Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-29
HIsToRICAL SKETCH.
Pocahontas, the Indian Princess.

1nulan malueni is DOtn curlOus ana rO-
smantic.
She was the daughter OF Powaten, a
|celebrated Indian warrior or emperor,
who ruled over several powerful tribes,
And whose hostility to first white set
tiers in America, at Jamestown, was foI
many years a source of great anxiety
and excitement to the English.
The governor of the white colonists
was Captain John Smith, a soldier who
had gained brilliant laurels in many q
hard fight, an6 whose indomitable
courage and readiness of resource emf
nently qualified him 10 conciliate the
warlike, treacherous tribes who were
continually harrassing the white and
endangering their lives.
By his fearlessness, his exceptional
power of winning confidence, and his
appropriate presents, he generally man.
aged to obtain from the Indians a good
supply of corn and provisions; but on
one occasion, in 1906, he ventured into
the interior with but two attendants,
and was surrounded by large body OF
savages. His companions were killed
and himself taken prisoner.
He was led in triumph through
many parts of the country, and then
brought before Powhatan.
His entrance was created with q great
shout from all present, but the tiger
like roar of several hundred Indians,
exulting and trembling, failed to move
muscle in the countenance of the
prisoner. Before a large
fire, on seat like bedstead, sat Pow
hatan, covered with great robe OF
rarowcum skins, and looking a tall,
powerfully built old man, finely por-
portioned, with white hair, and coun-
tenalce stern and ominous.
"On his right hand sat his daughter,
Pocahontas, perfect model of Indian
beauty at its most attractive period,
when the young girl just expanding in
to womanhood combines the loveliest
attributes of both-wild, yet bashful;
quick in transition, yet gentle and affec-
tionate; slender and stately as young
palm tree, the small head proudly car
ried, with wild nobility of look char
acteristlc of the freedom of the forest;
the features pale and statuesque,
OEhted up by the luminous, fawn like
yes, full of tremulous light stealing
through the long dark lashes, every
movement of the subtle form and un-
fettered limbs show the superiority OF
Nature over rt,alike graceful in action
or repose. Her hands and feet were
small and symmetrically formed, while
over the picturesque tunic and mantle,
bordered with swansdown and ermine
as denoting the virgin daughter of an
Indian king, foated the long silken
tresses of bluest black, fancifully
wreathed with shells and flowers, the
arched instep and rounded arms dis
played the same gay ornaments"
Such was Pocahontas, as she sat by
her fathers side and gazed with won
dering, admiring eyes on the prisoner
the heroic Captain John Smith, OF
whose bold deeds she had heard so
much, and whose calm fortitude in the
presence of his captors appealed irreis-
tibly to her heart, filed as it was with
all an Indians courage and daring.
When the excitement and uproar
caused by the appearance of so distin-
guished q captive had partially sub
sided, "the Queen of Appamatuk"
was appointed to bring the prisoner
water to wash his hands, another fe-
male bunch of feathers instead of a
napkin to dry them. Then being
abundently feasted after their best bar
barous manner, long consultation was
held, after which two great stones, or
powcorances, were brought and laid at
the feet of Powhatan. These stones
but too well declared the fate of the
prisoner, for they were the stones OF
sasrific, and the assembled mass of saw
age humanity heaved and shrugged
more fiercely toward the completion OF
the rite.
All was tumult and excitement. Po-
cahontas had left her fathers side, and
thrown herself in agony on the ground
before him, twining her beautiful arms
around his knees, and entreating with
wild supplications and many tears
mercy for the prisoner. Unmoved by
her appeal, Powhatan made sign; q
dreadful rush upon the prisoner follow.
ed. Every hand strove to reach him,
and as many as could, by no means
get holdssf him seized and dragged him
to the fatal stones and forced down his
head upon them, in order to beat out
his brains with their war clubs, which
sTere already uplifted and swinging to
sszestroy him, when with q wild resound-
ing shrek, tearing through every oh.
stacle that would impede her progress,
Pocahontas forced her way among
them, threw herself across his breast,
and laid her head on his, prepared to
yield her own young life ere his should
be sacrificed.
The descending clubs were suddenly
arrested, hoarse murmurs arose, but
were. instantly quelled by Powhatan,
whose mood changed toward his pris-
oner, and, as the old history quantity
remarks, 1.-THE emperor was contented
he should live to make him hatchets.
In order to partially appease the dis
appointed spectators, the victim was
not then set free, 'but carried off to a
great house in the woods, and subjected
to every experiment their art could de-
wise in order to intimidate him.
At last he was permitted to return to
his companions at Jamestown; and
thither in few days ''came the lovely
Princess Pocahontas, and her wild
train, bearing provisions to the starv-
ing colonists.n Nor was this the only
visit she paid to the English settlers,
which invariably received her with the
most respectful admiration.
Captain Smith has himself recorded
how much he and his people owed to
her tact, assistance aud Intervention;
and he freely acknowledges that hel
services contributed largely to keep uL
for many years friendly intercourse
between the white settlers and the In.