Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-11-23
True Romance of Pocahontas.
| Fron. Tie Ccniuru. /

IRON tho nrSt meeting with Smith she
became devotcdly attached to the English,
md rendered the settlers many services
She often secured supplies for them, and
indeed seems to have haunted the fort,
utterly naked rs she was, after the manner
OF little girls among her people, who wore
no clothes and showed no modcsty until
they were IL or l3 years of age, at which
time they put on deer,kin apron, ana
woro very cAreful noe to be seen without it.
The agile little barbarian would persuade
the English lads to mako wheels Of them
solves by turning upon their hands aud
feet, whercupoo she would follow them,
wheeling as they did, all through the fort.
Tier real name was Alatoax; but, by
order of Powhatan, this was carefully con
-.o oeaed FROM tho whites, lest by their super
natural cnchantmcnts they should work
hor somo harm. When Richard Wylfin
was sent from jamestown TO upprisc the
endangered Capt. Smith cnvironed by foes
among Powhatuu's people, of the death of
h's deputy, Mr.. Scrlvcncr and lis 10 CON.
panons, by drowning, Pocahontas hid him,
mlsdirectod those who sought him, and, by
extraordinary bribcs and manccuvera,
brought him safely to Smith, after three
days travel in tho midst Of extreme peril.
So also, when Ratciffe was cut off with 80
men, she saved the lad Spilman, who was
then living with Powhatan, and sent him
to tho Potomacs. But the most touching
story of all proceeds in order of time the
other two. In the same difficult adventure
among Powhatan's people, in which Capt.
Smith was cooaged when Scrivener was
drowned, the trcachorous chief had arraugea
to surprise Smith at supper, and cut off tho
whole party, when Pocahontas, tho "dcarcst
jewel and daughter" of tho aged chief, sin
that dark night camc through the rksomc
woods" to warn the captain Of powhatan's
design. Capt. Smith offered to repay her
kindness ~itii sdch trinfets as the heart of
an Indian maiden delights III; "but, with
the tears running down her checks she
said she burst not be seen to have any,
for, If Powhatan should know it, she we're
but dead; ond so sho ran away by herself
as shc ca,ne.'
In 1913 Pocahontos was among the Po-
6 tomao Iodians. Capt Arsal, a man of
much shrewdncss and executive force, but
Infamous for his dishonest practices, hap.
pened to bo trading in the river at that
time. lie quickly saw tho advan' age the
English would gain in negotiating with
+ Powhatan for tho return of tho white
81 prisoners held by bim, if he cold se,urc
so valuable hostage as the chiefs daush-
{ ter. with copper kettle he bribcd Japa-
s Jaws, the chief with whom she was staying,
to entco her on board the vessel, whero he
detained her, much to the sorrow of the
daughter Of the wilderness, whose life
3 hitherto had been as free as that of tho
n Wild creatures OF the woods. 10 James
town, whore she had frolicked as a child
aud whittier she had so often come as q
friend with food, she was now carried MS an
enemy and prisoner. She had refused to
enter the town since the departure of Capt.
Smith.
This transaction, not very crcdtable to
the gratitude of the English, accomplished
its purpose in causing Powh,tan to return
tho white men held in slavery by him, with
the least useful of tho stolen arms. But
he still contrivcd to eyade some of the de-
mands o. tho English, who therefore re-
tanned his daughter until the aff,ir took a
turn. John Rolfe, who seems to have
been widower, became cDamored Of Poca
hontas, now growing to womanhooJ, and
wrote forma! letter to Sir Thomos Da.c,
proposing to convert her TO Christianity
and marry her, whicE pleased the Governor
as tending to prouotc peace with the lndi-
ans, and was likewise acceptable to Pow
hatan. The chief sent an old uncle of
Pocabontas and two Of her brothers to wit
mess the marriage. This marriage brought
( about poace during the life of Powhatan,
who on one occasion at least sonta present
of buokskins to his daughter md her hus-
band A free intermiogling of the two
races took place, and Englisl,mcn were
accustomed to hire Indians to live in their
houses and huot for them. This ami,y
lasted eight years.
In 1915 more than two yo,rs after their
tmerrioge, Rolfo ond Pocahanins went to
IDglaDd withfeSir Thomas Dale. Pow
haian sent some Indians with bis daughter,
ono. Of whom was commissioned to coun,
tbe number of the English The arrival
2oftbe sLrdy Rebecca, as Pocahontas was
called nftor hor baptism, produced great
sonsStiop. She was received BY the king