The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-11-07
POCAHONTAS.
The True ROmance--Her Marriage
with ROlfe.

Oecame OeVOteQly attacOeu 10 tue Eng
lish, and rendered the settlers many SER
vices. She often secured supplies for
them, and indeed seems to have haunted
the fort, utterly naked as she was, after
the manner of little girls among her
people, who wore no clothes and show
ed no modesty until they were twelve
or thirteen years of aye, at which time
they put on q deerskin 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, whereupon she would follow
them, wheeling as they did, all through
the fort.
Her real name was Matoax; hut, by
order of Powhatan, this was carefully
concealed from the whites, lest by their
supernatural entertainments they should
work her some harm. When Richard
Wyffin wa. sent from jamestown to ap'
prise the endangered Captain Smith, en-.
vironed BY foes among Powhatan's peo'
Pile, OF the death of bis deputy, Mr.
Scrivener, and his ten companions, by
drowning. Pocahontas hid him, misdi
rectei those who sought him, and. by
extraordinary bribes and maneuvers
brought him safely 10 Smith, after three
days travel in the midst of extreme per
il. So, also, when Radcliffe was cut of
with thirty men, who saved the lad Spill
man, who was then living with Pow
hatan, and sent him to the Po,omacs.-
But the most touching story of all pre-
cedes in order OF time the other two -
In the same difficult adventure among
Powhatans people, in which Captain
Smith was engaged when Scrivener was
drowned, the treacherous chief had ar
ranged to surprise Smith at supper, and
Cit off the whole party, when Pocahon-
tas, the dearest jewel and daughter
of the aged chief, sin that dark nighl
came through the lrksome woods" to
warn the captain of Powhatan's design
Csptain Smith offered to repay her kind
ness with such trinkets as the heart oi
an Indian maiden delights in; "bu, with
the tears running down her cheeks, she
said she durst not be seen to have any,
for, if Powhatan should know it, she
were but dead and so she ran away by
herself a. she came"
In 1913 Pncahontas was among the
Potomac Indians. Captain Argall, q
man OF much shrewdness and executive
force, but Infamous for his dishonest
practices, happened TO be trading in the
river at that time He quickly saw the
advantage the English would gain in ne
gotiations with Powhatsn for tue return
of the white prisoners held by him, il
be could secure 80 valuable hostage
as the chiefs daughter. With copper
kettle be brlbed Japszaws, the chief with
whom she was 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 the wild creatures
of the woods. To James' own, where
che had frolicked as child, and width
er she had so often come as a friend
with food, she was now carried as an
enemy and prisoner. She had refused
to enter the town since the departure Of
Captain Smith.
This transaction, not very creditable
to the gratitude of the English. accom-
plished its purposes in causing Powhat-
an to return the white men held In sla-
very by him, with the least useful of the
stolen arms. But he still contrived to
evade some Of the demands of the Eng
lish, who therefore retained bis daughter
until the affair took new turn. John
Rolfe, who seems 10 have been wild
over, became eDamored of Pocahontas,
now growing to womauhood, and wrote
a formal letter to Sir Thomas Dale, pro
posing to convert her to Christianity
and marry her, which pleased the gov
ernor, as tending TO promote peace with
the Indians, and was likewise acceptable
to Powhatan. The chief sent an old
uncle of Pocahontas and two of her
brothers to witness the marriage.
This marriage brought about peace
during the life Of Powhatan, who, on
one occasion at least, sent present OF
huckskins to his daughter and her hus-
band. A free intermingling of The two
races took place, and Euglishmen we're
accustomed to hire Indians to live in
their houses and hunt for them. This
amity lasted eight years.
In 1916, more than two wears after
their marriage, Rolfe and Posahontas
went to England with Sir Thomas Dale
Powhatan sent some Indians with his
daughter, one Of whom was commits
stoned to count the number Of the En-
glsh. The arrival Of Lady Rebecca, as
Pocahontas was called after her baptism,
produced great sensation. She was
received by the king and many dlstin
guished people, went to see play, and,
by help of her natural qnick wit, bore
herself very well But it became nee
essary to desist from calling her the wife
OF John Rolfe, for the king was verv
jealous, and it was seriously debated in
the privy council whether. by marrying
the daughter of foreign potentate
without the kings consent, Rolfe had
not committed treason.
The climate of London, and. perhaps,
also the uncongenial habits Of civiliza-
lion, affected Pocshontas verv unfavor.
ably, and she was taken to Brentford,
where Smith, then busy with his prepa.
rations to sail for Now England, visited
her. In the successful efforts. of Rolfe
and others to win her to the Christian
faith and to marriage, they had not scru-
pied to deceive her by telling her that
Captain Smith was dead, probably be-
cause they knew she would not marry
another white man while she believed
that great warrior to he alive. When,
therefore, she saw the "brave" who had
been the object Of her maidenly admi.
ration, she turned her face away and re
fused to speak for the space of two or
thee hours. When she did, it was r.
claim the privilege OF calling him father
which Smith granted only after impor.
tunity afraid, perhaps. of incurring ths
kings displeasure. Pocahontas went tc
Gravesend to take ship for her return tc
America, much against her will, for sh'
had become weaned from her sayao,