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did the rest； and made a dash at the little ten…year…old tumbler；
which she as nimbly evaded； 〃Ma…ma…no…to…wic；〃＇1＇ he said； 〃the
feet of Ma…ta…oka are even heavier than the snake of
Nun…ta…quaus； her brother。 I have but escaped them both with my
life。 Ma…ma…no…to…wic； I have news for you。 The braves； with your
brother O…pe…chan…ca…nough； have taken the pale…face chief in the
Chickahominy swamps and are bringing him to the council…house。〃
＇1＇ 〃Great man〃 or 〃strong one；〃 a title by which
Wa…bun…so…na…cook； or Powhatan； was frequently addressed。
〃Wa；〃 said the old chief； 〃it is well； we will be ready for him。〃
At once Ra…bun…ta was surrounded and plied with questions。 The
earlier American Indians were always a very inquisitive folk； and
were great gossips。 Ra…bun…ta's news would furnish fire…pit talk
for months； so they must know all the particulars。 What was this
white cau…co…rouse； （captain or leader） like？ What had he on？ Did
he use his magic against the braves？ Were any of them killed？
For the fame of 〃the white cau…co…rouse；〃 the 〃great captain；〃 as
the Indians called the courageous and intrepid little governor of
the Virginia colony； Captain John Smith； had already gone
throughout the confederacy； and his capture was even better than
a victory over their deadliest enemies； the Manna…ho…acks。
Ra…bun…ta was as good a gossip and story…teller as any of his
tribesmen； and as he squatted before the upper fire…pit； and ate
a hearty meal of parched corn； which the little Ma…ta…oka brought
him as a peace…offering； he gave the details of the celebrated
capture。 〃The 'great captain；' 〃 he said； 〃and two of his men had
been surprised in the Chicka…hominy swamps by the chief
O…pe…chan…ca…nough and two hundred braves。 The two men were
killed by the chief； but the 'captain；' seeing himself thus
entrapped； seized his Indian guide and fastened him before as a
shield； and thus sent out so much of his magic thunder from his
fire…tube that he killed or wounded many of the Indians； and yet
kept himself from harm though his clothes were torn with
arrow…shots。 At last； however；〃 said the runner； 〃the 'captain'
had slipped into a mud…hole in the swamps； and； being there
surrounded； was dragged out and made captive； and he； Ra…bun…ta；
had been sent on to tell the great news to the chief。
The Indians especially admired bravery and cunning。 This device
of the white chieftain and his valor when attacked appealed to
their admiration； and there was great desire to see him when next
day he was brought into the village by the chief of the
Pa…mun…kee； or York River Indians； O…pe…chan…ca…nough； brother of
the chief of the Pow…ha…tans。
The renowned prisoner was received with the customary chorus of
Indian yells； and then； acting upon the one leading Indian
custom； the law of unlimited hospitality； a bountiful feast was
set before the captive； who； like the valiant man he was； ate
heartily though ignorant what his fate might be。
The Indians seldom wantonly killed their captives。 When a
sufficient number had been sacrificed to avenge the memory of
such braves as had fallen in fight； the remaining captives were
either adopted as tribesmen or disposed of as slaves。
So valiant a warrior as this pale…faced cau…co…rouse was too
important a personage to be used as a slave； and
Wa…bun…so…na…cook； the chief； received him as an honored guest＇1＇
rather than as a prisoner； kept him in his own house for two
days； and adopting him as his own son； promised him a large gift
of land。 Then； with many expressions of friendship； he returned
him； well escorted by Indian guides； to the trail that led back
direct to the English colony at Jamestown。
＇1＇ 〃Hee kindly welcomed me with good wordes；〃 says Smith's own
narrative； 〃assuring me his friendship and my libertie。〃
This rather destroys the long…familiar romance of the doughty
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 t