CHAPTER VIL

THE effect of this timely interposition of Pocahontas was not limited to the mere saving of our hero's life. The results were highly advantageous in other respects to the colony of the English. It secured for it the tolerance of the Emperor, while it gained for Smith himself the special favor and friendship of the savage. In all probability the superstitious, not less than the human feelings of Powhatan, were touched by the unlooked for interference of his daughter in the bloody scene which he was preparing to enact. Such a boldness at the perilous and precious moment, in a child so young, might well awaken, even in more sophisticated natures, an impression that the act was of providential inspiration-the work of a superior agency. At all events, the benefits were soon apparent. Smith was not only spared, but taken into immediate favor. The Emperor assured him of his friendship, professed to regard him as his own son, and promised him his liberty in a few days. But these favors were coupled with conditions. Powhatan was ambitious of being the possessor of certain of the great guns, of whose terrible powers vague accounts had already reached his ears. The uses of a grindstone were also known to him, and one of these was an object of his desire. To obtain these chattels, he promised his captive the entire country of Capahosick; a territory the limits of which it would perhaps be somewhat difficult at this day to define.

Smith was somewhat cheered by these assurances, and this display of kindness; but he put little faith in the sin

cerity of the savage monarch. He was conscious himself of a certain 1egree of practice in his own assurances, and felt but little confidence, accordingly, in what was told him. Their conferences together were very frequent, and on the best footing of amity. What had been told of our hero to Powhatan had evidently impressed him greatly with his ability and courage. All that he had previously related to Opechancanough was now to be repeated; and a thousand questions were asked with regard to the coming and objects of the English, which it required all the prudence and subtlety of Smith to answer, without endangering the friendly relations between the parties. It need not be said that our adventurer made no scruple of suppressing the truth where it served his purpose to do so. He had discovered that the Indians of Powhatan had suffered some injuries from Spanish vessels, and he framed his own story to suit the prejudices of his hearer. His people had been overpowered in a fight with the Spaniards, their enemies, and had sought shelter in the Chesapeake The story was plausible, and the enmity of both to the Spaniards was the source of a new tie between them But his exploring voyage in a canoe to the heads of the rivers of the country, suggested a new doubt to Powhatan, and new difficulties to his captive. But to his questions. on this head the ready invention of Smith found a prompt answer. A brother had been slain by a people living in the rear of the territories of Powhatan, who were supposed to be the Monacans, his enemies also. The murder of this youth it was his business to revenge. These motives our savage found very good and justifiable, and led Powhatan into a description of his territories and those of his neighbors; how they lay, and how they were watered; what was the number, and what were the habits of the Anchawachucks -whom he assumed to be those by.

whom Smith's brother had been slain-and the "Pocough tronacks, a fierce nation, who did eate men.' Some of these people were described as carrying "swords like pollaxes," and wearing long hair on the neck, though their crowns were shaven. Beyond the territories of these, Powhatan described yet other tribes, some of whom wore short coats, with sleeves to the elbows, and travelled the seas in ships like those of the English. He had other tales of yet other kingdoms and people-vague outlines which, when we consider the imperfect modes among the savages of estimating time and distance, it would be quite unprofitable to examine or review. Smith, however, drank in his statements with attentive ears. A mighty river was described by Powhatan, having numerous kingdoms on its banks, which might be the Mississippi; the imperfect knowledge of the languages of the parties rendering doubtful between them, even matters the most precise and natural. A clothed people, cities of walled houses, a people having abundance of brass-or gold; these were the wonders which the Indian Emperor related to his European companion, expatiating upon his own and the prowess of his tributaries and rivals. Smith was not to be outdone in wonders. In requital for the geography and history of Apalachia, he bestowed upon Powhatan a comprehensive account of all the wonders of Europe ;the multitude of ships and cities-the thunders of their wars-the glories of their martial array-and the earpiercing character of drums and trumpets. Our sagacious adventurer knew well in what manner to awaken the admiration, and compel the respect of the dusky chieftain. He took care to impress him with the military powers in the possession of Captain Newport, who was daily expected with supplies from England; and whom, adopting an Indian title, the better to be understood, he called the

Werowance, or Prince, of all the waters of the sea. By this timely suggestion he made it easy sailing for Newport in after days.

These mutual communications greatly increased the intimacy between the parties, though Smith does not seem to have foregone his doubts of the good faith of Powha tan, until he was fairly beyond his power. His detention lasted but a few days, which were naturally demanded by the curiosity of the Indian monarch, and his people. Indeed, less time could scarcely have been yielded to the immense amount of diplomacy which was required between them. So greatly did Powhatan come to admire his European acquaintance in the sequel, that he desired him to forsake the country of Paspahegh, where he had settled, and to come more closely into the immediate neighborhood of Werowocomocco. He promised that the English should lose nothing by it, but that he would supply them with all necessaries—with corn, venison, and all manner of food, and protect them against all enemies, for which he should demand nothing but their labor in finding him in hatchets, and working copper for him according to instructions. Smith gave him good words, and spoke him fairly but evasively. He promised him his great guns, and grindstones, as soon as he should get to Jamestown; and after being treated with a hospitality and kindness, which Smith acknowledges without reserve, he despatched him under the charge of twelve men* on his way to the colony.

*" Twelve guides" according to the "Discoveries" and "Accidents." The "True Relation" says four, and with such detail that the sentence deserves to be given. "Having, with all the kindness hee could devise, sought to content me, he sent me home with 4 men,one that usually carried my gowne and knapsack after me, two others loaded with bread, and one to accompany me." Both

the journey, kept him in a He still had his fears that this was the true secret of

But the apprehensions of Smith were not to be lulled into quiet, by all these shows of kindness, and one or more little circumstances, while on state of lively apprehension. he was to be eaten, and that all their solicitude in feasting him. He was only to be fattened, and decorated, like a lamb for the slaughter. The distance, in a direct route, from Werowocomocco to Jamestown, was only twelve miles, yet nothing could persuade his guides to advance properly forward. "The Indians trifled away that day, and would not goe to our fort by any persuasions." The first night after leaving Powhatan, they "quartered in the woods," so we are told by one narrative; another, more certainly his own, says, "in certain olde hunting houses of Paspahegh, we lodged all night." "He still expecting (as he had done all this long time of his imprisonment) every houre to be put to one death or other, for all their feasting." But his apprehensions proved groundless. "Almighty God (by his divine providence) had mollified the hearts of those sterne barbarians with compassion." They neither killed nor eat him; but, whatever might have been their mɔtive for the unnecessary delay, "the nexte morning, ere sunrise, we set forward for our fort, where we arrived within an hour.”

Here Smith found himself welcomed on every hand with the truest shows of friendship and satisfaction. He

narratives may be correct; other Indians may have joined them en route; and when we recollect that grindstones, and great gune, were to be carried back by the savages, twelve of them will not be deemed an excessive number for the escort. One would think too, that two men to carry the bread alone, would be a rather large proportion to the number which it was to feed, if these were limited to four. The point, however, is of no great importance.