CHAPTER V.

POCAHONTAS AND COMPANIONS.

N the first relation of the colony of Virginia, published in 1608, and attributed to Captain Smith, Pocahontas is briefly noticed in these words:

"Powhatan understanding we detained certain saluages sent his daughter a child of tenne yeares old, which not only for feature, countenance, and proportion much exceedeth any of the rest of his people but for wit and spirit the only non-pareil of his countrie."

In the same narrative Smith states that he was treated with kindness by Powhatan, who wished him to live in his village, and afterwards, he adds, "hee sent me home with 4 men, one that usually carried my Gowne and Knapsacke after me, two other loded with bread, and one to accompanie me." 1

In 1609 Smith was sent to England to answer some mis demeanors, and never again lived in Virginia; but in his General History, published more than fifteen years afterwards, he transforms Powhatan to a savage wretch ready to beat out his brains, until "Pocahontas the king's dearest daughter got his head into her arms, and laid her owne

1 Deane's edition of True Relation, p. 38.

upon his to saue him from death," which statement is perpetuated in a sculpture by Capellano, which may be seen over one of the doors of the Capitol at Washington.

શું બબ

GIRLHOOD OF POCAHONTAS.

William Strachey, secretary of the colony, who arrived with Lord Delawarre in 1610, gives a vivid description of Pocahontas. He remarks that "Both men, women and children have their severall names; at first according to the several humour of their parents, * * and so the great King Powhatan called a young daughter of his, whome he loved well, Pochahuntas, which may signifie little wanton, howbeyt she was rightly called Amonate at more ripe yeares.'

"2

In another chapter he states: "Their younger women goe not shadowed amongst their owne companie until they be nigh eleaven or twelve returnes of the leafe old (for soe they accompt and bring about the yeare, calling the fall of the leafe taquitock); nor are they much ashamed thereof, and therefore would the before remembered Pochahuntas a well featured but wanton young girle, Powhatan's daughter, sometymes resorting to our fort, of the age then of eleven or twelve yeares, get the boyes forth with her into the markett place, and make them wheele, falling on their hands, turning up their heeles upwards, whome she would follow and wheele so herself, naked as she was all the fort over; but being once twelve yeares, they put on a kind of semecinctum lethern apron (as do our artificers or

1 Smith's History, folio, 1632, p. 49.

2 Hakluyt Pub. Soc., vol. VI, p. 65.

INTERMARRIAGE OF ENGLISH AND INDIANS. 85

handycrafts men) before their bellies, and are very shamefac't to be seen bare."1

** *

On another page the same writer mentions that "They often reported unto us that Powhatan had then lyving twenty sonnes and ten daughters besides young Pocohunta a daughter of his, using sometyme to our fort in tymes past, nowe married to a private captaine called Kocoum some two yeares since." 2

During the year 1612 a plan seems to have been arranged among the principal men of Virginia of intermarrying the English with the natives, and of obtaining the recognition of Powhatan and those allied to him as members of a fifth kingdom, with certain privileges. Cunega, the Spanish ambassador at London, on September 22, 1612, writes: "Although some suppose the plantation to decrease, he is credibly informed that there is a determination to marry some of the people that go over to Virginians; forty or fifty are already so married, and English women intermingle and are received kindly by the natives. A zealous minister hath been wounded for reprehending it." 3

In July of this year the bold and unscrupulous Captain Argall sailed from England, and arrived on the 17th of September at Point Comfort.

Argall's Account of the Capture of Pocahontas.

Early in the spring of 1613, to employ his own language, "I was told by certaine Indians my friends that

66

1 Hakluyt Pub. Soc., vol VI, p. 111.

2 lbid., p. 54.

3 Sainsbury. Was this clergyman Mr. Buck or Mr. Whitaker?

the great Powhatan's daughter Pokahuntis was with the great King Patowomek whether I presently repaired resolving to possesse myselfe of her by any stratagem that I could use for the ransoming of so many Englishmen as were prisoners with Powhatan as also to get such armes and tooles as hee and other Indians had got by murther and stealing some others of our nation, with some quantity of corne for the colonies reliefe.

"So soone as I came to anchor before the towne I manned my boate, and sent on shore for the King of Pastancy and Ensigne Swift (whom I had left as a pledge of our loue and truce the voyage before) who presently came and brought my pledge with him, whom after I had received, I brake the matters to this King and told him that if he did not betray Pokohuntis into my hands, wee would be no longer brothers nor friends. He alleged that

if hee undertake the businesse, then Powhatan would make warres upon him and his people, but upon my promise that I would joyne with him against him, he repaired presently to his brother the great King of Patowomeck, who being made acquainted with the matter called his counsell together and after some few houres deliberation concluded rather to deliver her into my hands; so presently he betrayed her into my boat, when I carried her aboord my ship. This done an Indian was dispatched to Powhatan to let him know that I had taken his daughter, and if he would send home the Englishman (who he deteained in slaverie, with such armes and tooles as the Indians had gotten and stolne and also a great quantity of corne that then he should have his daughter restored, otherwise not. This very much grieved this great King, yet without delay he returned the messenger with this

CAPTURE OF POCAHONTAS.

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answere that he desired me to use his daughter well and bring my ship into his river and then he would give me my demands, which being performed I should deliver his daughter and we should be friends.

"Having received this answer I presently departed, being the 13 of Aprill and repayred with all speed to Sir Thomas Gates to know of him upon what conditions he would conclude the peace, and what he would demand to whom I also delivered my prisoner towards whose ransome within few days the King sent home seven of our men who seemed to be very joyfull for that they were freed from the slavery and feare of cruell murther which they daily before lived in. They brought also three peeces, one broad axe and a long whip-saw and one canow of corne. I being quit of my prisoner went forward with the frigot which I had left at Point Comfort and furnished her."

John Chamberlain, writing from London on August 1, 1613, to Sir Dudley Carleton, says:

"There is a ship come from Virginia with news of their well doing which puts some life into that action that before was almost at the last cast. They have taken the daughter of a King that was their greatest enemy as she was going feasting upon a river to visit certain friends, for whose ransom the father offers whatsoever in his power, and to become their friend, and to bring them where they shall meet with a gold mine. They proposed unto him three conditions, to deliver all the English fugitives, to render all manner of arms or weapons of theirs that are come to his hands, and to give them three hundred quarters of corne. The two first he promised readily, and promis