The exulting savages conducted him in triumph through several towns to Werowocomoco, where Powhatan, their king, resided in state, with a strong guard of Indians around him. When the prisoner entered the apartment of the sovereign, all the people gave a shout. The queen of Appamatuck was appointed to bring him water to wash his hands; and another person brought a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel, to dry them. Having feasted him in their best manner, they held a long consultation, at the conclusion of which, two great stones were brought before Powhatan. Smith had now reason to consider his career as drawing to a close; by the united efforts of the attendants, he was forcibly dragged, his head laid upon one of the stones, and the mighty club upraised, a few blows from which were to terminate his existence. But a very unexpected interposition now took place. Pocahontas, the favorite daughter of Powhatan, was seized with emotions of tender pity, and ran up to her father, pathetically pleading for the life of the stranger. When all entreaties were lost on that stern and savage potentate, she hastened to Smith, snatched his head in her arms, and laid her own on his, declaring that the first blow must fall upon her. The heart even of a savage father was at last melted, and Powhatan granted to his favorite daughter the life of Smith.
It appears at first to have been the intention of the savage monarch to have detained the captive, and employed him in manufacturing utensils and ornaments for his majesty’s use; but from some cause he speedily changed his mind, and in two days after his deliverance, sent him, to his high gratification, with a guard of twelve of his trusty followers, to Jamestown, upon condition that he should remit two culverins and a millstone as his ransom.
After an absence of seven weeks, Smith arrived barely in time to save the colony from being abandoned. His associates, reduced to the number of thirty-eight, impatient of farther stay in a country where they had met with so many discouragements, were preparing to return to England; and it was not without the utmost difficulty, and alternately employing persuasion, remonstrance, and even violent interference, that Smith prevailed with them to relinquish their design. Pocahontas, persevering in her generous designs, continued to supply the colony with provisions till a vessel arrived from England with supplies. Having preserved the settlement during the winter by his active exertions and his careful management, Smith embraced the earliest opportunity, in the following summer, to explore the extensive and multifarious ramifications of the Chesapeak.
In an open barge, with fourteen persons, and but a scanty stock of provisions, he traversed the whole of that vast extent of water, from cape Henry, where it meets the ocean, to the river Susquehannah; trading with some tribes of Indians, and fighting with others. He discovered and named many small islands, creeks, and inlets; sailed up many of thegreat rivers; and explored the inland parts of the country. During this enterprise, the Susquehannah Indians visited him, and made him presents. At this early period they had hatchets, and utensils of iron and brass, which, by their own account, originally came from the French of Canada. After sailing about three thousand miles, Smith returned to Jamestown. Having made careful observations during this excursion of discovery, he drew a map of Chesapeak bay, with its tributary rivers, annexing to it a description of the countries, and of the nations inhabiting them, and sent it to the council in England.
The superior abilities of Smith had now been so manifestly subservient to the general welfare, that they had silenced, at least, the malignity of envy and faction; and although it was comparatively a short period since he had been so unjustly calumniated, and deprived of his seat at the council-board, immediately after his return from his voyage, he was, by the election of the council and the request of the settlers, invested with the government, and received letters-patent to be president of the colony. The wisdom of his administration inspired confidence, its vigor commanded obedience, and the military exercises, which he obliged all to perform, struck the Indians with astonishment, and inspired them with awe.
Under the administration of president Smith, the colony continued to prosper; as far as it could prosper, under the circumstances of its organization. Its elements, however, were not of the best description, and the number of ‘poor gentlemen, tradesmen, serving men, libertines and such like,’ is represented to have been ten times more fit to spoil a commonwealth than either to begin or maintain one. They were lazy, avaricious, and disappointed. The Indians too became suspicious and troublesome; and the company in England were unjustly discontented with the management of captain Smith. A new charter was therefore treated for by the company of South Virginia, and obtained; and among the new proprietors were many of the most wealthy and influential commoners and peers of the land. Lord Delaware was appointed governor of Virginia for life, though he did not accompany the expedition, which was immediately fitted out. A fleet of nine vessels sailed for the colony, one of which was wrecked at the Bermudas, and one lost in a violent storm. On board of this fleet were five hundred emigrants; chiefly young and licentious, indigent and haughty, who soon involved the colony in anarchy and confusion.
A systematic design was now meditated against the whole colony by the sovereign of the country; but it was providentially discovered and frustrated. Pocahontas, the tutelary friend of Virginia, though but a child of thirteen years of age, went in a very dark and dreary night to Jamestown, and, at the hazard of her life, disclosed to the president a plot of her father to kill him and all the English. This timely notice put the colony on its guard; and some favorable occurrences soon after contributed still farther towards its preservation. An Indian, apparently dead through the effect of a charcoal fire in a close room, was, on the application of vinegar and aqua vitæ by the president, reanimated. This supposed miracle, with an explosion of powder, which killed two or three Indians and scorched and wounded others, excited such astonishment, mingled with such admiration of English power and art, that Powhatan and his people came to them with presents of peace; and the whole country during the remainder of Smith’s administration, was entirely free frommolestation, and the colonists pursued their plans of improvement, both in agriculture and in some of the manufactures, with tolerable success. Unhappily, however, the president, while exerting himself with his usual energy in the concerns of the settlement, received a dangerous wound from the accidental explosion of a quantity of gunpowder. Completely disabled by this misfortune, and destitute of surgical aid, he was compelled to resign his command, and take his departure (and it was a final one) for England.
The departure of Smith was in every respect inauspicious for the colony. It was the signal for a general revolt among the Indians. Many of the colonists were slain, their provisions were wasted by imprudence, and they were threatened with absolute starvation. There numbers were reduced from five hundred to about sixty, in the course of half a year. In this extremity they received unexpected relief from Sir Thomas Gates and the party which had been wrecked the year before at Bermudas, and who had been enabled to build two small vessels, and succeed in reaching Virginia. It was determined to abandon the colony, and sail for Newfoundland, and every thing was prepared for embarkation, when lord Delaware, with three ships and a hundred and fifty men, arrived at the mouth of the river. By the energetic discipline of this nobleman, the affairs of the colony were soon restored to order. He erected forts, allotted to each man his respective duty, and appointed the necessary officers to enforce obedience to his commands. His health not permitting him to remain in office, he returned to England, leaving about two hundred people in health and tranquillity.
Not long after his departure, Sir Thomas Dale arrived at Virginia with three ships and three hundred emigrants. Other additions to the colony were made within a short interval. New settlements were commenced farther up the river, and a town was built, and called Henrico, in honor of prince Henry. In 1612, application was made to the king by the patentees for a new charter, with increased privileges, and it was accordingly granted.
It was in the year following the grant of the new charter, that the marriage of Pocahontas, the famed daughter of Powhatan, was celebrated; an alliance which secured peace to Virginia many years. Having been carefully instructed in the Christian religion, it was not long before she renounced the idolatry of her country, made profession of Christianity, and was baptized by the name of Rebecca. In some measure connected with this event, by the influence so powerful an alliance was calculated to have upon the minds of the natives in the vicinity, was the treaty which Sir Thomas Dale effected with the Chickahominy tribe of Indians, a bold and free people, who now voluntarily relinquished their name, for that of Tassantessus, or Englishmen; and solemnly engaged to be faithful subjects to king James.