Many newcomers to the distant shores, like black John Price, died during the "seasoning"
period of the first year when mortality was particularly heavy.1' DeSousa was lucky. He survived.
Since the Jesuits paid for his passage, DeSousa probably agreed to an indenture or contract of service
for a period of time to repay the costs. During the initial years of settlement, DeSousa's life was
probably very similar to that of his fellow indentured servants. It is possible, however, that DeSousa
spent his time in other pursuits. During the first year, the colonists attempted to engage in the fur
trade. They were not as successful as they hoped, and they swiftly turned to the cultivation of
tobacco as their primary activity. DeSousa's subsequent trading activities raise the possibility that
he came to Maryland to participate in the fur trade and continued in it despite the initial
disappointments.12

DeSousa's master, Father Andrew White, was more interested in saving souls than making
aprofit. That task was even more difficult than raising tobacco. In 1635 the missionaries wrote their
superiors:

On account of the very many difficulties that present themselves in
this mission, which has been lately undertaken, there has been thus
far but little fruit from it, especially among the savages, whose
language is slowly acquired by our countrymen, and can hardly be
written at all. There are employed in it five associates, three priests
and two assistants, who, in hope of future results, endure their present
toils with great cheerfulness.13

While the Jesuit fathers and their lay assistants spent long hours on intellectual matters, their
servants tilled the earth. Later that year the fathers brought in additional servants, including
Francisco, another mulatto.14 The annual letter of 1639 from the Jesuit fathers to their superiors
states that the missionaries were finally able to leave St. Marys and take up residence with various
indian tribes.15 DeSousa, however, may not have gone with them, for he was able by that time to
enter into independent contracts. At least he was able to get himself into debt to others, for in 1639
the estate of Justinian Snow, a planter in St. Marys, showed a small debt owing from Mathias Sousa
of 12 pounds tobacco. Within a few months the debt was paid.16 During the first decade of the
colony, most indentured servants did not obtain land when their terms expired, but either leased land
or entered wage agreements in the hope of acquiring enough property to pay the fees for a survey and
for recording land as well as to obtain the few basic tools needed.17 If DeSousa was not devoting his
full time to fur trading, therefore, he probably worked as a hired hand.

B.        Ship's Captain

In 1641, DeSousa was still working as an employee of the Jesuits when he was placed in
charge of a small boat. The story of DeSousa's adventure is found in a deposition dated November
3,1642 taken by the Provincial Secretary, John Lewger, in connection with litigation over sums due
to John Prettiman.18 "Mr. Pulton" was Copley's predecessor, Ferdinand Pulton,19 who died in the
summer of 1641. The deposition referred to appointment "when March was twelvemonth," which