the complete writings-3-第44部分

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ooked　on　with　sensations　of　awe；　probably　not　unmixed　with　pity　for　the　fate　of　an　enemy　whose　bravery　had　commanded　their　admiration；　and　in　whose　misfortunes　their　hatred　was　possibly　forgotten。

〃The　fatal　club　was　uplifted：　the　breasts　of　the　company　already　by　anticipation　felt　the　dreadful　crash；　which　was　to　bereave　the　wretched　victim　of　life：　when　the　young　and　beautiful　Pocahontas；　the　beloved　daughter　of　the　emperor；　with　a　shriek　of　terror　and　agony　threw　herself　on　the　body　of　Smith；　Her　hair　was　loose；　and　her　eyes　streaming　with　tears；　while　her　whole　manner　bespoke　the　deep　distress　and　agony　of　her　bosom。　　She　cast　a　beseeching　look　at　her　furious　and　astonished　father；　deprecating　his　wrath；　and　imploring　his　pity　and　the　life　of　his　prisoner；　with　all　the　eloquence　of　mute　but　impassioned　sorrow。

〃The　remainder　of　this　scene　is　honorable　to　Powhatan。　　It　will　remain　a　lasting　monument；　that　tho'　different　principles　of　action；　and　the　influence　of　custom；　have　given　to　the　manners　and　opinions　of　this　people　an　appearance　neither　amiable　nor　virtuous；　they　still　retain　the　noblest　property　of　human　character；　the　touch　of　pity　and　the　feeling　of　humanity。

〃The　club　of　the　emperor　was　still　uplifted；　but　pity　had　touched　his　bosom；　and　his　eye　was　every　moment　losing　its　fierceness；　he　looked　around　to　collect　his　fortitude；　or　perhaps　to　find　an　excuse　for　his　weakness　in　the　faces　of　his　attendants。　　But　every　eye　was　suffused　with　the　sweetly　contagious　softness。　　The　generous　savage　no　longer　hesitated。　　The　compassion　of　the　rude　state　is　neither　ostentatious　nor　dilating：　nor　does　it　insult　its　object　by　the　exaction　of　impossible　conditions。　　Powhatan　lifted　his　grateful　and　delighted　daughter；　and　the　captive；　scarcely　yet　assured　of　safety；　from　the　earth。。。。〃

〃The　character　of　this　interesting　woman；　as　it　stands　in　the　concurrent　accounts　of　all　our　historians；　is　not；　it　is　with　confidence　affirmed；　surpassed　by　any　in　the　whole　range　of　history；　and　for　those　qualities　more　especially　which　do　honor　to　our　nature…　…an　humane　and　feeling　heart；　an　ardor　and　unshaken　constancy　in　her　attachmentsshe　stands　almost　without　a　rival。

〃At　the　first　appearance　of　the　Europeans　her　young　heart　was　impressed　with　admiration　of　the　persons　and　manners　of　the　strangers；　but　it　is　not　during　their　prosperity　that　she　displays　her　attachment。　　She　is　not　influenced　by　awe　of　their　greatness；　or　fear　of　their　resentment；　in　the　assistance　she　affords　them。　　It　was　during　their　severest　distresses；　when　their　most　celebrated　chief　was　a　captive　in　their　hands；　and　was　dragged　through　the　country　as　a　spectacle　for　the　sport　and　derision　of　their　people；　that　she　places　herself　between　him　and　destruction。

〃The　spectacle　of　Pocahontas　in　an　attitude　of　entreaty；　with　her　hair　loose；　and　her　eyes　streaming　with　tears；　supplicating　with　her　enraged　father　for　the　life　of　Captain　Smith　when　he　was　about　to　crush　the　head　of　his　prostrate　victim　with　a　club；　is　a　situation　equal　to　the　genius　of　Raphael。　　And　when　the　royal　savage　directs　his　ferocious　glance　for　a　moment　from　his　victim　to　reprove　his　weeping　daughter；　when　softened　by　her　distress　his　eye　loses　its　fierceness；　and　he　gives　his　captive　to　her　tears；　the　painter　will　discover　a　new　occasion　for　exercising　his　talents。〃


The　painters　have　availed　themselves　of　this　opportunity。　　In　one　picture　Smith　is　represented　stiffly　extended　on　the　greensward　（of　the　woods）；　his　head　resting　on　a　stone；　appropriately　clothed　in　a　dresscoat；　knee…breeches；　and　silk　stockings；　while　Powhatan　and　the　other　savages　stand　ready　for　murder；　in　full…dress　parade　costume；　and　Pocahontas；　a　full…grown　woman；　with　long；　disheveled　hair；　in　the　sentimental　dress　and　attitude　of　a　Letitia　E。　Landon　of　the　period；　is　about　to　cast　herself　upon　the　imperiled　and　well…dressed　Captain。

Must　we；　then；　give　up　the　legend　altogether；　on　account　of　the　exaggerations　that　have　grown　up　about　it；　our　suspicion　of　the　creative　memory　of　Smith；　and　the　lack　of　all　contemporary　allusion　to　it？　　It　is　a　pity　to　destroy　any　pleasing　story　of　the　past；　and　especially　to　discharge　our　hard　struggle　for　a　foothold　on　this　continent　of　the　few　elements　of　romance。　　If　we　can　find　no　evidence　of　its　truth　that　stands　the　test　of　fair　criticism；　we　may　at　least　believe　that　it　had　some　slight　basis　on　which　to　rest。　　It　is　not　at　all　improbable　that　Pocahontas；　who　was　at　that　time　a　precocious　maid　of　perhaps　twelve　or　thirteen　years　of　age　（although　Smith　mentions　her　as　a　child　of　ten　years　old　when　she　came　to　the　camp　after　his　release）；　was　touched　with　compassion　for　the　captive；　and　did　influence　her　father　to　treat　him　kindly。




IX

SMITH'S　WAY　WITH　THE　INDIANS

As　we　are　not　endeavoring　to　write　the　early　history　of　Virginia；　but　only　to　trace　Smith's　share　in　it；　we　proceed　with　his　exploits　after　the　arrival　of　the　first　supply；　consisting　of　near　a　hundred　men；　in　two　ships；　one　commanded　by　Captain　Newport　and　the　other　by　Captain　Francis　Nelson。　　The　latter；　when　in　sight　of　Cape　Henry；　was　driven　by　a　storm　back　to　the　West　Indies；　and　did　not　arrive　at　James　River　with　his　vessel；　the　Phoenix；　till　after　the　departure　of　Newport　for　England　with　his　load　of　〃golddust；〃　and　Master　Wingfield　and　Captain　Arthur。

In　his　〃True　Relation；〃　Smith　gives　some　account　of　his　exploration　of　the　Pamunkey　River；　which　he　sometimes　calls　the　〃Youghtamand；〃　upon　which；　where　the　water　is　salt；　is　the　town　of　Werowocomoco。　　It　can　serve　no　purpose　in　elucidating　the　character　of　our　hero　to　attempt　to　identify　all　the　places　he　visited。

It　was　at　Werowocomoco　that　Smith　observed　certain　conjurations　of　the　medicine　men；　which　he　supposed　had　reference　to　his　fate。　　From　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　till　six　at　night；　seven　of　the　savages；　with　rattles　in　their　hands；　sang　and　danced　about　the　fire；　laying　down　grains　of　corn　in　circles；　and　with　vehement　actions；　casting　cakes　of　deer　suet；　deer；　and　tobacco　into　the　fire；　howling　without　ceasing。　　One　of　them　was　〃disfigured　with　a　great　skin；　his　head　hung　around　with　little　skins　of　weasels　and　other　vermin；　with　a　crownlet　of　feathers　on　his　head；　painted　as　ugly　as　the　devil。〃　　So　fat　they　fed　him　that　he　much　doubted　they　intended　to　sacrifice　him　to　the　Quiyoughquosicke；　which　is　a　superior　power　they　worship：　a　more　uglier　thing　cannot　be　described。　　These　savages　buried　their　dead　with　great　sorrow　and　weeping；　and　they　acknowledge　no　resurrection。　　Tobacco　they　offer　to　the　water　to　secure　a　good　passage　in　foul　weather。　　The　descent　of　the　crown　is　to　the　first　heirs　of　the　king's　sisters；　〃for　the　kings　have　as　many　women　as　they　will；　the　subjects　two；　and　most　but　one。〃

After　Smith's　return；　as　we　have　read；　he　was　saved　from　a　plot　to　take　his　life　by　the　timely　arrival　of　Captain　Newport。　　Somewhere　about　this　time　the　great　fire　occurred。　　Smith　was　now　one　of　the　Council；　Martin　and　Matthew　Scrivener；　just　named；　were　also　councilors。　　Ratcliffe　was　still　President。　　The　savages；　owing　to　their　acquaintance　with　and　confidence　in　Captain　Smith；　sent　in　abundance　of　provision。　　Powhatan　sent　once　or　twice　a　week　〃deer；　bread；　raugroughcuns　（probably　not　to　be　confounded　with　the　rahaughcuns　＇raccoons＇　spoken　of　before；　but　probably　'rawcomens；'　mentioned　in　the　Description　of　Virginia）；　half　for　Smiith；　and　half　for　his　father；　Captain　Newport。〃　　Smith　had；　in　his　intercourse　with　the　natives；　extolled　the　greatness　of　Newport；　so　that　they　conceived　him　to　be　the　chief　and　all　the　rest　his　children；　and　regarded　him　as　an　oracle；　if　not　a　god。

Powhatan　and　the　rest　had；　therefore；　a　great　desire　to　see　this　mighty　person。　　Smith　says　that　the　President　and　Council　greatly　envied　his　reputation　with　the　Indians；　and　wrought　upon　them　to　believe；　by　giving　in　trade　four　times　as　much　as　the　price　set　by　Smith；　that　their　authority　exceeded　his　as　much　as　their　bounty。

We　must　give　Smith　the　credit　of　being　usually　intent　upon　the　building　up　of　the　colony；　and　establishing　permanent　and　livable　relations　with　the　Indians；　while　many　of　his　companions　in　authority　seemed　to　regard　the　adventure　as　a　temporary　occurrence；　out　of　which　they　would　make　what　personal　profit　they　could。　　The　new…　comers　on　a　vessel　always　demoralized　the　trade　with　the　Indians；　by　paying　extravagant　prices。　　Smith's　relations　with　Captain　Newport　were　peculiar。　　While　he　magnified　him　to　the　Indians　as　the　great　power；　he　does　not　conceal　his　own　opinion　of　his　ostentation　and　want　of　shrewdness。　　Smith's　attitude　was　that　of　a　priest　who　puts　up　for　the　worship　of　the　vulgar　an　idol；　which　he　knows　is　only　a　clay　image　stuffed　with　straw。

In　the　great　joy　of　the　colony　at　the　arrival　of　the　first　supply；　leave　was　given　to　sailors　to　trade　with　the　Indians；　and　the　new…　comers　soon　so　raised　prices　that　it　needed　a　pound　of　copper　to　buy　a　quantity　of　provisions　that　before　had　been　obtained　for　an　ounce。　Newport　sent　great　presents　to　Powhatan；　and；　in　response　to　the　wish　of　the　〃Emperor；〃　prepared　to　visit　him。　　〃A　great　coyle　there　was　to　set　him　forward；〃　says　Smith。　　Mr。　Scrivener　and　Captain　Smith；　and　a　guard　of　thirty　or　forty；　accompanied　him。　　On　this　expedition　they　found　the　mouth　of　the　Pamaunck　（now　York）　River。　　Arriving　at　Werowocomoco；　Newport；　fearing　treachery；　sent　Smith　with　twenty　men　to　land　and　make　a　preliminary　visit。　　When　they　came　ashore　they　found　a　network　of　creeks　which　were　crossed　by　very　shaky　bridges；　constructed　of　crotched　sticks　and　poles；　which　had　so　much　the　appearance　of　traps　that　Smith　would　not　cross　them　until　many　of　the　Indians　had　preceded　him；　while　he　kept　others　with　him　as　hostages。　Three　hundred　savages　conducted　him　to　Powhatan；　who　received　him　in　great　state。　　Before　his　house　were　ranged　forty　or　fifty　great　platters　of　fine　bread。　　Entering　his　house；　〃with　loude　tunes　they　made　all　signs　of　great　joy。〃　　In　the　first　account　Powhatan　is　represented　as　surrounded　by　his　principal　women　and　chief　men；　〃as　upon　a　throne　at　the　upper　end　of　the　house；　with　such　majesty　as　I　cannot　express；　nor　yet　have　often　seen；　either　in　Pagan　or　Christian。〃　　In　the　later　a