Evening star., 1936-03-01

legal or political sense. Powhatan
would have sold them the moon, for
that matter.
Alone among the North American
aboriginals. Powhatan seems to have
conceived the idea of making a busi-
ness out of the grim hoodlumism
which was Indian warfare.
HE HAD been a ruthless and terri
BILE character. He had not hesi-
tated to massacre entire villages. He
had strangled rivals with his own
hands-not, as other Indians might
have done, for the glory of the ac-
complishment, but to make himself
feared. He was cruel, greedy and
shrewd. Yet, as with other gang
leaders, there was a softer side to his
character. He was spasmodically just
and generous. He loved children, es-
pecially his own. Pocahontas, espe-
cially. could manage him in his RACES
and did when she saved the life of
John Smith. He didn't exactly ap-
prove some of her carryings-on, but
there was no gew-gaw he had which
she couldn't wheedle out Of him.
Such was the man, still straight
and stalwart in his buckskin robe in
spite Of 60 years of hard living, who
gave John Smith his reply to New
port:
"If your King have sent me pres
ents, I also am king and this is
my land. Eight days I will stay to
receive them. Your father is to come
to me, not I to him nor yet to your
fort, neither will I bite at such bait.
I can revenge my own injuries. As
for Atquanachuck, where you say
your brother was slain, it is contrary
way from those parts you suppose it:
but for any salt water beyond the
mountains, the relations you had from
my people are false"
Such, at least, is the substance of
what the interpreter said Powhatan
replied. The notification committee
had to content themselves with 1t.
They returned to jamestown. And the
curtain rises on the third act Of the
burlesque.
Capt. Newport was determined that
Powhatan should be crowned. He
had his strict orders-and besides he
wanted to get rid of the bed room
furniture. 1t was cluttering up his
ship.
1t was sent up the river to Pow
hatan's village. He himself set out
by land, Smith serving as guide,
with so soldiers. A few days later
all came together at the palisaded
Indian village of Werowocomoco.
Newport showed Powhatan his gifts
and the old savage's face fell He
hadn't the slightest idea what the
elaborate bed room furniture, en-
bossed with the crown of England,
was for. He couldn't comprehend that
men actually slept in such a con-
trivance as a bed. He never would
be caught in It. A pile of skins on
the floor was all he wanted.
He also greatly admired the scarlet
robe, put it on Immediately and wore
It for the remainder Of his days. The
copper crown didn't strike his fancy
at all. It probably was bit tarnished
after the long sea voyage. Nor did
ne like the sight Of SO Englishmen
with muskets nor of the boat in the
river with q cannon trained on his
village.
Powhatan suspected there was skull
duggery afoot. He had been caught
in q trap. Perhaps the white men
were not such yokels after all. For
the first time in his life old Powhatan
knew paralydng fear.
Now, Q coronation had to be car
ried out with precise ceremonial. A
man could not properly be made a
king except on his knees. The Indian
couldn't understand what the Eng
iishmen wanted when they asked him
to kneel. He never had knelt in his
life or seen anybody else do so.
"A foule trouble there was" re-
corded John Smith, Ito make him
n,eele to receive his crowne. At
least. by leaning hard on his shoul-
ders. he was . little stopped, and
three having the crowne In their
hands put 1t on his head, when by
the warning OF pistol the boats
we're prepared with such q volley Of
shot that the king started up In .