Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-10-15
POCAHOETAS.

The incident of the rescue OF Capt. John
Smith by the Indian maiden, Pocahontas, is
familiar to every one, but the romantic
story of her love for Smith and her disap-
pointment is not known to many. After
Smith left America. she consented reiuct-
antly TO marry :. cuionist named Role.
From "Ihs Romance and Iragcdy Of Pioneer
Life" weitake the following touching Bit OF
history
SIN 1916, John Rolfe and Pocahontas
went te England, taking several Indians
with them. Here Rolfe we'll nigh got into
trouble over his marriage. The intelligent
King James, the same who wanted his
minister to procure him q flying squirrel,
because he was so we'll affected to such
toys,' took it into his limited head that
Rolfe, q private gentleman. by marrying
into the imperial family OF Powhatan, had
committed high treason. His connselors
succeeded, with difficulty, in showing him
how tar.fetched the notion was. The Lady
Rebecca, as Pocahontas was generally called
in England, received considerable attention
SIN little while, however, Pocanontas
seems to have been neglected. The novel
ty wore of. After the first week of her
visit she was no longer spoken OF as the
wife of Rolfe, at all. Smith relates the
story of a singular interview which he
had with her After Il modest saluta-
ton, she, without a word turned her
back to him, and passionateiy buried
her face in her hands AT length she broke
forth with pathetic reproaches. recallln they
old scenes at the colony and her sacrifices
for the English, how he had called Pow
hatan father" when he was stranger IN
a strange land; yet, how now that their
positions were reversed, he neglected her
and objected to her calling him father
She said that after his departure the Eng
lish ALWAYS told her he was dead; yet
Powhatan had commanded those OF her
people that were with her to search Tor
Smith aad find out whether he was living,
because your countrymen Will lie much.
The reason OF her conduct is obscure. Many
have thought that Rolfe told her Smith was
dead, because she WAS resolved never 10
marry any one rs long as he WAS alive. 1t
is not impossible that she had loved him,
and was deeply srieved to find out the trick
that had heen played upon her. More likely
she was homesicE aud grievcd TO find the
English no longer paid her any attentions,
and was deeply sensitive TO Smiths neglect,
in not visiting her earlier and renewing
their old acquaintance.
Among the indians who accompanied
Pocahontas was Tocomoco, her brother IN
law, who was sent by Powhatan to take the
number of people in England, and bring an
account of their strength and resources.
When he arrived at Plymouth he got
long stick and began to cut notch in 1t for
every person he met. Bu: he soon became
weary ofthe endless task. and threw away
the stick When he was asked by Powha-
tan, on his return how many Euglishmen
there were, he said /: Count the stars 10 the
sky, the leaves on the trees, the sand on the
seashore for such is the number of the peo-
pie of England" This same savage acci-
dentally met Capt. Smith in London, where
their old acquaintance was renewed. He
at once begged Smith to show him his God,
his king, his queen, his prince, about whom
Smith had told so much Smith put him off
the best he could about his God; but told
him he had already seen the king, and the
others he could see when he liked. The In
dian stoutly denied having seen the king.
James not coming up to his notion of the
ruler of such people. When convinced
that he had already seen their king he said
with melancholy countenance: \ on gave
Powhatan white dog, which me has fed as
himself; but your king has given me not
mouthful nor present; yet am better than
your white dog
an May, 1917, Rolfe, who had been ap-
pointed Secretary of Virginia, with his wife
and child, prepared to return TO America.
They were on board their snip, which was
detained q few days in the Thames by con-
trary winds. During this delay the love
" Pacahontas was taken i'll, and after an
illness of few days, died in a strangers
land.
"Thus ends the briefest and loveliest ro-
nance to be found in all literature. Amid
the darkness Of barbarism and savagery,
bloomed the rare and delicate nature OF Po-
cahontas, wild rose in the rocky cleft OF
black precipices and gloomy mountains.
She seemed boru Cor q different sphere than
that in which she was placed. The brutal
ity of her people was wholly absent from
her affectionate heart She took naturally
to the civilization which she so little under
stood. Whatever motives may have intiu-
enced her in the adoption of Christianity, it
is on record that she lived civilly and low
ingly' with her husband. From the first she
had no fear of the English; going freely to the
fort and on board their ships. Nearly every
one of the colony had some favor, bestowed in
the days of her frolicsome visits to Jamestown for
which to remember her. On all occasions she was
their friend. supplying them with provisions,
concealing them from her father, and aiding them
to escape. Her influence over her father was un-
cessingly exerted in behalf of the strangers.
Modern criticism has regarded some of the stories
told of her as rOmanccs. But after dsentanslins
the flower from all tho weeds and moses of legend
which may have sprung up all around 1t, the
beautiful, affectionate nature the refined man
ners. the apt intelligence of the Indian princess
all these remain in their lily like freshness and
fragrance. Her carly death though cad enough
Was perhaps fortunate both for her and her his
tory AS to herself had she lived, her kcen IN
telligence would have learned to understand more
and more fully the difference between her people
and the English, knowledge which would have
brought pain and sorrow 10 her loving heart. And
for the history, her early dSath has left us y
her portrait in the perfect bloom e youth, 8
youth which has been made immortal b. the pens
of countless historians"