34. The Capture of Pocahontas, the Little Indian Princess
BY RAPHE HAMOR(1613-1614)[138]
IT chanced that Powhatan's delight and darling, his
daughter Pocahontas, whose fame has been spread even in
England, took the pleasure to visit her friends at the
Potomac. Her friends had been sent thither like shopkeepers
at a fair, to exchange some of her father's commodities for
those of this region. She came in the absence of Captain
Argall.
When she had been staying here some three
months or longer, it happened that Captain Argall arrived
in search either of hope or profit. Pocahontas, desirous to
renew her familiarity with the English, and delighting to see
them, said she would gladly visit them, keeping herself
unknown, perhaps because she was afraid of being seized.
No sooner had Captain
Argall received intelligence of her, than he planned with an old friend
and adopted brother of his, called Japazeus, how and by what means he
might procure her as a captive.
[139]
He told the Indian that now or never was the time
to give pleasure to his friend, if he really possessed that
love of which he had made profession. Captain Argall told
him that as a ransom for Pocahontas-he might recover some
of our English men and arms, now in the possession of her
father. He promised to use her fairly and with gentle
treatment.
Japazeus, fully assured that his brother would use her
courteously as he promised, gave in turn his word that he would use his
best endeavors and secrecy to accomplish this desire. And thus he
wrought it, making his own wife an instrument to aid his plot. For
Japazeus agreed that his wife, Pocahontas, and himself would accompany
his brother, Captain Argall, to the waterside. Then, according to the
plan, his wife should feign a great and longing desire to go aboard the
ship, for although it had been in port three or four times before, she
had never seen it. She was to be earnest with her husband, begging him
to give her permission.[140] Then he was to
seem angry with her, and to pretend that her request was needless,
especially since she had women with her to bear her company; and she in
turn was to pretend to take it unkindly, feigning to weep; whereupon her
husband, seeming to pity those counterfeit tears, was to give her leave
to go aboard, only if it pleased Pocahontas to accompany her.
Now came the greatest labor, to win Pocahontas to go with
her, for perhaps she might feel responsible on account of
her father's wrong treatment of the
English, even though she supposed herself unknown. By
earnest persuasions, Pocahontas assented, and forthwith
aboard they went.
The best cheer that could be made was seasonably
provided. To supper they went, merry on all hands,
especially Japazeus and his wife, who, to express their joy,
would once in a while tread upon Captain Argall's foot, as
if to say, "'Tis done; she is your own." Supper ended,
Pocahontas was lodged in the gunner's rooms, where
Japazeus and his wife left her, because they desired to hold
a conference with "their brother." This conference was only
to acquaint him by what stratagem they had betrayed his
prisoner.
After this discourse they went to sleep, and Pocahontas as
well, mistrusting nothing of their plot Nevertheless, a little
frightened and anxious to return, she was up first in the
morning and hastened to Japazeus, urging him to be gone.
But Captain Argall well rewarded him secretly with a small
copper kettle and some other less valuable ,trifles, which he
so highly valued that doubtless he would have betrayed his
own father for them.
Argall permitted both Japazeus and his wife to return on
shore, and in the hearing of others he told Japazeus as he
went away that he should keep Pocahontas because the
father of Pocahontas held as prisoners eight of our
Englishmen, many swords, firearms, and other tools which
he had at several times by treacherous murders taken from
our men.
Whereupon she began to be exceedingly pensive and
discontented, although still ignorant of the treachery of
Japazeus; in outward appearance, he was no less unhappy
than she was herself that he should be the means of her
captivity.
[[138]]
The author of this piece lived among the Indians.
Powhatan was the most powerful Indian living near the English in the
colony of Virginia. Argall was governor.
[[139]]
Japazeus was an Indian who had gone through a
ceremony of brotherhood with Argall.
[[140]]
The plot was that Japazeus's wife should make it
seem a favor to her for Pocahontas to go on board.