New Ulm weekly review., 1885-07-01
Peter stuyYesant and Pocahontas


New York Letter to Commercial Gazette.
DIR. Edward Eggleston, who wrote
"Hoosier Schoolmaster" and the "Cir-
cult rider" and number of interesting
stories based on the early life of an
itinerant Indiana preacher, has given
up fiction of late. and is devoting him
self to the more substantial work
of the american colonies" He has
pretty well exhausted the field
here, however, and will go in May to
London to obtain the benefit of the
British museum, where the most ex-
tensive collection of American archives
is to be found in the world. I should
not wonder, however, if this delving in
to colonial history would bring forth
from DR.. Eggleston's pen a new series
of American novels based on the scenes
of the day. Walking through the beau
tiful little patch Of green in the east side
of the city know as Stuyvesant Square,
few days ago, it occurred to me to ask
DR.. Eggleston what he thought of the
tradition that old Peter Stuyvesant,
whose statue is in niche in one of the
downtown buildings, had given that
park to the city, that being the reason
assigned for the absurd custom OF lock-
ing the park gates at sunset each even
ing.
''There is nothing further from the
truth, DR.. Eggleston remarked, ethan
most of the things set down as traditions.
Now do not suppose that Peter Stuy-
vesant-or silver-legged Peter, as the
Indians called him, probably from the
fact that around the wooden peg which
served him for leg he wore silver
of some kind-had anything to do with
the. .bequeathlng of this park. In the first
place, when Peter Stuyvesant lived here
there was no more use for Park in
this locality than there would be for one
in the midst of the Catskill Mountains.
This was all wild land then, and the
city lay miles below. Some later mem
Der of the family probably made the do,
nation, and as Peter was the most ia.
nous member of the family later gen..
erations gave him the credit for it.
It is good deal like the tradition Of
Pocahontas and John Smith, I sup.
pose?"
"No. There is good deal of foun.
dation for the story of Pocahontas.
When in Richmond and James
town, where my parents came from,
and where I have recently made some
research in connection with other mat
ters concerning the Virginia colonies,
I found what I think is the true story
of the friendship between those two
people. I doubt if it has ever been
truly stated. When John Smith sailed
up the James river, Powhattan was the
chieftain of very large band of1ndians,.
who were at first inclined to be friendly
with the whites, but were afterward i'll
treated perhaps, and became hostile.
There seems to be good authority for
the statement that by some means
or other, Smith fell into their
hands. I do not believe that he
was ever sentenced to death OF rescued,
as the story goes, but Pocahontas-
whose name in the Indian language
stands for "little Wanton," or as We
would say, a Little Mink" x"-probably
claimed Smith as her slave. From that
there is but little doubt that very
strong attachment sprang up between
them. Smith went back to England,
however, and when Rolf came over he
had doubtless heard of Pocahontas, and
also got to know her. he wanted to-
marry her, but Pocahontas still remem-
bered John Smith, and there is author
ity for the statement that it was only
after they had made her believe that
Smith was dead that she consented to
marry. She was taken to London and
there she learned that they had deceived
her and she was broken down by the
announcement"