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From My Lady Pokahontas, A True Relation Of Virginia. Writ by Anas Todkill, Puritan and Pilgrim, [in 1618] With Notes by John Esten Cooke: Boston, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1907; pp. 32-61.



[32]

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V.

How I first see my Lady Pokahontas.

THE
My Cap-
tain’s fawn
of the woods.
angel comes out of the woods with her wild train of attendants, and the full baskets weigh down the backs of the dusky people. They were full-grown and brawny, with coverings of deer and bear skin, but I was looking at the osier baskets of corn and venison.

The maid comes toward us, stepping with a pretty and proud gait, like a fawn. Her hair was black and straight, but scarce seen for the broad white plume in it. Now I knew that my Captain had spoken truth of her face and form, for scarce have I in England seen maid so beautiful. She comes putting down each little foot, covered with bead moccasins, light but firm, and smiling out of black eyes.

Smith’s tanned face glowed as his eyes met hers, and he went forward with outstretched hands. Thereat she blushes also, and gives him her hands, looking at him and studying his face, but speaking 33
Her secret.
no word. Smith bows down his head, kissing the hand of the small princess, and then he leads her into the Fort, and they discourse together by signs. It was a marvel to see how quickly she understood and made her own meaning plain. She gazed about in wonder, more than all at the cannon; and when Smith, for her entertainment, orders a culverin to be discharged into the trees covered with icicles, she starts, putting her hands to her ears, and sudden draws close to him as though for protection.

She came in the morning early, and went back to her heathen abode on the great river a little past noon. To the Emperor’s city was but a short fourteen miles, and she passed through the wondering crowd and went her way. She and Smith parted with hands joined together, and looking each in other’s eyes. Was my fancy true? I could not tell at that time. Had a Christian man fallen in love with a heathen girl? The Lord forbid that! I said. But I could see that the maid had lost her heart to the young soldier.

Now this sudden passion, or else her own kind heart, was God’s blessing to us poor people, in dire distress for food; for 34
How a ten-
der virgin
saved us.
the stores were now all spent, and but for the corn and venison brought in the baskets, many had surely perished of mere famine. It was true what Smith writ afterwards in his letter to her Majesty the Queen that, without this tender virgin and her great heart to succour us, this fine land of Virginia had lain as at our first arrival till this day; for she, next under God, was still the instrument to preserve the colony from death, famine, and utter confusion.
* Every few days thereafter she comes back with her osier baskets filled, and the starving men blessed this love of dear Pokahontas.

More of this perilous time I need not here set down. Often thinking of it, I shudder in my limbs, and thank God for Pokahontas. “But for her,” I say again and again as I ponder, “this goodly heritage of Virginia had sunk back in heathendom, and God’s immortal cause have had herein no exemplar.”

Happily succour soon arrives. A white sail comes up the great river, flying the English flag; and seeing she was not a Spaniard, but from the home land, a roar of culverins salutes her, and she comes to anchor. Her commander was Captain Newport, 35
Newport’s
ship.
an empty, idle man, who was ever carrying tales to the Company in London; but we cared not, since they sent us new men and supplies for our poor colony.





FOOTNOTES

*  Smith uses the same words in his letter to the Queen.






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[36]

VI.

The Strange Antics of Pokahontas.

IN
Her gambols
at James-
town.
the years to come, when this fair land of America, as the new fashion is to call Virginia, shall be full of men and women, and great cities rise in the wilds, — which doubtless will come to pass in the long hours of the future, — these first struggles of the Virginia colony for mere existence will touch all hearts. I, who write this, cannot draw the moving picture of that time, since ’t is only to tell of my lady Pokahontas that I write this relation.

She was ever in and out of Jamestown palisade with her wild train, gambolling mirthfully on the grass, and looking at all things around her with curious eyes. What I marvelled at most was the child and the woman mixed in her. Sure never was such a mingling; but Smith had said truly. It was more a maiden of seventeen than a child that I saw in these days; and never in any of her plays and antics was there any freedom or immodesty. She was 37
The gilded
dirt.
decently clad in her robe of birds’ feathers, and wore a girdle from the waist below the knees. On her feet were beaded moccasins, as these people call their shoes, and never saw I the maid’s shoulders, which she kept wrapped to the chin in her soft robe. Above showed a dusk face with a small mouth, and a nose very slight and straight. Her eyes were black, and had an extreme softness; her hair of the same colour and with never a curl in it, in which drooped down a plume of white feathers, her badge of princess.

She soon caught a few words of English, and then learned wondrous fast. She spoke with a curious lisp or murmuring of the lips, but not ungainly. She and Smith much affected each other, and always the same glow was on her face as she looked at him; but in his I could read nothing. A mild sweetness and kindness was all writ there, however I sought to find more.

It was not a time for dalliance when men were muttering and falling into mutiny, and the strong hand was all that kept the factions from springing and grappling each with other. Newport’s ships were now to return, and a craze seized on the company that had found in the neighbourhood of 38
I go with
Smith on his
Chesapeake
voyage.
Jamestown a yellow dirt they thought to be gold. Pokahontas told us ’t was nought, but Newport and the rest lost their heads. There was no talk or hope but to dig gold. Smith went about telling them hotly he was not enamoured of their dirty skill, and murmuring at their neglect of all business to fraught the drunken ship with their gilded dirt. These words and others he said, breathing out his passion; but Newport would not listen, and sailed away with a cargo of the fantastical dirt, which, once at London, was found worthless (as Pokahontas said), and mere dirt indeed.

This and other recollections come back as I now write, — with the voyages on the Chesapeake, where Smith with fourteen men in his open barge sailed three thousand miles. We stopped to visit on the Eastern Shore the laughing King of Accomac, who told us of two dead children there, on whose faces whoso looked presently fell down and died. Then we sailed to the head of the bay, and back up Patawamak; thence to Rappahannock, where the savages came to fight us, carrying boughs of trees to cover them, and I was shot with an arrow, and all bloody, and 39
We make
him our
President.
nigh having my brains beat out. So back around Point Comfort, where a dread tempest struck us, and we could only see the shore in the dark night by the lightning flashes; but God preserved us, in his great mercy, and we came back to Jamestown, where all were starving, and the new President, Ratcliffe, was feasting on the stores, and building himself a palace for pleasure in the woods near.
*

This so moved our dead spirits that we presently deposed him, and made Smith President, who set all to work, stopping the pleasure house, and warning Master Ratcliffe at his peril to hold his peace and labour with the rest.

Then came Newport back from England, and would crown the Emperor Powhatan under-King, subject to his Majesty, which was done. Never was sight so curious. But to speak first of our strange meeting again with Pokahontas.

Captain Newport, a vain, idle man, fearful of his shadow (he blackened us to the people in London, for which we loved him little), sent Smith with a party to Werowocomoco to summon the Emperor to Jamestown 40
A Dian of
the wilds.
to be crowned. Arriving at York River, which we crossed in Indian boats, we found the Emperor away, and sent word we had come, and so waited. We were in a broad field nigh some woods, seated by a fire, when sudden came a bruit from the woods, a hideous noise and shrieking, that we ran to arms, looking for an attack. But no one designed attacking us. Instead came Pokahontas flitting like a fawn out of the woods, and running to Smith seized his hands and laughed, with her head bent sidewise.

“They shall not hurt,” she lisped in her poor English. “If they hurt, he shall kill Matoaka.”

As she said “he,” she touched Smith lightly on the breast and then touched her own bosom. She was truly a wondrous sight. She had small deer antlers on her head, and a robe of otter skin around her shoulders; another fell from her waist near to her beaded moccasins on her small feet. At her back was a quiver of arrows, and she had a small cedar bow in her hand. Flourishing this around her head, she flitted back, still laughing, to the woods, and 41
Her merry
masquerade.
soon appeared a party of girls, nigh a score, singing and dancing, their bodies painted with many colours, with girdles of green leaves from the waist down, all horned like Pokahontas, and flourishing swords and potsticks. Never was such a sight! I near died for laughing. The fair fiends rushed out with most hellish shouts and cries, and danced in ring about the fire, their hands joined together, and all laughing. Then after an hour spent in this masquerade, they danced away and were lost to sight, Pokahontas going last, and looking over her shoulder.

Smith claps his hands and says to me: —

“Well, what think you of this, Anas? Lift up your testimony against these heathen, my worthy Puritan!”

“The heathen are not ill-favoured,” I say, “but sing in excellent ill variety.”

“A truce to growls, Anas!” Smith says laughing; “here they come as before.”

With that appeared Pokahontas at the head of her maidens, but divested of their strange devices, with intent to invite us to supper, which was spread in a neighbouring arbour. Here the Indian girls flocked around, handing venison in wooden platters, 42
The Emper-
or’s savage
state.
crowding and crying most tediously “Love you not me?” to Smith and all. Whereat Pokahontas was much displeased and rated them soundly for their ill manners; which I could see from her flushed face and royal air as of a princess, though I understood not her barbarous language. After supper we were conducted to our lodgings, — Indian girls carrying torches before us, and then going back, — and so rested in sound sleep after this laughing masquerade.

The Emperor comes next day and receives Smith, holding out both hands, with many pretty discourses, to renew old acquaintance. He sat on his bed of mats with a handsome young woman at his head and feet, and around him were his warriors and wives, their heads and shoulders painted red. I much marvelled at this savage state and his kingly words when Smith invited him to Jamestown to be crowned. He would not go thither.

“If your King hath sent me presents,” he said by his interpreter, “I also am a King and this is my land. Eight days I will stay to receive them. Your Father 43
Is crowned
under-King
Powhatan I.
Newport is to come to me, not I to him, nor yet to your Fort; neither bite I at such a bait.”

To this he held and would not come; so we went back, and Newport returned to Powhatan with us, and the savage was crowned King. I, Anas Todkill, Puritan, and not so much a king lover, laughed mightily. Sure never was stranger sight. The old heathen accepted the bason and bedding sent him and was pleased, I could see, to have them. But when Captain Newport essayed to put a scarlet cloak on him he grunted and resisted. Much worse was it when they signed to him to bend his knee that he might be crowned. He would not. He rose straighter and looked scornful, but at last his werowances leaned on his shoulders and he was forced to kneel and be crowned. As they put it on his head a sign was made and a volley was fired; whereat the new king started up and would have caught up his royal hatchet, thinking it an attack.

Then I, who had stood by laughing, began to laugh more than ever. The old Emperor went up to Newport and congratulated his kindness, then looking very solemn he gives Newport his old shoes and 44
We go back.
raccoon skin robe as a present to King James, in return for his crown!

Ere we went back to Jamestown I saw no further of Pokahontas, and was not to

see her again till past New Year, when
she showed me her brave heart
and made me what I am, and
will be, until death takes
me, her faithful
liegeman.





FOOTNOTES

*  Todkill was one of the authors of the detailed relations of the Chesapeake voyages in the General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles, 1624.

  This was the real name of Pokahontas, which her family had not divulged go Smith.

  Todkill is the author also of the description of this scene, in the General History.






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[45]

VII.

Of God’s Mercy to his Unworthy Servant through the Blessed Pokahontas.

IT
We go in
search of
corn.
comes about in this wise. Now Newport, after that vain march to the Monacan country, goes back to England, taking with him Ratcliffe and Wingfield; and the snow was falling, and the colony had no corn. We must have that, or the men starve, and needs must when the Divell drives.

No persuasion can persuade Smith to starve, and he goes down to Nansemunge, and says, “Give me corn;” but the heathen will not. They have orders (they say) from King Powhatan to refuse us; and seeing plainly what this means, Captain Smith will go and see the King, with fifty good shot.

Powhatan himself gives reason for coming. He sends inviting Captain Smith, and praying he will send men to build him a house, and certain Dutch men go by the land way, and Smith by water. So with 46
Are warned
on the way of
Powhatan’s
intent.
Master George Percy, brother of his lordship the Earl of Northumberland, and other brave gentlemen and fighters to the number of fifty, Smith sails in the Pinnace round Point Comfort into the great York River, saying to me, as we pass, “here is a spot for a York Town which may perchance one day be built and grow to be famous.”

But ever as we sail, stopping here and there to see the Indian people, comes a warning what Powhatan would do. The King of Worrosqueake says to our Captain: —

“Captain Smith, you shall find Powhatan to use you kindly, but trust him not.”

“I will not,” says our Captain in his soldier way.

“And be sure,” says the King, “he have no opportunity to seize your arms, for he hath sent for you only to cut your throats.”

The Captain thanks him for his good counsel, but says he will see to that; and so we leave them. Certes, Smith was glad to know of the Emperor’s intent. It seemed ill going to put his hand on one who invited him to Werowocomoco (the heathen capital). But sith the host would cut the throat of the guest, there was no such harm 47
How Smith
dealt with
him.
in doing the same (perchance) to him, likewise.

So the Pinnace goes on, a little past the time of Christmas, and sails up York River, with the barge following, to Werowocomoco, which in their tongue signifieth the “Chief Place of Council.”

Powhatan meets Smith in his great wigwam, but not with pretty discourses to renew old acquaintance as before. Why had we come? he says in a muttered voice, with cold looks. He had no corn. His people had none. But for forty swords he would supply three hundred bushels.

Smith standing in the midst shakes his head; swords were a bad traffic with so subtle an enemy. So they argue to and fro but come to no conclusion, till in the end Powhatan promises the corn if the Englishmen will come ashore for it without their arms, which frighted his poor people. Then his meaning was plain; and Smith, seeing the Emperor did but trifle the time to cut his throat, goes to the door of the wigwam and fires off his pistol, which was the signal to come on shore and surprise Powhatan.

Sudden the barge was heard breaking the ice on the way from the Pinnace, for the river was frozen near half a mile from 48
My Lady’s
pitiful heart.
either shore. Thereat Powhatan took fright and was quickly gone out of his wigwam; and the savages made an attack, which but for Smith had surely ended us. He cut out his way, sword in hand, and we following him gained the shore, where we intrenched till morning.

Now followed a new proof of the love of that blessed Pokahontas. The night was extreme cold, and we sought a ruined wigwam near, to watch in till daylight. But Powhatan meant to destroy us, and would have done so but that the Eternal All-seeing God did prevent him.

Sudden in the dark night, through the irksome woods, came his dearest jewel and daughter, Pokahontas. She told us with streaming tears that her father would send us supper, and while we were eating fall on and slay us. This she said in her broken words, with a trembling voice, holding Smith’s hand, as though loth to let it go lest some mishap befall him.

I well remember his face flushed, and taking a trinket from his breast he would give it her; but she, putting it by, said with tears that her father would kill her if he saw her wear it; and so, covering her wet eyes, ran away by herself as she came.

49
Their plot
miscarries.

The warning was not too soon. Ere long came lusty fellows with platters of bread and venison, but making wry faces at the smoke of our lighted matchlocks, which made them sick (they said). Smith smiled thereat, with a wistful look, thinking doubtless of Pokahontas and what she told him; and first making the lusty savages eat of the victuals lest they be poisoned, he sent them back to Powhatan with the message he need give himself no more trouble: his plot was discovered.

So no more that night wherein Smith talked apart with me as I watched.

“Is she not a true angel now, Anas? What think you?” he says; “know you a court lady who had thus stolen through the dark night to save her friend, — nay the enemy of her people? I who am only a poor solider protest to you on my honour, friend, that sith God thus watches over us I think this enterprise be fated to turn out to his glory and the good of his people.”

“Doubtless ’t is so fated, worthy Captain,” I reply, “if they do not slay us on the morrow.”

“They will not do that,” he says; “but more force would be better. What say you to find your way to Jamestown for another 50
My deadly
peril.
score of men? It is three hours to daylight, and you may come back past noon.”

I rose up at the word and was rowed over in the barge, and then set out walking quickly and reached Jamestown a little past daylight. Ill news awaited me. The day before, Master Scrivener, the new Councillor, had been overturned in a boat and drowned with nine others in James River.

Natheless the men returned with me, and we got back to York River a little past noon, but no Pinnace there, nor Smith. Where had they gone? With much doubt lest they destroy me, I take a canoe I find and cross to a clump of bushes, thinking to meet some friendly Indian who would tell me; when sudden a company rushes out and seizes me, and carries me to Powhatan, who was sitting as before in his great wigwam.

His face was dark, and from the first I saw I was to be slain. Smith had got his corn and gone away to Pamunkey, and the Emperor was raging at what had befell him.

Soon I found that my end was to be the same as that meant for Smith; a stone was brought in, but a sign from the Emperor 51
My Lady
saves me
from death.
stopped them. Pokahontas was leaning on his knees talking low to him, and he was listening. Soon he said some words to his people, and I was taken away to a far wigwam, where a guard was put over me.

The black night now comes, and I give myself over for lost, — doubtless they will brain me as I sleep. Sudden steals in, through the guards, who did not stop her, the blessed Pokahontas; who told me in her broken English that I was to be put to death the next day; she had begged her father to spare me till then, that I might pray to my Gods; but now she would save me.

Thereat wondering, I obeyed her sign, and followed her out of the wigwam. The guards were her two brothers, one of them, Nantaquaus, the comeliest savage I ever beheld, and kind, like his sister. These two had plotted my rescue, and went a little way with me in the woods, meaning to whoop when I was safe away, feigning that I had escaped out of the wigwam.

Pokahontas told me where to find Smith, — who had indeed left word for me, — and went full two miles with me and Nantaquaus. Then she took my two hands, and bending close to me, — 52
We sail back
to James-
town.
“Fare you well,” she says. “When you see him who calls me ‘Child,’ tell him why will he come and make war on my father, who loves him much, but must destroy him.”

At this tears came into her eyes, and she went off with Nantaquaus in the dark. When I had gone some miles further, I heard a halloo toward Werowocomoco, and knew how Nantaquaus was giving news of my escape. I hurried on, and a little past midday came to where the York River divideth itself into two gallant branches. Travelling on I at last found Smith, at a time when he had seized the Chief Opechancanough by his scalplock in the midst of his braves. He ransomed himself with corn, and so embarking we sailed down again, and found the men who had come with me; and having now sufficient corn, returned to Jamestown.*

Is it so much to wonder at that thenceforth I loved the maid who had saved me in my dire extremity? Sure the man would be ingrate whose heart melted not at such goodness. And so I, who had laughed at Smith for calling the blessed 53
My saint.
maiden his guardian angel, now bowed down before her, and though no vain and foolish Papist, but a good Puritan of Puritans, made her my Saint Pokahontas.





FOOTNOTES

*  Todkill is one of the writers of the relation of these events, also, in the General History; but arrived too late, it seems, to witness one of the most remarkable of Smith’s exploits.






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[54]

VIII.

How my Captain loveth the Child of a Cursed Generation.

ALL
Peace at last
with the
heathen.
this spring of the year 1609, dear Pokahontas, as the old soldiers would still call her, comes and goes every four or five days to and fro between Jamestown and her father’s habitation on the great York River. For the heathen were now at peace with us, fearing Smith’s strong arm, and the country was as safe and free to us as to themselves.
*

Pokahontas, as of old, was in and out with us in these days, watching over us, and bringing us food. She was still the angel of peace; and when Smith would put in irons some Indian thieves who stole our turkeys, the King Powhatan sends his daughter Pokahontas, who prays Smith to spare the thieves; whereat he, with sweet looks, and bowing down before her, says it is freely granted, and whatsoever she asks, “for her sake only.”

55


My Cap-
tain’s great
discourse.
Now (to put off, for a little time, further discourse of Pokahontas), this Smith was at last the head of all things. I have seen many great and valiant soldiers, but this was the greatest. So brave a spirit dwelt in him, and so great were the ends he had, that no man seeing him could keep him from loving him and looking to him as their true leader. He was everywhere, toiling for the good of the colony, and often exclaimed to me (who was his poor friend) what a shame it was the London idlers, with their cards and dice, would not come hither and do men’s work for God’s honour in the new land.

“Think, Anas!” he saith, walking in the plain called Smithfield, near the palisade, and looking out on the broad river, “who can desire more content, that only hath small means, but only his merits to advance his fortunes, than to tread and plant the ground he hath purchased by his own courage; planting and building a foundation got from the rude earth by God’s blessing, by his own industry, and without prejudice to any?”

Then his brave face kindles up, and he seems to look far in the future time.

“What so truly suits with honour,” he 56
My heart
burneth.
exclaims, “as the discovering things unknown, erecting towns, peopling countries, informing the ignorant, reforming things unjust, and bringing these poor heathen people to the knowledge of Christ and humanity!”

I would you had seen his face glow as he thus spake in his brave voice. Certes there was a look of prophecy in the soldier’s eyes, as though he saw somewhat in the future of this America hid from others; and when he speaks the great words “Christ and humanity” my heart burneth. Sure (I say to myself), this man belongeth to the coming time, wherein he looks, when others will build on his foundation!

For without him this great enterprise had surely failed and come to nought. He it was that inspired all hearts, and would make the sluggards obey and work. Never was man milder to his old soldiers, but not to the unruly gallants. He summons these by beat of drum, and saith to them sternly: —

“He that will not work shall not eat! You see now that power resteth wholly in myself. Therefore he that offendeth, 57
How Smith
dealt with
the unruly
gallants.
let him assuredly expect his due punishment!”

Thereat many murmur, bending fierce looks on our Captain; but he, growing ever sterner, and with a harder voice and look: —

“Dream no longer of this vain hope that Powhatan will supply corn, nor that I will longer forbear to force you, or punish you if you rail! If I find any more runners off with the Pinnace, let him look to arrive at the gallows.”

He striketh his sword hilt thereupon and crieth: —

“I protest by that God that made me, since necessity hath no power to force you to gather for yourselves, you shall not only gather for yourselves but for those that are sick, — they shall not starve!”

With such mild words Smith persuadeth them, though much against their will; and they plant corn for the coming harvest. He even makes them work at other work, building a place of retreat against Indian war: the Fort on a ridge above Ware Creek, which emptieth itself into York River. We go there with tools, and find a place on a steep hill hard to approach and easy to be defended; and hew out brown 58
Our Place of
Retreat.
stone rock, and build the Place of Retreat, having no mortar. But ere it was finished the want of corn stayed it; and so we returned to Jamestown.

So did our worthy Captain rule the tuf-taffty gallants and set ’em to work, with that maxim, “He that will not work, neither shall he eat!” They were hard to rule, but had found one who was their master. Natheless, other things moved the good Captain in these times of trial; and often I see him go apart, and look out on the river, leaning his face on the hilt of his broadsword. At such times he heaves a sigh, seeming much troubled in his mind; and looks over his shoulder toward York River, whither he oft would go on this or that business (with the Emperor). Once, wandering on the river bank, I see him leaning thus on his sword when, sudden steals up behind him my little Lady Pokahontas, who, coming to the Fort and not finding him there, goes to seek him, and is close to him before he sees her.

Sure never was more gracious image 59
The two to-
gether.
(fie! Anas, thou a good Puritan!) than the little maiden of fifteen as she steals up softly to his shoulder. It was spring now, and in place of her robe of down of the wood-pigeon she is clad in a garment woven of the neminaw grass, which is a close, bright grass wherewith the men weave their stick bucklers. It was wrapped around her shoulders modestly to the chin, and her round neck came out of it, as she looked with laughing eyes over her shoulder, bending her head forward. On her slight arm holding the robe at the throat was a coral bracelet, and a white feather was in her black hair. Even in the woods some fifty yards from her I could see her gracious face and the fond look on it. Sure the swimming eyes fixed on the young soldier were full of an extreme strange tenderness. She touched him and he turned suddenly; whereat I thought he would kiss her, but he did not. His face flushes and he stands looking at her, holding her hands but not speaking a word. Then they walk along the shore, slowly, each beside other; and I hear the low voices mixing with the lap of the waves, but catch nothing.

When they come back to the Fort I see a bright light in my little lady’s eyes; and 60
He goes back
with her.
the soldier’s face glows too, as he looks at her. I know he loves her now, and she loves him, whatever comes of it; since something in the faces of poor creatures tells our thoughts. ’T was truly a wondrous sight to see this hardy soldier melt, all of a sudden, as the slim form of the girl was there beside him. Her slender shape was like a reed of the river bending in the wind, and her head leaned toward him as the sunflower leaneth to the sun. There were tears in the fawn eyes (I think), but a sudden splendour in the soldier’s; and needs must go a long way with her and her train, through the wood, toward the York.

They went away in that same fashion in the slant sunlight, still looking each at other, and ’t was night when he comes back. I meet him by the palisade and say with laughter: —

“Thou art a prisoner at last, worthy Captain!”

At that he muses a little with a flush on the tanned cheeks, and then laughs too.

“Would to heaven I could see thee, Anas, in my state!” he says, and leaves me.

Often now, in the after time, I bethink me of those old days at Jamestown, when 61
I see all,
now.
these two mortals loved each the other. It was not so strange they should. This great soldier was comely and gallant, and yet under thirty years; and my Lady Pokahontas was nigh fifteen and a woman now. The Indian girls bloom early, and oft marry in girlhood; but had this difference of age been greater, certes love made them equals, — him a youth and her a maid that had

come to the time to marry. Howe’er
that be, I know he loved her, this
half-open bell of the woods;
whereof see in this fur-
ther relation if I
speak the
truth.





FOOTNOTES

*  This is the statement of the General History also.

  The same words nay be found in Smith’s relation of New England.

  The “Place of Retreat” here described by Todkill was, it seems, the curious structure called the “Stone House,” still standing on Ware Creek not far from York River. It is probably the oldest building in the United States.






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