University of Virginia Library

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.