mentioned the disagreement, much less attempted to explain it. Each source Nerd encountered just took one side or the other with no comment. And these are good sources. It was a mystery!
But Nerd’s narrative demanded a decision, so Nerd jumped into the chroniclers of 400 years ago, without predisposition, excited if there were indeed two kidnaps, and doggedly pursued the answer, if one was to be found. Nerd now believes that the mystery has been solved, the controversies explained, the discrepancies addressed, and the tale told from beginning to end, dutifully and transparently referenced. If anyone else has published such a study, Nerd has not found it. Nerd is also always open to any genuine, reliable input.
Another “mystery” is the actual origin of Squanto’s knowledge of using fish as fertilizer (usually the heads). Was it indeed a Native American practice? Or was it actually a long-established European practice, learned by Squanto in Spain, England, but most likely Newfoundland?
There are a number of questions we will never answer about Squanto, but there is much of his life that is documented that we can piece together if we broaden our search and do some digging and cross referencing. So, from place to place, person to person, Nerd thinks that Squanto’s complete journey is here finally told.
Thus, Nerd plans to soon release a short book titled Solving the Squanto Mysteries ~ One Kidnap or Two? Fish Fertilizer? The Complete Journey? ~ Finally Decoded, the Whole Story! Want to know the answers? Want to follow Squanto’s journey? It’s coming soon, in 2020.