ld (for soe they accompt and bring about the
yeare, calling the fall of the leaf tagnitock); nor are thev much
ashamed thereof, and therefore would the before remembered Pocahontas,
a well featured, but wanton yong girle, Powhatan's daughter, sometymes
resorting to our fort, of the age then of eleven or twelve yeares, get
the boyes forth with her into the markett place, and make them wheele,
falling on their hands, turning up their heeles upwards, whome she would
followe and wheele so herself, naked as she was, all the fort over;
but being once twelve yeares, they put on a kind of semecinctum lethern
apron (as do our artificers or handycrafts men) before their bellies,
and are very shamefac't to be seene bare. We have seene some use
mantells made both of Turkey feathers, and other fowle, so prettily
wrought and woven with threeds, that nothing could be discerned but the
feathers, which were exceedingly warme and very handsome."

Strachey did not see Pocahontas. She did not resort to the camp after
the departure of Smith in September, 1609, until she was kidnapped by
Governor Dale in April, 1613. He repeats what he heard of her. The
time mentioned by him of her resorting to the fort, "of the age then of
eleven or twelve yeares," must have been the time referred to by Smith
when he might have married her, namely, in 1608-9, when he calls her
"not past 13 or 14 years of age." The description of her as a "yong
girle" tumbling about the fort, "naked as she was," would seem to
preclude the idea that she was married at that time.

The use of the word "wanton" is not necessarily disparaging, for
"wanton" in that age was frequently synonymous with "playful" and
"sportive"; but it is singular that she should be spoken of as "well
featured, but wanton." Strachey, however, gives in another place what is
no doubt the real significance of the Indian name "Pocahontas." He says:

"Both men, women, and children have their severall names; at first
according to the severall humor of their parents; and for the men
children, at first, when they are young, their mothers give them a name,
calling them by some affectionate title, or perhaps observing their
promising inclination give it accordingly; and so the great King
Powhatan called a young daughter of his, whom he loved well, Pocahontas,
which may signify a little wanton; howbeyt she was rightly called
Amonata at more ripe years."

The Indian girls married very young. The polygamous Pow