historic girls-第34章

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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　stratagem〃　kidnapped　by　the　bold　and　unscrupulous　Captain

Argallhalf　pirate；　half　trader；and　was　held　by　the　colonists

as　hostage　for　the　〃friendship〃　of　Pow…ha…tan。



Within　these　three　years；　however；　she　had　been　married　to　the

chief　of　one　of　the　tributary　tribes；　Ko…ko…um　by　name；　but；　as

was　the　Indian　marriage　custom；　Ko…ko…um　had　come　to　live　among

the　kindred　of　his　wife；　and　had　shortly　after　been　killed　in　one

of　the　numerous　Indian　fights。



It　was　during　the　captivity　of　the　young　widow　at　Jamestown　that

she　became　acquainted　with　Master　John　Rolfe；　an　industrious

young　Englishman；　and　the　man　who；　first　of　all　the　American

colonists；　attempted　the　cultivation　of　tobacco。



Master　Rolfe　was　a　widower　and　an　ardent　desirer　of　〃the

conversion　of　the　pagan　salvages。〃　He　became　interested　in　the

young　Indian　widow；　and　though　he　protests　that　he　married　her

for　the　purpose　of　converting　her　to　Christianity；　and　rather

ungallantly　calls　her　〃an　unbelieving　creature；〃　it　is　just

possible　that　if　she　had　not　been　a　pretty　and　altogether

captivating　young　unbeliever　he　would　have　found　less　personal

means　for　her　conversion。



Well；　the　Englishman　and　the　Indian　girl；　as　we　all　know；　were

married；　lived　happily　together；　and　finally　departed　for

England。　Here；　all　too　soon；　in　1617；　when　she　was　about

twenty…one；　the　daughter　of　the　great　chieftain　of　the

Pow…ha…tans　died。



Her　story　is　both　a　pleasant　and　a　sad　one。　It　needs　none　of　the

additional　romance　that　has　been　thrown　about　it　to　render　it

more　interesting。　An　Indian　girl；　free　as　her　native　forests；

made　friends　with　the　race　that；　all　unnecessarily；　became

hostile　to　her　own。　Brighter；　perhaps；　than　most　of　the　girls　of

her　tribe；　she　recognized　and　desired　to　avail　herself　of　the

refinements　of　civilization；　and　so　gave　up　her　barbaric

surroundings；　cast　in　her　lot　with　the　white　race；　and　sought　to

make　peace　and　friendship　between　neighbors　take　the　place　of

quarrel　and　of　war。



The　white　race　has　nothing　to　be　proud　of　in　its　conquest　of　the

people　who　once　owned　and　occupied　the　vast　area　of　the　North

American　continent。　The　story　is　neither　an　agreeable　nor　a

chivalrous　one。　But　out　of　the　gloom　which　surrounds　it；　there

come　some　figures　that　relieve　the　darkness；　the　treachery；　and

the　crime　that　make　it　so　sad。　And　not　the　least　impressive　of

these　is　this　bright　and　gentle　little　daughter　of

Wa…bun…so…na…cook；　chief　of　the　Pow…ha…tans；　Ma…ta…oka；　friend　of

the　white　strangers；　whom　we　of　this　later　day　know　by　the

nickname　her　loving　old　father　gave　herPo…ca…hun…tas；　the

Algonquin。









End