Although the Indians had Smith unarmed and completely in their power, they were not at all satisfied of his inability to harm them, and the question seems to have caused them considerable anxiety. The medicine men of the tribe undertook by incantations and other species of deviltry to ascertain whether the captive’s intentions towards them were good or otherwise. Smith was led in the morning to a large house in the centre of which a fire burned. Here he was left alone, and presently to him entered a hideous creature making unearthly noises in his throat to the accompaniment of a rattle, whilst he danced about the astonished Englishman in grotesque antics. This merry-andrew’s head was decorated with dangling snake-skins and his body painted in a variety of colors. After a while he was joined by three brother-priests who set up a discordant chorus of shrieks and yells, whirling and skipping about the house the while. They were painted half in black and half in red with great white rings round their eyes. Shortly these were joined by three more medicine men equally fantastic in appearance and actions. The ceremony was maintained by these seven throughout the day, much to the disgust of Smith, who soon found it tiresome and uninteresting and particularly so as it involved an absolute fast from dawn to sundown. In the evening women placed great mounds of food upon the mats of the house and invited Smith to eat, but the priests refrained from doing so until he had finished. This performance was repeated on the two successive days, but we are not told what conclusion was reached by all the fuss. XVII. POCAHONTAS TO THE RESCUE After a weary circuit of the Indian villages Smith is brought to Werowocomico--He is received by Powhatan in the “King’s House”--The chiefs in council decide to put him to death--He is bound and laid out, preparatory to being killed--Pocahontas intervenes at the critical moment--Powhatan’s dilemma and Opechancanough’s determination--“The Council has decreed the death of the paleface”--“I, Pocahontas, daughter of our King, claim this man for my brother”--The Indian maiden prevails--Smith is reprieved and formally adopted into the tribe--They wish him to remain with them and lead them against his own people.