send them. With these agreeable assurances, and witr the conviction that he had impressed the enemy with a reasonable feeling of his own inferiority, it might have been that Smith would have somewhat relaxed in that vigilance which had so repeatedly saved him before. But the same guardian angel to whom he already owed so much, the Christian child in a heathen household, Pocáhontas, suddenly made her appearance in the wigwam where our Captain found temporary shelter with his party, and opened his eyes to the danger that awaited him. Powhatan had not forgiven him his defeats-had not forgiven him the mortification of that feeling of inferiority which his heart had never felt till Smith penetrated his territories. He burned with a passion to procure the head of our hero, as, indeed, the true head of the colony This obtained, the rest was easy. This, if his own experience had not taught it him, was the counsel of the traitorous Dutchmen in his employ. It was the design of Powhatan to assail the English while they were gorging at their feast; and while his cooks were preparing the dishes for his victims, his carvers were getting ready also. But we must let our author tell his own story, particularly as he always seems to excel-to rise above himself-in those passages where he speaks of Pocahontas.

"The eternal, all-seeing God did prevent him (Powhatan), and by a strange meanes. For Pocahontas, hist dearest jewell and daughter, in that darke night came through the irksome woods, and tolde our Captaine great cheare should be sent us by and bye: but that Powhatan, and all the power he could make, would after come and kill us all, if they that brought it could not kill us with oure owne weapons when we were at supper. Therefore, if we would live, shee wished us presently to be gone."

In requital for this information Smith "would have given her such things as she delighted in, but with the teares running downe her cheekes, she said she durst not be seene to have any; for if Powhatan should know it she were but dead; and so she ranne away by herself as she came."

Nothing, of its kind, can well be more touching than this new instance of deep sympathy and attachment on the part of this strangely interesting forest child, for the white strangers and their captain. To him, indeed, she seems to have been devoted with a filial passion much greater than that which she felt for her natural sire. The anecdote affords a melancholy proof of the little hold which power, even when rendered seemingly secure by natural ties, possesses upon the hearts of human beings. Here we find the old monarch, who has just declared himself the survivor of three generations of subjects, betrayed by his own child, and by one of his chiefs,* while in the pursuit of his most cherished objects. We have no reproaches for Pocahontas, and her conduct is to be justified. She obeyed laws of nature and humanity, of tenderness and love, which were far superior, in their force and efficacy, in a heart like hers, to any which spring simply from the ties of blood. But, even though his designs be ill, we cannot but regard the savage prince, in his age and infirmities, thus betrayed by child and subject, somewhat as another Lear. He, too, was fond of his Cordelia. She was "the jewel," "the nonpareil," we are told, of his affections. Well might he exclaim, with the ancient Briton, in his hour of destruction—

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is,

To have a thankless child!"

• The Chief of Warraskoyack.

But of her humane treason, for its motive was beyond reproach, Powhatan knew nothing. Smith kept her secret. He was not heedless of her intelligence, the truth of which he had very soon occasion to perceive. la less than an hour after her departure, "eight or ten lusty fellowes, with great platters of venison and other victuall," made their appearance, and invited them to sit and eat. These were very importunate with the English to extin guish their matches, the smoke of which, they pretended made them sick. But Smith maintained his precautions and, apprehensive of treachery in the preparation of the food, he made the Indians taste of every dish before he suffered his people to partake of it. He then dismissed them, instructing them to return to Powhatan, and say that "he was conscious of his purposes and ready for his coming. For them, he knew of the bloody task assigned them, but would baulk them in this and all other villainies. They might be gone!" Other messengers from Powhatan followed these, at different periods throughout the night. They came as spies to see how the land lay, and returned disquieted, baffled by the vigilance of Smith, who kept his men to their arms all night. Nothing farther was attempted; and the savages who thronged about them, as with the morning they prepared for their departure, maintained a show of friendliness to the last. Nor was it deemed good policy to leave Powhatan himself, without endeavoring to conciliate his suspicions and his anger. His wishes to this effect being known, it was resolved to leave at Werowocomoco one Edward Brynton, whose occupation was to provide the king's table with wild-fowl.

It may be thought somewhat singular that, after the occurrence of these events, such a measure should have been adopted; but we must not forget that the object was

still to maintain appearances. that Smith as yet had no sort of idea of the treachery of the Dutchmen still employed in Powhatan's service; and that Brynton was really an increase of strength to the armed party which he left behind him, true (as he thought) to his interests, n the very household of his enemy.

CHAPTER IX.

We have not hesitated to express our regret at the design of Captain Smith to seize the person of Powhatan. This proceeding is excused by a regard to the necessities of the colony, the modes of thinking among military men at that period, and the obvious purpose of similar treachery with regard to himself, which was entertained by Powhatan. The excuse is no justification, in any examination upon just principles, of the merits of our hero. It must go for what it is worth. The error must be set down against his qualities of real merit, in proof of those imperfections of character which are found to impair the integrity, and diminish the nobleness of the very purest minds. In a moment of extreme exigency, when evidently nothing short of this degree of violence would suffice for the safety of the endangered party, there could, indeed, be no hesita tion in the judgment which would declare in favor of that resolution and promptness by which, even though at another's hurt, the required assurances of safety were to be found. Whether the present was such an exigency, as was that of Cortez in Mexico, is a question which, in our very imperfect knowledge of all the facts in the situation of Smith, we are not exactly prepared to determine. From the details before us, it would not seem to be properly classed among those perilous extremes of circumnstance, by which the individual is permitted, at any sacrifice of moral and social law, to regain his securities. But as it is not our desire to urge the perfect purity and integ rity of ou: Captain's character, we shall not undertake the