Pocahontas, -1617; Powhatan Indians -- Biography; Powhatan women -- Biography
mistrusting this policy, who nevertheless being most possessed with
feere, and desire of returne, was first up, and hastened Iapazeus to be
gon. Capt. Argall having secretly well rewarded him, with a small Copper
kittle, and some other les valuable toies so highly by him esteemed,
that doubtlesse he would have betraied his own father for them,
permitted both him and his wife to returne, but told him that for divers
considerations, as for that his father had then eigh [8] of our Englishe
men, many swords, peeces, and other tooles, which he hid at severall
times by trecherous murdering our men, taken from them which though
of no use to him, he would not redeliver, he would reserve Pocahuntas,
whereat she began to be exceeding pensive, and discontented, yet
ignorant of the dealing of Japazeus who in outward appearance was no les
discontented that he should be the meanes of her captivity, much adoe
there was to pursuade her to be patient, which with extraordinary
curteous usage, by little and little was wrought in her, and so to
Jamestowne she was brought.”
Smith, who condenses this account in his “General Historie,” expresses
his contempt of this Indian treachery by saying: “The old Jew and his
wife began to howle and crie as fast as Pocahuntas.” It will be noted
that the account of the visit (apparently alone) of Pocahontas and her
capture is strong evidence that she was not at this time married to
“Kocoum” or anybody else.
Word was despatched to Powhatan of his daughter's duress, with a
demand made for the restitution of goods; but although this savage is
represented as dearly loving Pocahontas, his “delight and darling,” it
was, according to Hamor, three months before they heard anything from
him. His anxiety about his daughter could not have been intense. He
retained a part of his plunder, and a message was sent to him that
Pocahontas would be kept till he restored all the arms.
This answer pleased Powhatan so little that they heard nothing from him
till the following March. Then Sir Thomas Dale and Captain Argall, with
several vessels and one hundred and fifty men, went up to Powhatan's
chief seat, taking his daughter with them, offering the Indians a chance
to fight for her or to take her in peace on surrender of the stolen
goods. The Indians received this with bravado and flights of arrows,
reminding them of the fate of Captain Ratcliffe. The whites landed,
killed some Indians, burnt forty houses, pillaged the village, and went
on up the river and came to anchor in front of Matchcot, the Emperor's
chief town. Here were assembled four hundred armed men, with bows and
arrows, who dared them to come ashore. Ashore they went, and a palaver
was held. The Indians wanted a day to consult their King, after which
they would fight, if nothing but blood would satisfy the whites.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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