historic girls- 第26部分

in　the　confederacy　met　for　counsel　and　for　action；　and　here；　too；

was　the　〃long　tenement…house〃　in　which　the　old　chief　and　his

immediate　family　lived。



It　was　into　this　dwelling　that　the　runner　dashed。　In　a　group

about　the　central　fire…pit　he　saw　the　chief。　Even　before　he　could

himself　stop　his　headlong　speed；　however；　his　race　with　news　came

to　an　unexpected　end。　The　five　fires　were　all　surrounded　by

lolling　Indians；　for　the　weather　in　that　winter　of　1607　was

terribly　cold；　and　an　Indian；　when　inside　his　house；　always　likes

to　get　as　near　to　the　fire　as　possible。　But　down　the　long

passage…way　the　children　were　noisily　playing　at　their　gamesat

gus…ka…eh；　or　〃peach…pits；〃　at　gus…ga…e…sa…ta；　or　〃deer…buttons；〃

and　some　of　the　younger　boys　were　turning　wonderful　somersaults

up　and　down　the　open　spaces　between　the　fire…pits。　Just　as　the

runner；　Ra…bun…ta；　sped　up　the　passage…way；　one　of　these　youthful

gymnasts　with　a　dizzy　succession　of　hand…springs　came　whizzing

down　the　passage…way　right　in　the　path　of　Ra…bun…ta。



There　was　a　sudden　collision。　The　tumbler's　stout　little　feet

came　plump　against　the　breast　of　Ra…bun…ta；　and　so　sudden　and

unexpected　was　the　shock　that　both　recoiled；　and　runner　and

gymnast　alike　tumbled　over　in　a　writhing　heap　upon　the　very　edge

of　one　of　the　big　bonfires；　Then　there　was　a　great　shout　of

laughter；　for　the　Indians　dearly　loved　a　joke；　and　such　a　rough

piece　of　unintentional　pleasantry　was　especially　relished。



〃Wa；　wa；　Ra…bun…ta；〃　they　shouted；　pointing　at　the　discomfited

runner　as　he　picked　himself　out　of　the　fire；　〃knocked　over　by　a

girl！〃



And　the　deep　voice　of　the　old　chief　said　half　sternly；　half

tenderly：



〃My　daughter；　you　have　wellnigh　killed　our　brother　Ra…bun…ta　with

your　foolery。　That　is　scarce　girls'　play。　Why　will　you　be　such　a

po…ca…hun…tas？〃＇1＇



＇1＇　Po…ca…hun…tas；　Algonquin　for　a　little　〃tomboy。〃





The　runner　joined　in　the　laugh　against　him　quite　as　merrily　as

did　the　rest；　and　made　a　dash　at　the　little　ten…year…old　tumbler；

which　she　as　nimbly　evaded；　〃Ma…ma…no…to…wic；〃＇1＇　he　said；　〃the

feet　of　Ma…ta…oka　are　even　heavier　than　the　snake　of

Nun…ta…quaus；　her　brother。　I　have　but　escaped　them　both　with　my

life。　Ma…ma…no…to…wic；　I　have　news　for　you。　The　braves；　with　your

brother　O…pe…chan…ca…nough；　have　taken　the　pale…face　chief　in　the

Chickahominy　swamps　and　are　bringing　him　to　the　council…house。〃



＇1＇　〃Great　man〃　or　〃strong　one；〃　a　title　by　which

Wa…bun…so…na…cook；　or　Powhatan；　was　frequently　addressed。





〃Wa；〃　said　the　old　chief；　〃it　is　well；　we　will　be　ready　for　him。〃



At　once　Ra…bun…ta　was　surrounded　and　plied　with　questions。　The

earlier　American　Indians　were　always　a　very　inquisitive　folk；　and

were　great　gossips。　Ra…bun…ta's　news　would　furnish　fire…pit　talk

for　months；　so　they　must　know　all　the　particulars。　What　was　this

white　cau…co…rouse；　（captain　or　leader）　like？　What　had　he　on？　Did

he　use　his　magic　against　the　braves？　Were　any　of　them　killed？



For　the　fame　of　〃the　white　cau…co…rouse；〃　the　〃great　captain；〃　as

the　Indians　called　the　courageous　and　intrepid　little　governor　of

the　Virginia　colony；　Captain　John　Smith；　had　already　gone

throughout　the　confederacy；　and　his　capture　was　even　better　than

a　victory　over　their　deadliest　enemies；　the　Manna…ho…acks。



Ra…bun…ta　was　as　good　a　gossip　and　story…teller　as　any　of　his

tribesmen；　and　as　he　squatted　before　the　upper　fire…pit；　and　ate

a　hearty　meal　of　parched　corn；　which　the　little　Ma…ta…oka　brought

him　as　a　peace…offering；　he　gave　the　details　of　the　celebrated

capture。　〃The　'great　captain；'　〃　he　said；　〃and　two　of　his　men　had

been　surprised　in　the　Chicka…hominy　swamps　by　the　chief

O…pe…chan…ca…nough　and　two　hundred　braves。　The　two　men　were

killed　by　the　chief；　but　the　'captain；'　seeing　himself　thus

entrapped；　seized　his　Indian　guide　and　fastened　him　before　as　a

shield；　and　thus　sent　out　so　much　of　his　magic　thunder　from　his

fire…tube　that　he　killed　or　wounded　many　of　the　Indians；　and　yet

kept　himself　from　harm　though　his　clothes　were　torn　with

arrow…shots。　At　last；　however；〃　said　the　runner；　〃the　'captain'

had　slipped　into　a　mud…hole　in　the　swamps；　and；　being　there

surrounded；　was　dragged　out　and　made　captive；　and　he；　Ra…bun…ta；

had　been　sent　on　to　tell　the　great　news　to　the　chief。



The　Indians　especially　admired　bravery　and　cunning。　This　device

of　the　white　chieftain　and　his　valor　when　attacked　appealed　to

their　admiration；　and　there　was　great　desire　to　see　him　when　next

day　he　was　brought　into　the　village　by　the　chief　of　the

Pa…mun…kee；　or　York　River　Indians；　O…pe…chan…ca…nough；　brother　of

the　chief　of　the　Pow…ha…tans。



The　renowned　prisoner　was　received　with　the　customary　chorus　of

Indian　yells；　and　then；　acting　upon　the　one　leading　Indian

custom；　the　law　of　unlimited　hospitality；　a　bountiful　feast　was

set　before　the　captive；　who；　like　the　valiant　man　he　was；　ate

heartily　though　ignorant　what　his　fate　might　be。



The　Indians　seldom　wantonly　killed　their　captives。　When　a

sufficient　number　had　been　sacrificed　to　avenge　the　memory　of

such　braves　as　had　fallen　in　fight；　the　remaining　captives　were

either　adopted　as　tribesmen　or　disposed　of　as　slaves。



So　valiant　a　warrior　as　this　pale…faced　cau…co…rouse　was　too

important　a　personage　to　be　used　as　a　slave；　and

Wa…bun…so…na…cook；　the　chief；　received　him　as　an　honored　guest＇1＇

rather　than　as　a　prisoner；　kept　him　in　his　own　house　for　two

days；　and　adopting　him　as　his　own　son；　promised　him　a　large　gift

of　land。　Then；　with　many　expressions　of　friendship；　he　returned

him；　well　escorted　by　Indian　guides；　to　the　trail　that　led　back

direct　to　the　English　colony　at　Jamestown。



＇1＇　〃Hee　kindly　welcomed　me　with　good　wordes；〃　says　Smith's　own

narrative；　〃assuring　me　his　friendship　and　my　libertie。〃



This　rather　destroys　the　long…familiar　romance　of　the　doughty

captain's　life　being　saved　by　〃the　king's　own　daughter；〃　but　it

seems　to　be　the　only　true　version　of　the　story；　based　upon　his

own　original　report。



But　though　the　oft…described　〃rescue〃　did　not　take　place；　the

valiant　Englishman's　attention　was　speedily　drawn　to　the　agile

little　Indian　girl；　Ma…ta…oka；　whom　her　father　called　his

〃tomboy；〃　or　po…ca…hun…tas。



She　was　as　inquisitive　as　any　young　girl；　savage　or　civilized；

and　she　was　so　full　of　kindly　attentions　to　the　captain；　and

bestowed　on　him　so　many　smiles　and　looks　of　wondering　curiosity；

that　Smith　made　much　of　her　in　return；　gave　her　some　trifling

presents　and　asked　her　name。



Now　it　was　one　of　the　many　singular　customs　of　the　American

Indians　never　to　tell　their　own　names；　nor　even　to　allow　them　to

be　spoken　to　strangers　by　any　of　their　own　immediate　kindred。　The

reason　for　this　lay　in　the　superstition　which　held　that　the

speaking　of　one's　real　name　gave　to　the　stranger　to　whom　it　was

spoken　a　magical　and　harmful　influence　over　such　person。　For　the

Indian　religion　was　full　of　what　is　called　the　supernatural。



So；　when　the　old　chief　of　the　Pow…ha…tans　（who；　for　this　very

reason；　was　known　to　the　colonists　by　the　name　of　his　tribe；

Pow…ha…tan；　rather　than　by　his　real　name　of　Wa…bun…so…na…cook）

was　asked　his　little　daughter's　name；　he　hesitated；　and　then　gave

in　reply　the　nick…name　by　which　he　often　called　her；

Po…ca…hun…tas；　the　〃little　tomboy〃for　this　agile　young　maiden；

by　reason　of　her　relationship　to　the　head　chief；　was　allowed　much

more　freedom　and　fun　than　was　usually　the　lot　of　Indian　girls；

who　were；　as　a　rule；　the　patient　and　uncomplaining　little　drudges

of　every　Indian　home　and　village。



So；　when　Captain　Smith　left　Wero…woco…moco；　he　left　one　firm

friend　behind　him；the　pretty　little　Indian　girl；

Ma…ta…oka；who　long　remembered　the　white　man　and　his　presents；

and　determined；　after　her　own　wilful　fashion；　to　go　into　the

white　man's　village　and　see　all　their　wonders　for　herself。



In　less　than　a　year　she　saw　the　captain　again；　For　when；　in　the

fall　of　1608；　he　came　to　her　father's　village　to　invite　the　old

chief　to　Jamestown　to　be　crowned　by　the　English　as　〃king〃　of　the

Pow…ha…tans；　this　bright　little　girl　of　twelve　gathered　together

the　other　little　girls　of　the　village；　and；　almost　upon　the　very

spot　where；　many　years　after；　Cornwallis　was　to　surrender　the

armies　of　England　to　the　〃rebel〃　republic；　she　with　her

companions　entertained　the　English　captain　with　a　gay　Indian

dance　full　of　noise　and　frolic。



Soon　after　this　second　interview；　Ma…ta…oka's　wish　to　see　the

white　man's　village　was　gratified。　For　in　that　same　autumn　of

1608　she　came　with　Ra…bun…ta　to　Jamestown。　She　sought　out　the

captain　who　was　then　〃president〃　of　the　colony；　and　〃entreated

the　libertie〃　of　certain　of　her　tribesmen　who　had　been

〃detained；〃in　other　words；　treacherously　made　prisoners　by　the

settlers　because　of　some　fear　of　an　Indian　plot　against　them。



Smith　was　a　shrewd　enough　man　to　know　when　to　bluster　and　when　to

be　friendly。　He　released　the　Indian　captives　at　Ma…ta…oka's

wishwell　knowing　that　the　little　girl　had　been　duly　〃coached〃

by　her　wily　old　father；　but　feeling　that　even　the　friendship　of　a

child　may　often　be　of　value　to　people　in　a　strange　land。



The　result　of　this　visit　to　Jamestown　was　the　frequent　presence

in　the　town　of　the　chieftain's　daughter。　She　would　come；

sometimes；　with　her　brother；　Nan…ta…qua…us；　sometimes　with　the

runner；　Ra…bun…ta；　and　sometimes　with　certain　of　her　girl

followers。　For　even　little　Indian　girls　had　their　〃dearest

friends；〃　quite　as　much　as　have　our　own　clannish　young

school…girls　of　to…day。



I　am　afraid；　however；　that　this　twelve…year…old；　Ma…ta…oka；　fully

deserved；　even　when　she　should　have　been　on　her　good　behavior

among　the　white　people；　the　nickname　of　〃little　tomboy〃

（po…ca…hun…tas）　that　her　father　had　given　her；for　we　have　the

assurance　of　sedate　Master　William　Strachey；　secretary　of　the

colony；　that　〃the　befo