Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-11-01
The True ROmanee OF POeahonlas.

From her first meeting with Smith She
became devotedly attached to the English
and rem Tered the settlers mtny 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 mOdoSty unit
| they were twelve or thirteen yelrs of age
ut which time they put on Il deerskiu
apron, and were very careful not to be
| seen without it. The agile little barbarian
would persuade the English lads to make
wheels of themselves by turning upon
| their hands and feet, whnreunon she would
follow them, wheeling rs they did, nj
through the fort.
Her real name was Mttolx; but, by
order of Powhatan. this was carefully
concealed from the whites, lest by their
supernatural enchantments they should
| work her some harm. When Richard
Wyiiin was sent 10 jamestown to apprisC
the endangered Captain Smith, cnvironed
by foes among Powhatan's people, Of the
death Of his deputy, Mr.. Sorivener. and
his ten companions, by drowning, Pocl.
hontas hid him, misdirected those who
sought him, and, by extraordinary brides
and maneuvers, brought him safely tc
Smith. after three days travel in the midst
OF extreme peril. So, also, when Il ltclilfe
was cut off with thirty men, she raved the
lad Spillman, who was then living with
Powhatan, and sent him to the Potomacs
But the most touching story of all pre-
ceGes in order of time The OF !er two. In
the same difficult adventure among Pow
hatan's people, in which Captain Smitl
was engaged when Scrivener was drown.
cd, the treacherous chief had arranged tc
surprise Smith at supper, and cut off the
whole party, when Pocahontas, the "dear.
est jewel and daughter" of the aged chief
sin that dark night camc through the
irksome woods TO warn the captain O
Powhatan's design. Captain Smith offered
to repay her kindness with such trinkets
as the heart of an Indian maiden delight,
in; "but with tears running down hel
checks, she said she dare not be seen tc
have any, for, if Powhatan should know
it, she were but dead; and 80 she ran
away by herself as she came In 1918
Pocahontas was among the Potomac In.
dians. Captain Argall, n man of much
shrewdness and executive force, but in
famous for his dishonest practices, hap
pened to be trading in the river at that
time. He quickly saw the advantage the
English would gain in negotiations with
Powhatan for the return of the white
prisoners held by him, if he could secure
so valuable hoslf &c as the chiefs daugh
ter. With q copper kettle he bribal
Japazaws, the chief with whom she wa.
staying, to entice her on board the vessel
where he detained her, much to the sorrow
of the daughter of the wilderness, whose
| life hitherto had been as free as that of thu
wild creatures of the woods. To James
town, where she had frolicked as a child
and wither she had so often come rs
friend with food she was now carried a
an enemy and prisoner. She lad refus
ed to enter the town since the departure O
Captain Smith.
This transaction, not very creditable t.
the gratitude ofthe English, accomplishe,
its purpose in causing Powhatan to return
white men held in slavery by him
with the least useful of the stolen arms
But he still contrived to cvade some of tn
demands of the English, who therefore
retained his daughter un.il things took
new turn. John Rolfe, who seems Il
have been u Wdower, became cnamore,
of Pocahontas, now growing to woman
hood, and wrote formal letter to SiI
Thomas Dale, proposing to convert her t,
Christianity and marry her, which pleaset
the governor, as tending to promote peact
with the Indians, and was likewise accept
able to Powhptan. The chief sent III
uncle of Pocahontas and two of her broth
ers to witness the marriage.
This marriage brought about pelc
during the life of Powhotan, who, on on
occasion at least, sent present of buck
skins to his daughter and her husband. !
FREQ intermingling of the two races tool
place, aud Englishmen were accustome,
to hire Indians to live in their houses and
hunt for them. This amily lasted cigh
years.
Ia 1915, more thtn two years uile
marriage, Ro!fe and Pocahonta5 went t,
England with Sir Thomas Drp Powhat
an sent some Indians with his daughter
one of whom was commissioned to coun
the number of the English, The arrival o
the Lady Rebecca, as Pocahontas wa
called after her baptism, produced grea
sensation. She was received by the kin!
and many distinguished people, went t
see her play and by help Of her natura
quick wit, bore herself very well. But i
became necessary TO desist from calln!
her the wife of John Rolfe, for the kin!
was very jealous, and it WIS seriously de
bated in the privy council whether by
marrying the daughter of foreign poten
tate without the kings con5ent, R)lfe ha,
not committed treason
The climate of London, and perhap
also the uncongenial babis of civilization
affected Pocahontas very unfavorablv, ant
she was taken to Brentford, where Smith
then busy with his preparations to sail fo
New England, visited her. In the success
full efforts of Rolfe and Others to win he
to the Christian faith and to marriage, the
had not scrupled to deceive her, by tellina
her that Captain Smith was dead, probab
because they knew she would not MARI
another white man while she believe,
that great warrior alive. When, therefore
she saw the "brave' who had beon tn,
object of her maidcnly admiration, sh
turned her. face away and refused to spea
for the space of two or threo hours
When she did, it was to claim the privieg
ofcalling him father, which Smith granite
only after importantly. afraid, perhaps, G
incurring the kiug's dspleasure. Pocahor
tas went TO Gravesend to take the ship 70
her return TO America, much against he
, will, for she had Lecome weaned from he
savage life and greatly attached to tn
English. At Gtavesend she died of small
, pox. three years after her marriage
leaving one son, from whom some of th
most prominent Virginia families traC
their descent.-Edt0ard EygLeStou i
November Century,