historic girls-第32章

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and　that　had　its　fields　and　villages　along　the　broad　river　known

to　the　Indians　as　the　Pow…ha…tan；　and　to　us　as　the　James。



The　principal　chief　of　the　Pow…ha…tans　was　Wa…bun…so…na…cook；

called　by　the　white　men　Pow…hatan。　He　was　a　strongly　built　but

rather　stern…faced　old　gentleman　of　about　sixty；　and　possessed

such　an　influence　over　his　tribesmen　that　he　was　regarded　as　the

head　man　（president；　we　might　say）；　of　their　forest　republic；

which　comprised　the　thirty　confederated　tribes　of　Pow…ha…tan。　The

confederacy；　in　its　strongest　days；　never　numbered　more　than

eight　or　nine　thousand　people；　and　yet　it　was　considered　one　of

the　largest　Indian　unions　in　America。　This；　therefore；　may　be

considered　as　pretty　good　proof　that　there　was　never；　after　all；

a　very　extensive　Indian　population　in　America；　even　before　the

white　man　discovered　it。



Into　one　of　the　Pow…ha…tan　villages　that　stood　very　near　the

shores　of　Chesapeake　Bay；　and　almost　opposite　the　now　historic

site　of　Yorktown；　came　one　biting　day；　in　the　winter　of　1607；　an

Indian　runner；　whose　name　was　Ra…bun…ta。　He　came　as　one　that　had

important　news　to　tell；　but　he　paused　not　for　shout　or　question

from　the　inquisitive　boys　who　were　tumbling　about　in　the　light

snow；　in　their　favorite　sport　of　Ga…wa…sa　or　the　〃snow…snake〃

game。　One　of　the　boys；　a　mischievous　and　sturdy　young　Indian　of

thirteen；　whose　name　was。　Nan…ta…qua…us；　even　tried　to　insert　the

slender　knob…headed　stick；　which　was　the　〃snake〃　in　the　game；

between　the　runner's　legs；　and　trip　him　up。　But　Ra…bun…ta　was　too

skilful　a　runner　to　be　stopped　by　trifles；　he　simply　kicked　the

〃snake〃　out　of　his　way；　and　hurried　on　to　the　long　house　of　the

chief。



Now　this　Indian　settlement　into　which　the　runner　had　come　was　the

Pow…ha…tan　village　of　Wero…woco…moco；　and　was　the　one　in　which

the　old　chief　Wa…bun…so…na…cook　usually　resided。　Here　was　the

long　council…house　in　which　the　chieftains　of　the　various　tribes

in　the　confederacy　met　for　counsel　and　for　action；　and　here；　too；

was　the　〃long　tenement…house〃　in　which　the　old　chief　and　his

immediate　family　lived。



It　was　into　this　dwelling　that　the　runner　dashed。　In　a　group

about　the　central　fire…pit　he　saw　the　chief。　Even　before　he　could

himself　stop　his　headlong　speed；　however；　his　race　with　news　came

to　an　unexpected　end。　The　five　fires　were　all　surrounded　by

lolling　Indians；　for　the　weather　in　that　winter　of　1607　was

terribly　cold；　and　an　Indian；　when　inside　his　house；　always　likes

to　get　as　near　to　the　fire　as　possible。　But　down　the　long

passage…way　the　children　were　noisily　playing　at　their　gamesat

gus…ka…eh；　or　〃peach…pits；〃　at　gus…ga…e…sa…ta；　or　〃deer…buttons；〃

and　some　of　the　younger　boys　were　turning　wonderful　somersaults

up　and　down　the　open　spaces　between　the　fire…pits。　Just　as　the

runner；　Ra…bun…ta；　sped　up　the　passage…way；　one　of　these　youthful

gymnasts　with　a　dizzy　succession　of　hand…springs　came　whizzing

down　the　passage…way　right　in　the　path　of　Ra…bun…ta。



There　was　a　sudden　collision。　The　tumbler's　stout　little　feet

came　plump　against　the　breast　of　Ra…bun…ta；　and　so　sudden　and

unexpected　was　the　shock　that　both　recoiled；　and　runner　and

gymnast　alike　tumbled　over　in　a　writhing　heap　upon　the　very　edge

of　one　of　the　big　bonfires；　Then　there　was　a　great　shout　of

laughter；　for　the　Indians　dearly　loved　a　joke；　and　such　a　rough

piece　of　unintentional　pleasantry　was　especially　relished。



〃Wa；　wa；　Ra…bun…ta；〃　they　shouted；　pointing　at　the　discomfited

runner　as　he　picked　himself　out　of　the　fire；　〃knocked　over　by　a

girl！〃



And　the　deep　voice　of　the　old　chief　said　half　sternly；　half

tenderly：



〃My　daughter；　you　have　wellnigh　killed　our　brother　Ra…bun…ta　with

your　foolery。　That　is　scarce　girls'　play。　Why　will　you　be　such　a

po…ca…hun…tas？〃＇1＇



＇1＇　Po…ca…hun…tas；　Algonquin　for　a　little　〃tomboy。〃





The　runner　joined　in　the　laugh　against　him　quite　as　merrily　as

did　the　rest；　and　made　a　dash　at　the　little　ten…year…old　tumbler；

which　she　as　nimbly　evaded；　〃Ma…ma…no…to…wic；〃＇1＇　he　said；　〃the

feet　of　Ma…ta…oka　are　even　heavier　than　the　snake　of

Nun…ta…quaus；　her　brother。　I　have　but　escaped　them　both　with　my

life。　Ma…ma…no…to…wic；　I　have　news　for　you。　The　braves；　with　your

brother　O…pe…chan…ca…nough；　have　taken　the　pale…face　chief　in　the

Chickahominy　swamps　and　are　bringing　him　to　the　council…house。〃



＇1＇　〃Great　man〃　or　〃strong　one；〃　a　title　by　which

Wa…bun…so…na…cook；　or　Powhatan；　was　frequently　addressed。





〃Wa；〃　said　the　old　chief；　〃it　is　well；　we　will　be　ready　for　him。〃



At　once　Ra…bun…ta　was　surrounded　and　plied　with　questions。　The

earlier　American　Indians　were　always　a　very　inquisitive　folk；　and

were　great　gossips。　Ra…bun…ta's　news　would　furnish　fire…pit　talk

for　months；　so　they　must　know　all　the　particulars。　What　was　this

white　cau…co…rouse；　（captain　or　leader）　like？　What　had　he　on？　Did

he　use　his　magic　against　the　braves？　Were　any　of　them　killed？



For　the　fame　of　〃the　white　cau…co…rouse；〃　the　〃great　captain；〃　as

the　Indians　called　the　courageous　and　intrepid　little　governor　of

the　Virginia　colony；　Captain　John　Smith；　had　already　gone

throughout　the　confederacy；　and　his　capture　was　even　better　than

a　victory　over　their　deadliest　enemies；　the　Manna…ho…acks。



Ra…bun…ta　was　as　good　a　gossip　and　story…teller　as　any　of　his

tribesmen；　and　as　he　squatted　before　the　upper　fire…pit；　and　ate

a　hearty　meal　of　parched　corn；　which　the　little　Ma…ta…oka　brought

him　as　a　peace…offering；　he　gave　the　details　of　the　celebrated

capture。　〃The　'great　captain；'　〃　he　said；　〃and　two　of　his　men　had

been　surprised　in　the　Chicka…hominy　swamps　by　the　chief

O…pe…chan…ca…nough　and　two　hundred　braves。　The　two　men　were

killed　by　the　chief；　but　the　'captain；'　seeing　himself　thus

entrapped；　seized　his　Indian　guide　and　fastened　him　before　as　a

shield；　and　thus　sent　out　so　much　of　his　magic　thunder　from　his

fire…tube　that　he　killed　or　wounded　many　of　the　Indians；　and　yet

kept　himself　from　harm　though　his　clothes　were　torn　with

arrow…shots。　At　last；　however；〃　said　the　runner；　〃the　'captain'

had　slipped　into　a　mud…hole　in　the　swamps；　and；　being　there

surrounded；　was　dragged　out　and　made　captive；　and　he；　Ra…bun…ta；

had　been　sent　on　to　tell　the　great　news　to　the　chief。



The　Indians　especially　admired　bravery　and　cunning。　This　device

of　the　white　chieftain　and　his　valor　when　attacked　appealed　to

their　admiration；　and　there　was　great　desire　to　see　him　when　next

day　he　was　brought　into　the　village　by　the　chief　of　the

Pa…mun…kee；　or　York　River　Indians；　O…pe…chan…ca…nough；　brother　of

the　chief　of　the　Pow…ha…tans。



The　renowned　prisoner　was　received　with　the　customary　chorus　of

Indian　yells；　and　then；　acting　upon　the　one　leading　Indian

custom；　the　law　of　unlimited　hospitality；　a　bountiful　feast　was

set　before　the　captive；　who；　like　the　valiant　man　he　was；　ate

heartily　though　ignorant　what　his　fate　might　be。



The　Indians　seldom　wantonly　killed　their　captives。　When　a

sufficient　number　had　been　sacrificed　to　avenge　the　memory　of

such　braves　as　had　fallen　in　fight；　the　remaining　captives　were

either　adopted　as　tribesmen　or　disposed　of　as　slaves。



So　valiant　a　warrior　as　this　pale…faced　cau…co…rouse　was　too

important　a　personage　to　be　used　as　a　slave；　and

Wa…bun…so…na…cook；　the　chief；　received　him　as　an　honored　guest＇1＇

rather　than　as　a　prisoner；　kept　him　in　his　own　house　for　two

days；　and　adopting　him　as　his　own　son；　promised　him　a　large　gift

of　land。　Then；　with　many　expressions　of　friendship；　he　returned

him；　well　escorted　by　Indian　guides；　to　the　trail　that　led　back

direct　to　the　English　colony　at　Jamestown。



＇1＇　〃Hee　kindly　welcomed　me　with　good　wordes；〃　says　Smith's　own

narrative；　〃assuring　me　his　friendship　and　my　libertie。〃



This　rather　destroys　the　long…familiar　romance　of　the　doughty

captain's　life　being　saved　by　〃the　king's　own　daughter；〃　but　it

seems　to　be　the　only　true　version　o