pilgrim (n): a person who travels to a holy place for religious reasons
cessation (n): the stopping of something
consecutive (adj): following one after another in a series, without interruption
precept (n): a rule about how to behave or what to think
plough (v): to dig and turn over a field or other area of land
encroachment (n): an act to slowly begin to cover more and more of an area
crowded (adj): having a lot of people or too many people
empty (adj): with no people or things inside
discharge (v): to give someone permission to leave a place
massacre (n): the killing of a large number of people especially in a cruel way