Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-29
MOTHER OF f. F. VS..
Hrs. John RoIfe, nee POcahontas, Daugh
ter Of POWhatan-The Simple Facts
of the Earliest OF
American Romances-HOW the Artlesa
Child the Forest was Won and Her
Friendship fer the Whites.


the November Century, says of Pocahoutas:
From her first meeting wi. Smith she be-
came devotedly attached to the English, and
rendered the settlers many services. She
often secured supplies for them, and indeed
seems to have haunted the for, utterly
naked as she was, after the manner of little
girls among her people, who wore no clothes
and showed no modesty until they were
twelve or thirteen years old, at which time
they put on a deerskin apron, and were very
careful not 10 be seen without it. The agile
little barbarian would persuade the English
lads to make wheels of themselves by turn
ing upon their hands and feet, whereupon
she would follow them, wheeling as they
did, through the fort.
Her real name was Motosx, but by order
Of POWhstan, this was carefully concealed
from the whites, lest by their supernatural
entertainments they should work her some
harm. When Richard Wyfin was sent
from Hometown to apPrise the endangered
Capt Smith, envirened by foes among Pow
hstan's people, of the death of his deputy,
Mr.. Scrivenor, and his ten companions by
drowning, Pocahonlss hid him, misdirecfed
those who sought him, and, by extraordinary
brides and maueuvers, brought him safely to
Smith, after three days travel in the midst
of extreme peril. So, also, when Radcliffe
wss cut off with thirty men, she saved the
lad Spilm4p, who was then living with
Bot the most touching story of ali
precedes in order OF time the other
two. 10 the same difficult adventure
among Powhatsn's people, in which
Capt. Smith was engaged when Serve
neT was drowned, the trescherous chief
had arranged to surprise Smith at sup
per, and cut ''off the whole party, when Po-
csbontss, the dearest jewel and daughter OF
the aged chief, in that nigh came through
the Irksome woods" to warn the captain OF
PoWhatan's design. Capt Smith offered to
repay her kindness with such trinkets as the
heart Of an IBdian maiden delights in; but, |
with the tears running down her cheeks, che
said she "durst not be seen to have any, for,
if Powhatan should know it, she were but
dead; and 80 she ran away By herself as she
came"
In 1913 Pocahontas was among the Poto-
mac Indians. Capt. ArSall, q man OF much |
shrewdness and executive force, but infamo
for mis- dishonest practices, happened to be
trading on the river at that time. He quick |
ly saw the advantage the English would gain |
In negotiations with Pownatan for the return |
Of the white prisoners held by him, if he could |
secure so valuable hostage as the chiefs |
daughter. With copper kettle he bribed |
Japazaws, the chief with whom she was |
staying, to eniice her on board the vessel, |
where he detained her, much TO the sorrow |
Of the daughter of the wilderness, whose life |
AAAucEiO udu Dctu a. Tree as bUdl Oh tue wiz I
creatures Of the woods. To Jamestown,
where she had frolicked as child, and |
whittier she had 30 often come as q friend /
with food che was now carried a. IN enemy
and prisoner. She had refused TO enter
the town since the departure of Capt. Smith.
This transaction, not very creditable TO the
gratitude OF the English, accom- lished it's
purpose in causing Powhatan to return the
white men held In slavery by him, with the
least useful of the stolen arms. But he still
to evade some of the demands of
the English, who therefore retained his
daughter until the affair took new turn.
John Role, who semeed 10 have been a
widower, became enamored of Pocahontas,
now growing to womanhood, and wrote
formal letter TO Sir Thomas Dale, proposing
to convert her to Christianity and marry her,
which pleased the governor, as lending to
promote peace with the Indiana, and was
likewise acceptable 10 Powhatan. The chief
sent an old uncle of Pccshontas and two OF
her brothers to witness the marriage.
This marriage brought about peace during
the life of Powhatsn, who, on occasion at
least, sent present of bnckskin to his
daug hter and her husband. A free inter-
ming ling Of the two races took place, and
were accustomed to hire Indians
10 live in th-ir houses and hunt for them.
This dity lasted eight years.
10 1916, more than two years after their
England with Sir Thomas Dale. Powhatau
emit some Indians with his daughter, one of
whom was commissioned to count the num-
Der of the English. The arrival of the Lady
Rsbtcca, as Pecahontas was called after her
Baptism, produced great sensation. She
vas received by the king, and with many
listing uished people went TO see q play, and
" hslp of her naturally quick wit bore her
elf very well. But it became necessary to
fsIst from calling her the wife OF John 9
Solfe, for the king was very jealous, and it 1
las seriously debated in the privy council
Ihether, by marrying the daughter of for !
ign potentate without the kings consent, .
Solfe had not committed treason. 1
The climate of London, and perhaps also 1
be uncongenisl habits of civilization, af- I
scted Poca hontas very unfavorably, and she @
Tas taken to Brentford, where Smith, then c
usy with his preparations to sail for New 8
tngl land, visited her. In the successful eff q
1rts OF Role and others to win her to Christ 8
nd the faith and to marriage, they had not ]
,rupled to deceive her, by telling her that b
apt Smith was dead, probably because they a
new she would not marry another white I
Ian while she believed that great warrior a
live. When, therefore, she saw the 'brave" b
no had been the object of her maidenly adj o
'iration, she turned her face away and re- il
lsed to speak for the space of two or three b
ours. When she did, il was to claim the O
rivilege of calling him father, which Smith d
ranted only after importantly, afraid, per "
aPs, OF mourning the kings displeasure. Fix
ocAnontas went TO Gravesend to take ship f.
n her return to America, much against her 3,
~, for she had become weansd from her n
wage life and greatly attached 10 the Eu- o.
ish. At Gravesend she died of smallpox, W
ree years after her marriage, leaving one A
~, from whom some of the most promi- 81
nj Virginia families trace their descent Al
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