Ten American Girls from HistorySweetser, Kate Dickinson
History
Ten American Girls from History
Sweetser, Kate Dickinson
United States -- Biography; Women -- Biography
Having established themselves in the front row of the crowd the girls
and boys stood eagerly staring at the prisoner, for many of them had
never seen a white man before, and as Pocahontas watched, she looked
like a forest flower in her robe of soft deer-skin, with beaded
moccasins on her shapely feet, coral bracelets and anklets vying with
the color in her dark cheeks, while a white plume drooping over her
disordered hair proclaimed her to be the daughter of a great chief. In
her health and happiness she radiated a charm which made her easily
the ruling spirit among her mates, and compelled the gaze of the
captive, whose eyes, looking about for some friendly face among the
savage throng, fastened on the eager little maiden with a feeling of
relief, for her bright glance showed such interest in the prisoner and
such sympathy with him as was to endear her to his race in later
years.
The long line of braves with their heads and shoulders gaily painted
had wound their slow way through forest, field, and meadow to bring
into the presence of the great "Werowance" a no less important captive
than Captain John Smith, leader in the English Colony at Jamestown by
reason of his quick wit and stout heart. The settlers having been
threatened with a famine, the brave Captain had volunteered to go on
an expedition among neighboring Indian villages in search of a supply
of corn. The trip had been full of thrilling adventures for him, and
had ended disastrously in his being taken prisoner by Opechancanough,
the brother of Powhatan. The news of Smith's capture having been
carried to the great Werowance, he commanded that the pale-faced
_Caucarouse_, or Captain, be brought to him for sentence. And that was
why the warriors marched into Werewocomoco, Opechancanough in the
center, with the firearms taken from Captain Smith and his companions
carried before him as trophies. The prisoner followed, gripped by
three stalwart Indians, while six others acted as flank guards to
prevent his escape, and as they passed into Werewocomoco they were
greeted by yelling savages brandishing weapons and surging forward to
get a better glimpse of the white captive. The procession halted for a
few minutes at the village clearing, then moved slowly on to
Powhatan's "Chief Place of Council," a long arbor-like structure where
the great Werowance was waiting to receive Captain Smith.
The crowd of boys and girls followed in the wake of the warriors until
the Council Hall was reached, when they all dropped back except their
leader. Pushing her hair from her low brow, that she might see more
clearly, and walking with the erectness of a Werowance's daughter,
Pocahontas entered the hall and stood near her father where she could
not only watch the white captive, who appealed strongly to her fancy,
but could also note Powhatan's expression as he passed judgment on the
prisoner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account