Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-06-29
MAIDS IN BERMUDA.
FROM ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TO AN ENG
L,Sh ROYAL PALACE.
The History Of the Two Indian "rs """
Went 90 England with
pocahontas.


frst COUSIN. II was through shlpWtech
while on his way % Virginia that SIT GeHrEc
Somers reached the Bermudas ana II ne
had not boon detained there for nearly
wear with his $50 cOlonists. the early ms
tory of Virginia would no doubt nave oech
materially altered. Bv his detention there'
however, such romantic chap'or wa
added to the remarkable story OF
pocahoutas that at tins distance We
NAV think kindly Of the via AZ
lantic gale that kept so many settlers away
from the infant colonies Inc lhulhh
maiden herself had nothing. TO 90 WIN
Bermuda. but the story Of the TWO cary
seftlers Of the island - interviewer WIN
hers. This addition 20 the romance OF 70
cahontas has never. so Tar rs ! Know peeu
published. except in stray references mere
aud there in various histories, paragraph
iu one and paragraph in another; but 10y
leaking M the authorities which shail
ouofe as thew are needed, any sSepucai
reader will find that II is not a " id Indian
legend. hut a solid historical fact
We naturally look upon most OF inc
prettv Indian stories with disuust because
We know from sad experience that the no.
he SAVAGE is not the romantic creature lie
has been pictured. We cannot take the
old interest in Locan's pathetic speech
baoinning II appeal 10 any white man 70
say n ever he entered Logan's cabin ana
be gave him not meat; II ever ne
came cold and naked and he cIoih-
ed him not because We Know that
n the Mineo chief made any speech
-, ,bs, occasion II was probably TO say;
"Tmph, big lniun heap thirsty Dig
hmm want tire-water." But the story Of
T0cahontas is so well authenticated that
there Is no room 10 doubt AZ least lue
main points OF IT. and the fact - undenl-
able that there are some remarkably prtlN
rlrls IN Indian wigwams. If an early ms
torian had invented the romance OF the
Indian maiden he would have married her
10 Cap,ain John Smith Immediately after
She had saved his life. and however good
an explorer and adventurer smith may
have been. he was remarkably poor rove
maker or he would not have left hls VIVA
Cious rescuor TO be sold aftcrward for
copper kettle. c.u tu...u,,
hands Of Powhatan. and locahontaS was
then twelve wears Old-pretty young Tor a
yornance. hut believe the rule IN such
eases Is that It's better too young than TOO
old. / Am not able where | am writing 10
Law my hands upOn works that give
The particulars of the POcahonias-
Smith affair, but every American school-
boy knows the story. and shal roi'r
10 il very briefly. At that tlmo the
Bermudas had not single lnhabtant,
n
had been any inhabitants, except occa-
sionAl Spanish mariners who were Wrecktt
there and got away a soon a. they could.
There were a few hundred settlers IN the
Virginia colony, whose territory rcached
from Halifax 10 Cape Fear. Captain John
Smith being the leader Of the plymouth
Company, aud Captain Newport command
ing the London COMPANY; Newport soon
returned To ENGLAND. and Captain Shith
fen into the hands Of Powhatan,, the
King Of thirty tribes, who AVed IN
"A yillare Of twelve wigWams, on the
site of the present cltvOi Rlchmond. foW-
latan was about sixty years old, q tllI,
grave. aud dignifcd warrior.' a the histo-
Iics say. without adding that ne was nn-
acquainted with the use OF soap. Inc
beautiful picture of Smith having hs head
on the cxecu'ioner's stone. ready 20 DE
without the aid Of electricity, and OF Poca,
hontas. distinguished for ready wit and
generosity Of spirit throwing ncrscli
upon his body and saving his liie, n'ed
not undertake 10 paint, ana II is not
necessary 10 speak of ms uueeutleinanly
conduct in snoaklng of and leaving her III
the woods.
Things went wrong with the first fami-
lies Of Virginia. and IN 1893 Lord Delaware
was APPOINTED Governor. But his lord
.llp's new boots were not finished ~ time,
Ut FOR some other reason he was detained
1T home and Gates. Newport, and Somers
were sent on ahead with 500 men M mne
ships. t. manage ah0irs until Delaware
arrived In violent storm OF the Ber-
inuda. the vessel that carried the three
leaders. perhaps overloaded with the
weight Of dignity. WAS stranded ON
the Bermuda reefs, ana the rest
a the feet reached jamestown. This WAS
fomcr.'s Introduction t. the islands that
were subsequently named after HIM. me
Virginia colony. thus reinforced, struggled
on f1r six years. and IN 1873, when Poca-
hontas was eighteen years old, one captain
Argall thcre were capita ns III those DAYS
bought her from tribe she was visiting FOR
n conner kettle. This looks at first like
piece of good sense on ArgalIs part. but
Arpall was worse than Smith. and only
wantod her for ransom. Tins ma he
trouble Of course. m the powhatan family.
but papa refused to pay auy ransom and
bccauto sharpen ms sea ping-kmyes.
The man who valued an eightcen-year-
old princess at the price OF copper Kettle,
and kept her "A piece oi merchandise
instead Of marrying her, OF course must
have been enough of q coward % shake III
his boots when lie heard IOwh0iau's
knivc, a. grinding. But at this STAGE John
Rolic. an English planter, attracted by
the beauty aud VlvacltV of the royal can
five. offered marry her and convert
sent. The girl seems TO have had httie
voice in the matter, but a. Role was not
only "a man. but an EnglIshman, she was
no dout delighted She was accordingly
baptized aud married. but whether Rolte
converted her. or whether she took away
his latch-key and otherwise trained INN IN
her gentle Indian way, history tails TO IN
form Us.
The romance Of Pocahontas did not end
with her marriage. Her short life was
destined 10 be lively one 10 the end. She
left her fathers wicwam and as Mrs. John
ROlfe she settled IN one of the primitive
houses near Jamestown. There everything
was new and strange TO her. and 1t was
only natural that she should keep M her
associations with her own people. q! her
friendship for the whites and her frequent
warnings to them when trouble was
brewing we al know. There were other
Indian maidens in POwhatan's settle
meut and with two Of these al least she
continued her intimacy. They had chewed
gum together IN childhood, and IN girl
hood had perhaps set traps for the same
young bucks. These girls were with bel
frequently IN her new civilized and Chris
tianzed state, and we may easily imagine
that pocahontas found pleasure ia gorug
back with them 10 the wigwam occasion
sllv. throwing OF the restraints of IN,
young British matrOn, and ENJOYING the
freedom of her native forest. They wcr,
Younger than she, and of course looked NJ
60 her o. a great parsonage. "big lnlun;
whose example they would do we'll TO fol
low. The names Of these two Indian
maidcns. unfortunately, are not gwen II
any OF the works IN which | have sect
them referred 20. bat the curious will iinc
NJ least some account Of them In "a bOol
which cannot at this moment reach-E. ID
Neill's English Colonization ot America.
on page 81.
Three years Of this comparatively quiet
life rocahOntas spent with her husband
among the settlers in jamestown. and thet
business called him 10 England. IL wa
decided that she should accompany him
20 see more Of the wonders Of civilization
than were 10 be found IN the wllds o.
America. No doubt Rolfe was proud OF
his Indian Princess and was glad OF the op
poTiunity TO show her 10 his friends al
home. Bu, she felt timid about crossing
the great ocean and going among strange
people. 50 TO reconcile her to the journey
her two Indian maiden friends were in
vited 20 go with her. When the party
reached England Pocahontas became 3
lioness at once. The story of her romantic
rescne Of Captain John Smith was know
and her friendship for the white settlers
AMI these things made everybody desire t
see her. But there was stronger reason
even than this for society" taking bel
NJ. She was a Princess in her own right
the daughter Of all Indian King, and in