8 POCAHONTAS the story Regardless many other accounts by Smith and his fellow settlers make clear Pocahontas did have a rela tionship with the people of Jamestown As a youngster she came along when members of her tribe went to the settle ment to conduct trade The Native Americans brought corn and other food to the hungry colonists who gave them beads and other items in return A bit later she would lead such visits as a representative of her father Pocahontas’s relationship with the Jamestown colonists was complicated There were times when her attempts to help the English put her in conflict with her own tribe particularly her father Usually the colonists were grateful But sometimes they took advantage of her kindness One Englishman kidnapped Pocahontas and kept her until her father gave the settlers what they wanted The world will probably never know why Pocahontas felt the need to help the strangers who had invaded her home land But without her help and that of her tribe Jamestown may have vanished and the settlers returned to England An important piece of American history could have been lost forever were it not for Pocahontas
A YOUNG PRINCESS LEADS THE WAY H istorians do not know what day Pocahontas was born and they are not even sure of the exact year Most guesses put her birthday in or around 1596 She was the daughter of a powerful Native American chief named Powhatan At the peak of his power Powhatan is estimated to have ruled between thirteen thousand and thirty-four thousand people He pre sided over an empire named for him at the time the English established the Jamestown Colony Little is known about her mother who was one of Powhatan’s numerous wives 9 Sketch depicting Powhatan chief of a Native American confederacy that bore his name Pocahontas was rumored to be his favorite daughter CHAPTER ONE
10 POCAHONTAS The chief was the father to many children but some people believe that Pocahontas was among his very favorites STRANGERS ON THE SHORE The fact that her nickname could also be translated to mischievous one indicates that Pocahontas was a curious child who liked adventure Naturally then she was terri bly inquisitive when she discovered that men from another land had sailed into the bay and were setting up a village nearby Among those men was Captain John Smith a member of the Virginia Company and one of the seven members of the Jamestown Colony’s governing council Shortly after arriving in what is now Virginia Smith began a series of river voyages that later enabled him to draw a remarkably accurate map of the area While exploring the Chicka hominy River in December 1607 he and his party were attacked by members of the Powhatan empire Smith was captured by Powhatan’s younger brother Opechancanough and brought before the chief himself What happened next is a long-lasting legend that has been passed down for generations SAVING JOHN SMITH According to the story Powhatan’s warriors were about to put Smith to death Smith claims that Pocahontas who
A YOuNg PriNCeSS LeAdS THe WAY 11 This full-color lithograph portrait is of Captain John Smith the English settler who appears to have played a pivotal role in the story of the Indian princess Pocahontas
