anough was a great chief, but higher than he moved Powhatan,
chief of chiefs. This Indian was yet a stranger to the English in
Virginia. Now John Smith was to make his acquaintance.

Werowocomoco stood upon a bluff on the north side of York River. Here
came Smith and his captors, around them the winter woods, before them
the broad blue river. Again the gathered Indians, men and women, again
the staring, the handling, the more or less uncomplimentary remarks;
then into the Indian ceremonial lodge he was pushed. Here sat the chief
of chiefs, Powhatan, and he had on a robe of raccoon skins with all
the tails hanging. About him sat his chief men, and behind these were
gathered women. All were painted, head and shoulders; all wore, bound
about the head, adornments meant to strike with beauty or with terror;
all had chains of beads. Smith does not report what he said to Powhatan,
or Powhatan to him. He says that the Queen of Appamatuck brought him
water for his hands, and that there was made a great feast. When this
was over, the Indians held a council. It ended in a death decree.
Incontinently Smith was seized, dragged to a great stone lying before
Powhatan, forced down and bound. The Indians made ready their clubs;
meaning to batter his brains out. Then, says Smith, occurred the
miracle.

A child of Powhatan's, a very young girl called Pocahontas, sprang from
among the women, ran to the stone, and with her own body sheltered that
of the Englishman....*

* A vast amount of erudition has been expended by historical
students to establish the truth or falsity of this
Pocahontas story. The author has refrained from entering the
controversy, preferring to let the story stand as it was
told by Captain Smith in his "General History" (1624).--
Editor.

What, in Powhatan's mind, of hesitation, wiliness, or good nature backed
his daughter's plea is not known. But Smith did not have his brains
beaten out. He was released, taken by some form of adoption into the
tribe, and set to using those same brains in the making of hatchets and
ornaments. A few days passed and he was yet further enlarged. Powhatan
longed for two of the great guns possessed by the white men and for a
grindstone. He would send Smith back to Jamestown if in return he
was sure of getting those treasures. It is to be supposed that Smith
promised him guns and grindstones as many as could be borne away.

So Werowocomoco saw him depart,