The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-02-08
A ROMANCE RUDBLY DIspELLED.

/
The remorselessness with which mod.
ern criticism. is sweeping away some of
the most popular historical traditions.
hnds fresh Illustration in the famous
story Of Pocahontas saving the life Of
Capt. John Smith, which for two hun
dred years has excited the wonder and ad-
miraton Of the world. A Massachusetts,
antiquarian, Mr.. Charles Deane, in some
recently published works, of which the
North American Review, for January.
gives summary, comes to the couclu-
sion that 10 such occurrence ever took
place, and that the whole story was inven-
ted by Capt Smith himself The incident
Is alleged TO have taken place in Deem
Der, l607-yet 10 history written by
Smith, and published in London in 1908,
called the true relation, though the ac-
count of his captivity and release by
Powhaitan Is given, not a word is said Of
Pocahontas; nor in all the histories Of the
colonies published afterWard-oue written
by Winfield, the deposed Governor, ia
1903; another written by Dr. Simons,
TO accompany map Of Virginia. By Smith
himself, and published in 1919; nor a
third by Thomas Srachey. in 1915;
fourth by Raphe Hamor. once Secretary
of the colony, IN 1916; and fifth by Pur-
chas, derived from Smith himself, in )
1917, is there the slightest mention of the
celebrated incident ia question. Both
Hamor aud Purchase give full accounts
OF Pocahontas herself, OF her capture aud
detention as hostage b. the colonists, OF
her conversion to the Christian faith, her
marriage TO Capt. Rolfe, her visit to Eng
land and the interest she excited there;
but not word of her having interposed
to save the life of Capt. John Smith.
The first hint Of that story seems to
have been given IN a pamphlet published
by Smith himself in 1922, 10 which
speaking of his captivity, he says. "God
made Pocahon tas the Kings daughter,
the means to deliver me;' and the full
account as it has ever been received is
found in anoIher publication made by
Smith In 1924, sixteen years after the
alledged occurrence, entitled General
Historic. 10 both these last works Mr..
Derne detects sundry instanc ss of exag-
geration and mendacity. They seem to
have been written By Smith mainiyto en-
list public sentiment and sympathy in his
claims TO Teins tatement in the colony from
which he had been deposed, and it is sug-
gested that This fiction was invented as
likely greatlyto enhance his own impor-
lance, after the romantic visit, reception
and death of Pocaboptas in England. To
those who know Of the Indian maiden
only through the poetry, painting and
sculpture of which she has been made the
subject, this pioture of her, whena child
of ten or twelve years old given by Strach-
ey, may be curious. "Pocahontas, he
says, ga well featured but wanion young
girl, Powhattan's daughter, sometimes
rosorting to our fort, of the age then of
eleven or twelve years, would get the
boys forth into the market place aud make
them wheel, falling on their hands, turn
ing their heels upward, whom she would
follow and wheel so herself. naked as she
was, all the fort over" This is not the
altitude which has generally been selected
By the artists who have employed their
genius in illustrating her history aud
character.