of corn. The trip had been full of thrilling adventures for him, and
had ended disastrously in his being taken prisoner by Opechancanough,
the brother of Powhatan. The news of Smith's capture having been
carried to the great Werowance, he commanded that the pale-faced
_Caucarouse_, or Captain, be brought to him for sentence. And that was
why the warriors marched into Werewocomoco, Opechancanough in the
center, with the firearms taken from Captain Smith and his companions
carried before him as trophies. The prisoner followed, gripped by
three stalwart Indians, while six others acted as flank guards to
prevent his escape, and as they passed into Werewocomoco they were
greeted by yelling savages brandishing weapons and surging forward to
get a better glimpse of the white captive. The procession halted for a
few minutes at the village clearing, then moved slowly on to
Powhatan's "Chief Place of Council," a long arbor-like structure where
the great Werowance was waiting to receive Captain Smith.

The crowd of boys and girls followed in the wake of the warriors until
the Council Hall was reached, when they all dropped back except their
leader. Pushing her hair from her low brow, that she might see more
clearly, and walking with the erectness of a Werowance's daughter,
Pocahontas entered the hall and stood near her father where she could
not only watch the white captive, who appealed strongly to her fancy,
but could also note Powhatan's expression as he passed judgment on the
prisoner.

With inscrutable reserve and majestic dignity the great ruler bowed as
the captive was led before his rustic throne, where he reclined in a
gorgeous robe of raccoon-skins. On either side of the Council Hall sat
rows of dusky men and women, with their heads and shoulders painted
red, some of the women wearing garments trimmed with the white down
from birds' breasts, while others wore long chains of white beads
about their necks.

It was a picturesque sight for English eyes, and fearful though he was
of foul play, the Captain could not but appreciate the brilliant
mingling of gay colors and dark faces. As he stood before the Chief,
there was a clapping of hands to call an Indian woman, the Queen of
the Appamattock, who brought water to wash the captive's hands, while
another brought a bunch of feathers to dry them on. "What next?"
Captain Smith wondered as he watched further preparations being made,
evidently for a feast, of which he was soon