historic girls-第33章

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

seems　to　be　the　only　true　version　of　the　story；　based　upon　his

own　original　report。



But　though　the　oft…described　〃rescue〃　did　not　take　place；　the

valiant　Englishman's　attention　was　speedily　drawn　to　the　agile

little　Indian　girl；　Ma…ta…oka；　whom　her　father　called　his

〃tomboy；〃　or　po…ca…hun…tas。



She　was　as　inquisitive　as　any　young　girl；　savage　or　civilized；

and　she　was　so　full　of　kindly　attentions　to　the　captain；　and

bestowed　on　him　so　many　smiles　and　looks　of　wondering　curiosity；

that　Smith　made　much　of　her　in　return；　gave　her　some　trifling

presents　and　asked　her　name。



Now　it　was　one　of　the　many　singular　customs　of　the　American

Indians　never　to　tell　their　own　names；　nor　even　to　allow　them　to

be　spoken　to　strangers　by　any　of　their　own　immediate　kindred。　The

reason　for　this　lay　in　the　superstition　which　held　that　the

speaking　of　one's　real　name　gave　to　the　stranger　to　whom　it　was

spoken　a　magical　and　harmful　influence　over　such　person。　For　the

Indian　religion　was　full　of　what　is　called　the　supernatural。



So；　when　the　old　chief　of　the　Pow…ha…tans　（who；　for　this　very

reason；　was　known　to　the　colonists　by　the　name　of　his　tribe；

Pow…ha…tan；　rather　than　by　his　real　name　of　Wa…bun…so…na…cook）

was　asked　his　little　daughter's　name；　he　hesitated；　and　then　gave

in　reply　the　nick…name　by　which　he　often　called　her；

Po…ca…hun…tas；　the　〃little　tomboy〃for　this　agile　young　maiden；

by　reason　of　her　relationship　to　the　head　chief；　was　allowed　much

more　freedom　and　fun　than　was　usually　the　lot　of　Indian　girls；

who　were；　as　a　rule；　the　patient　and　uncomplaining　little　drudges

of　every　Indian　home　and　village。



So；　when　Captain　Smith　left　Wero…woco…moco；　he　left　one　firm

friend　behind　him；the　pretty　little　Indian　girl；

Ma…ta…oka；who　long　remembered　the　white　man　and　his　presents；

and　determined；　after　her　own　wilful　fashion；　to　go　into　the

white　man's　village　and　see　all　their　wonders　for　herself。



In　less　than　a　year　she　saw　the　captain　again；　For　when；　in　the

fall　of　1608；　he　came　to　her　father's　village　to　invite　the　old

chief　to　Jamestown　to　be　crowned　by　the　English　as　〃king〃　of　the

Pow…ha…tans；　this　bright　little　girl　of　twelve　gathered　together

the　other　little　girls　of　the　village；　and；　almost　upon　the　very

spot　where；　many　years　after；　Cornwallis　was　to　surrender　the

armies　of　England　to　the　〃rebel〃　republic；　she　with　her

companions　entertained　the　English　captain　with　a　gay　Indian

dance　full　of　noise　and　frolic。



Soon　after　this　second　interview；　Ma…ta…oka's　wish　to　see　the

white　man's　village　was　gratified。　For　in　that　same　autumn　of

1608　she　came　with　Ra…bun…ta　to　Jamestown。　She　sought　out　the

captain　who　was　then　〃president〃　of　the　colony；　and　〃entreated

the　libertie〃　of　certain　of　her　tribesmen　who　had　been

〃detained；〃in　other　words；　treacherously　made　prisoners　by　the

settlers　because　of　some　fear　of　an　Indian　plot　against　them。



Smith　was　a　shrewd　enough　man　to　know　when　to　bluster　and　when　to

be　friendly。　He　released　the　Indian　captives　at　Ma…ta…oka's

wishwell　knowing　that　the　little　girl　had　been　duly　〃coached〃

by　her　wily　old　father；　but　feeling　that　even　the　friendship　of　a

child　may　often　be　of　value　to　people　in　a　strange　land。



The　result　of　this　visit　to　Jamestown　was　the　frequent　presence

in　the　town　of　the　chieftain's　daughter。　She　would　come；

sometimes；　with　her　brother；　Nan…ta…qua…us；　sometimes　with　the

runner；　Ra…bun…ta；　and　sometimes　with　certain　of　her　girl

followers。　For　even　little　Indian　girls　had　their　〃dearest

friends；〃　quite　as　much　as　have　our　own　clannish　young

school…girls　of　to…day。



I　am　afraid；　however；　that　this　twelve…year…old；　Ma…ta…oka；　fully

deserved；　even　when　she　should　have　been　on　her　good　behavior

among　the　white　people；　the　nickname　of　〃little　tomboy〃

（po…ca…hun…tas）　that　her　father　had　given　her；for　we　have　the

assurance　of　sedate　Master　William　Strachey；　secretary　of　the

colony；　that　〃the　before　remembered　Pocahontas；　Powhatan's

daughter；　sometimes　resorting　to　our　fort；　of　the　age　then　of

eleven　or　twelve　years；　did　get　the　boyes　forth　with　her　into　the

market…place；　and　make　them　wheele；　falling　on　their　hand　turning

their　heeles　upward；　whome　she　would　followe　and　wheele　so

herself；　all　the　fort　over。〃　From　which　it　would　appear　that　she

could　easily　〃stunt〃　the　English　boys　at　〃making　cart…wheels。〃



But　there　came　a　time　very　soon　when　she　came　into　Jamestown　for

other　purpose　than　turning　somersaults。



The　Indians　soon　learned　to　distrust　the　white　men；　because　of

the　unfriendly　and　selfish　dealings；　of　the　new…comers；　their

tyranny；　their　haughty　disregard　of　the　Indians'　wishes　and

desires；　and　their　impudent　meddling　alike　with　chieftains　and

with　tribesmen。　Discontent　grew　into　hatred　and；　led　on　by

certain　traitors　in　the　colony；　a　plot　was　arranged　for　the

murder　of　Captain　Smith　and　the　destruction　of　the　colony。



Three　times　they　attempted　to　entrap　and　destroy　the　〃great

captain〃　and　his　people；　but　each　time　the　little　Ma…ta…oka；　full

of　friendship　and　pity　for　her　new　acquaintances；　stole

cautiously　into　the　town；　or　found　some　means　of　misleading　the

conspirators；　and　thus　warned　her　white　friends　of　their　danger。



One　dark　winter　night　in　January；　1609；　Captain　Smith；　who　had

came　to　Wero…woco…moco　for　conference　and　treaty　with

Wa…bun…so…na…cook　（whom　he　always　called　Pow…ha…tan）；　sat　in　the

York　River　woods　awaiting　some　provisions　that　the　chief　had

promised　him；for　eatables　were　scarce　that　winter　in　the

Virginia　colony。



There　was　a　light　step　beneath　which　the　dry　twiggs　on　the　ground

crackled　slightly；　and　the　wary　captain　grasped　his　matchlock　and

bade　his　men　be　on　their　guard。　Again　the　twigs　crackled；　and　now

there　came　from　the　shadow　of　the　woods　not　a　train　of　Indians；

but　one　little　girlMa…ta…oka；　or　Pocahontas。



〃Be　guarded；　my　father；〃　she　said；　as　Smith　drew　her　to　his　side。

〃The　corn　and　the　good　cheer　will　come　as　promised；　but　even　now；

my　father；　the　chief　of　the　Pow…ha…tans　is　gathering　all　his

power　to　fall　upon　you　and　kill　you。　If　you　would　live；　get　you

away　at　once。〃



The　captain　prepared　to　act　upon　her　advice　without　delay；　but　he

felt　so　grateful　at　this　latest　and　most　hazardous　proof　of　the

little　Indian　girl's　regard　that　he　desired　to　manifest　his

thankfulness　by　presentsthe　surest　way　to　reach　an　Indian's

heart。



〃My　daughter；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃you　have　again　saved　my　life；

coming　alone；　and　at　risk　of　your　own　young　life；　through　the

irksome　woods　and　in　this　gloomy　night　to　admonish　me。　Take　this；

I　pray　you；　from　me；　and　let　it　always　tell　you　of　the　love　of

Captain　Smith。〃



And　the　grateful　pioneer　handed　her　his　much…prized　pocket

compassan　instrument　regarded　with　awe　by　the　Indians；　and

esteemed　as　one　of　the　instruments　of　the　white　man's　magic。



But　Ma…ta…oka；　although　she　longed　to　possess　this　wonderful

〃path…teller；〃　shook　her　head。



〃Not　so；　Cau…co…rouse；〃　she　said；　〃if　it　should　be　seen　by　my

tribesmen；　or　even　by　my　father；　the　chief；　I　should　but　be　as

dead　to　them；　for　they　would　know　that　I　have　warned　you　whom

they　have　sworn　to　kill；　and　so　would　they　kill　me　also。　Stay　not

to　parley；　my　father；　but　be　gone　at　once。〃



And　with　that；　says　the　record；　〃she　ran　away　by　herself　as　she

came。〃



So　the　captain　hurried　back　to　Jamestown；　and　Ma…ta…oka　returned

to　her　people。



Soon　after　Smith　left　the　colony；　sick　and　worn　out　by　the

continual　worries　and　disputes　with　his　fellow…colonists；　and

Ma…ta…oka　felt　that；　in　the　absence　of　her　best　friend　and　the

increasing　troubles　between　her　tribesmen　and　the　pale…faces；　it

would　be　unwise　for　her　to　visit　Jamestown。



Her　fears　seem　to　have　been　well　grounded；　for　in　the　spring　of

1613；　Ma…ta…oka；　being　then　about　sixteen；　was　treacherously　and

〃by　strat