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SATURDAY, December 7, igoj.
AUGUSTA CHRONICLE ,
G A Z E X T E O F THE STATE.
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kEEDOM o» thi PP.S S S a*» TRIAL sir JU K inviolat*. Ccnfiitntisv of Georgia*
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A U G U S T. A: Printed by D. DRISCOL, near the - %I3&ket. [3 Dolls, per Annum,
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KEW HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.
yft have for a considerable time past pof
flfTed the firft volume of tha elegant and
spirited hijiiry of Virginia by Mr, J. D.
Burk —and gratifed by the peruul of the
foil have looked anxiously for the publica
tion of the ficcccdlng volumes—-that our
readers m»y be able to form for themfelvcs
av opinion of the manner and ftyic of this
in\«rett»ng publication, wc Hi all offer a small
extract, on this day and another on a future
day—recommending the work to the liberal
and tie lover of meritorious talent employed
to the h#nor and ch® credit of American lit—
rature.
Memoirs of Vacahontas, front the JtrJi <Vflumt
of Burke’s h 'jiorj of Virginia.
T 6o7— After making th® tour of aimed
all the tribes, who acknowledged the autho
rity of iW«tkn, captain Smith was at
length brought into the prefenc® cf ths «tn
pcr*r, at Wcrowoc»moce,
Werowecomoco, lay on the north fide
•f York river, is Gloucester county oppo
se Queen’s «r«ek, aboat twenty.fiv* miles 1
below the fork «f the rircr. It wai at that
time Powhatan’s principal place of refidencc
although afterwards, not admiring the
iicigbourhood of tk« Engliih, k® retired to
Oropake.
Here, the fam* ceremonies wer® repeated
and the fame attention was paid to tke com
fort a»d sccamvrfodation of th* prifoaer.—
Hat bt rightly canfidered that ®o eenclu
kor. ought to be drawn in his fav®r from
these fymptoMS, imr from tke pad forbear
awte ®f this people : on tke contrary la* con
clijded, he had keen spared to gratify th®
court h v the pageant cf a triumph, and t®
give fole»nity to his fentencc, lay having
it prwcaaccd by the m®atk of their Mon
arch.
Tins o®Ukrs,ted ohieftian, who, by his
valor and address, had educed under ki®
power, th® numerous tribes, who inhabit
th# spacious country between James river,
from its mouth to the fills--rand th« falls of
all tke great rivers cn the Pot®wrmc «rcn
ta Putuxcnt, in Maryland; and whofc
tame ftr**k t«rrar to the nations bordering
ea the lakes—wm at this tins® sixty years
old, of a marked sr.d penetrating counte
nance and msjellic department. On _ tke
entrance of Smith, ho wts drcfiLd in 3
clc«k mode of the ikUM of the racoon, and
v-ac elevated •» a woodtn throne, f®m®
what in shape rsfcmbliug a bcuftcad, before
a larga fire. On cither hand ®f tke chief,
Ikt two y®vmg girls, his daughters : Hia
•ouafellon, adorned with fh«lls and leath
ers, wsre ranged on ®a,ch fid® of the houfc,
wirb 8 n equal number of womtn ftaeding
behind them. On Smith’® entrance, the
attcadunts of Pawhatltn (houted. The
queen of Appamatox was appointed to bring
feias water to walk, whilst anotner driwi
kis fcands witk a bunch of feathers.
A confutation of th® emperor and his
•ouncil, having taken place, it was ai
jodgsd cxpsdicaf t© put Smith to d«ain, as
a man whofc fuperi®r c*«rag® a»d mnvu
Made him peculiarly dnngwoas to thefafety
ol Hit Indians. The dccifion kiing made
known to tke attendants of the *mp®ror,
preparations immediately conunetced for
carrying it into exscuci®*, by rues::* ft
iuspl* aad famwa/y ** the »atar® or th®
tri#l * * . . ,
Tw# Urge Unnss were brought in, and
placed at tke fwt of the «mpcror—a»d- on
them wes laid the bead or th® priloner,
»*itu larg* club was brought in, witk
wki«k Powhatan, far wkoasoat of reipcct,
w*s r®Tcrv®d this konor, prepared to cruft
the besd of his captirc. Ike afllmbly
lookf| on witk sensations cf awe, tproba
kly not anmixed with pity for the fate of
*■ en®®*tr, wkof«krav®ry had aoramanded
their admirativn—and in whof® misforttnes
thrir hatred was forgotten.
The fatal dab was apHftcd—tk® br®aft«
•f tlis company already by aaticipatioa, |
felt tke dreadful crash, which was to bc
rwive th® wre«tchcd viAim of life-—wk«a
th® y#!i«g #rd btaatifal Pocahontas, ta®
iViovfd da»ghi«r es th® ®wp®rop, witk a »
fcrick-cf terr#r and agaay, thr«vv herfclt
•n the body of Smith. Her hafir was l«ofe,
and k?r ®yes ftrtaming witk tears, wail®
h;r who!* niacner bespoke the ceep diirtis
usd sgoiy of her bosom. She calf a bc
ficehing lack at her ferioat and aft®n:fhcd
fstker, deprecating his wrath, ®fid implor
iag his pity and tks life ®f the prisoner,
wiih ail th® eloaa«nc® of iaip*iS»a*u
forraw
*
TT. remainder of this fccnc is honourable
to the Powhatan ; it will re
remain a lifting monument, that though
different principles of .rftion, and the influ
ence ofcuftosn, have to the manners
and opinions of that people, an appearance
neither amiable nor virtuous, they still re
tain the noblest property *f th* human cha
racter, thc<o«ch of pity, and the feeling of
humanity.
The club of the emperor was still uplift
ed—but pity had- touched his bosom, and
hi* eyn wa* every moment losing its fserce
nef»; he looked round to collect his forti
tude, or perhaps to find an excuse for his
wcaknefs in the faces efhis attendants ; but
every eye wasfufFufed with the fwcetly con
tagious foftnefs. The generous savage no
longer hefitared.—The* cnmpefllpn of tic
rude date is neither oftentatiaus, nor dila
tory ; nor do*s it insult its objeft, by tne
execution of impoflible conditions ; Powha
tan lifted his grateful and delighted slaugh
ter ; and the captive was scarcely yet aflared
ofjfafety from the «arth.
1609 —The proceedings on both sides,
from this moment, refisdved themselves into
a game «f (kill betwe»o the sagacious Euro
pean, sxerciied in the refined arrificc of ci
vilization, and th* wild barfrarian, whose
facilities were sharpened by exercij*, and
unimpaired by luxury. On this occasion,
Smith was fared only by tic affrftionate
folicitudc of Pacahontas. Thii interesting
maiden, who appears on all ©ccafions, as
th* guardian ganiua of th* Engliui, being
apprised of the intentions of her father,
ventured at midnight through the woeds :to
the quarters of Smith, and with tears ftrea
mlng from her eyes warned him of his dan
ger, and besought him tn confute his fafa
ty. -•
161 1—Meanwhile captain Argali, who
had just arrived from Europe, having by
the mtags of Sic bny Spillam the praceding
year eftabiifhcd a friendly interccuife with
th* Indiens ot the Potomac, proceeded
on*e more on a trading adventure to that
rivtr. By the means of Japafawas, king
ofFowtoinsc, he difeovered that Pacahnn
ta» wit concealed in the ncighourhood, and
hn immediately conceived ths design of get
ting her into his powar; the pofihflion of so
valuable an hostage, would operate as a
check upon the hoftiledifpofitten of the cm
pertr, and might perhaps lie made an instru
ment of peace and reconciliation. V
The integrity ofjapfawas was not proof
against ih* reducing appearanc* of a copper
kettle which was fixed as the price ®f hit
treachery, and this amiable maiden, whose
foal nature formed on one of its kinddft mo
dal# was betrayed by her perfidious host, in
to the hands of the pcopl* whom h*r tender
and compafilonate spirit had often frmched
from famine and the sword.
For the causes of the piinceff’s ahfcnce
from her father we arc left to hare conjeft
irc; H*r avowed partiality for th* Eng
lish had probably drawfi down cn her, the
difpieafur* oY this high spirited monarch ;
and fh* had retired to avoid the effefts of
his immediate resentments.
The news of this flagrant violation of
faith had at irft, a different efthft to what
)■ had been contemplated ; fnr Powhatan,
dearly as he loved Pocahontas, had too
much at heart the fa fety es hit people, tn
make any confidcrable f.tcrifices for her re
iteration. He lent two of hisfonsnuth*
faith »f a flag of trace t* afcert.fin her fitaa
tion ; with whose report he appeared to he
fatisfied—hut he Rill perfilted in refufing
the prepofed ransom.
An incident however, occurred at this
timo which contributed to foften the ob
darate spirit of the savage. A tender rc
pard''",*ad commenced in th* fenfiblcandfuf
ccptiul* bosom of P«caho«t.as, for a Mr.
Rolf?, which every day gained strength by
the deli«are attention of that gentleman*
Th«ir mutual paflions at length found words
and was disclosed with all th« fears and ro
i deßy ©f love, to Sir T. Dale ; whilst a sim
ilar confotinn was made tn her brother, by
Pacahontas. Information of thole circum
r f jmccs being dispatched to Powhatan, he
formally gave his canfent to the proposed
union ; aad the marriage was folcmnized
in tkc pretence ofOpachifn, unci* toPosa
hontas, ard nf h*r two brojh*r#.
—This year, fir T. Date, return
ed to Rurop*, taking with him the prbeefs
P*cahontas, and her hulband Mr. Rolfc,
with fevcral Indians of both sexes. He left
the government tc isptain G. Y«ardly dur
ing kli abfituc*.
G S OR QJ A.
n Willi——»r»TMiin "Hf "»»»-»*«»*»«!n»^
Whilst- tlttfe filings were tranfafted in
Virginia, Pocahontas, now called th# lady
Rebecca, had become a fubjeft of curiosity
to all deferiptions es people ia London.
Captain Smith, at the time of ker arrival,
was on the cv# of embarking on his second
expedition to Nev-Eegland ; but he felt
himfelf bound by gratitude and attachment,
to attempt something in f»var of his beae
fafliafs previous, to his departure. After
fame deliberation as t* the bcfl mode of ef
fect ng his purpefe, he draughted a petition
to the queen, fitting down at large the me
rits of this princcfs, and her claims on the
patronage cf her raajelly, aid the whole
Jhnglifh people,
’3 bis petition, which bears his fignatare,
is fail to have made a favorable impieifiau
on the Kind of the queei, which every day
gained strength by tb« demeanor and into.
| rtftinjjf'runners of the ptinctfs, Site I.J
I already Acquired ooanderah!# proficiency in
the £#glifh language ; whilst the original
capacity and vigour of her mind, improved
by oWVmtlon, aid tempered by foftiefs
and fincsmy, made herccnverfation esarted
by the principal nobility. In the language
of the church, fire had become a chrhftian,
having exchanged by th# my {tenons t«r«-
monies of bap dim, her Indian name of Po.
cahantus, for the more modest and gofpcl
ode of Rebecca ; while the native cl«;.ancs
of her mini, was delighted at the fortunate
transition from the coarse and licentiois
niaanrrs of her former slate, to the dclicat#
and decorous redraints of social life. She
lived in the niidft of refinements unalloyed
by the vires, which clvbafe its value, pre
fiHtirg a solitary bnt honorable example of
artiijci.il dcccacy fuperadded to native vir
tu#, 4
Such, at the court ©f London, was the'
priscafs Powhatan ; such was Die, r. hen
caplin Smith paid her a visit at Brantford,
whither Ih# Haa fetirca witn r.cr mnatrrurro
avoid the fmokn and noise of the city. She
Iwd/been told, (for What purpose hillory
does not inform us) that Smith, was dead,
' akcl (tow feeing him, all at once, in her pre
fenqi, overcome, by the conflicting emotiins
of joy and resentment at tbc iaipofitio*
wjlich had been pradifed on her, flic turned
atvay from him, hitting her face with her
bands. After Tome entreaty she conquered
her emotions, and with n mixtun ci firm,
■cfs and tenderness, flic addressed him in cite
fallowing words :
“ Yob,” said (he, ** proirufed my fatfcsr
that whatever wm yours, fhoulJ be kis,
and that you and he would be all one. Be
ing a stranger in our country, you called
Powhatan father ; and I tor the fame reason
will now call y*u so."
In rain Smith represented, the absurd
arid jealous pride of the court, as a re:;fi#n
fair declining this grateful and honorable ti
tle.—She continued in a more elevated tone:
“ You were not afraid to come into ray
father's country, and ftfike a fc*r into ere.
ry body but rnyftdf; and :. r e Iftsre afraid to
let me call you father ? I tell you then I
will call you father, anil you Hull call me
child; and so I will for ever be of yesr
eountry and kindred., They always told
us yea were dead ; and I knew rot other
wise 'till I came to Plymouth, but Pow
hatan commanded Temoceme t© fee you,
and to know the truth, because your coun
trymen are much given to lying." .
It is imagined i»y f«mc phiiofophen, that
the varieties of the human character depend
lass on nature than in the difference ia the
external circumstances being infinitely more
mam?mus and varied in society than in the
ravage date, th# uniformity of manners ia
the latter, arising from the abfenee ®t arts
and feianecs, would indue# an alm#ft {icrfeft
\ tmf#raiity of character. Conformably to
this theory, the charafler of ore ladian,
would he th# character of every individual
in his tribe. But the eharaflef of Powha
tan is, no more tha charaftcr ©f
Bougli, than the charafter of Ulysses, i* !
that of N#ftor #r Agamemnon j a#d the
fceijr js «nd •totality ol Pocahontai, dsfco-
I ver a character so evidently difbnct froi«
i th# rest of h#r tribe,'that a reader #rKC
[ quainred with the circmiftaiscti, would be
apt to pltce herh»rth in Torn# agcaad nation
where a drawing virtue and amiable imp!i#i
ty *«r« beginning tojprevail.
The character of Urn wom»»,
as it hand* in the concurrent accounts ec ail
ourhiftorians, is not, it is with confidtacs
affirwed, furpafled by a»y in the wfcol#
range cf htftory j and for thof# quajitits
more cfpacially, which do k#*#r H sir aa.
[Yot. XX. No. 1001
turc ; a* humane and feeling heart; an ar<
tUr-and a*{haken constancy in ker attach
m*nt3 5 flic Hand*, aknoft, without a rival.
At the firft appearance of the Europeans,
her young heart was impressed wtthadrau
ratio* et the perfows and manners ,of the
flrangers ; but it is not during their prof
• perity, that (he difpiays her attachment—
(he is not inflenced by atfv of their greaf
ncfs/ or feat of their refcntmcr.t, ia the af
fiance fne affords them; It was during
their fitvereft diftreffti, when their mtA
celebrated chief was a captive in their hands
and was dragged through the country, as d
fpcdlacle for the sport and detifion of her
people, that (he placed hcrfelf between then
and dellruftion.
The fpcdacle of Pocahontas in an atti
tude of entreaty, with her hair loofc, and
her eye* dreaming with tear* fupplicatin?
her enraged father for the life of captain* '
Smith, when he was about t© croft the head
of his prolhate vidlirn with a club; is a
fituution equal to the genius of Haphrel :
and when the reyal lavage direds his fero
cious glance for a moment, from Ids victim,
to reprova his weeping daughter ; when
foftened by his did relics, hi* eye, Jofes its
ficrcencfs and lie gives his captire to her
tears, the painter will difeover anewoc
cafion for cxercifing his talents;
In Pocahontas, wc have to admire, not
th*fofter virtacs only. She is found, when
the interell of liar friends demands it, full
ot forefight and intrepidity.
When a conspiracy is planned for the ex
termination of the Engliih, (he eludes die
jealous vigilance of her father, and venture
at midnight, through a thousand perils, to
apprise them of their danger,
Matin no fitnation dnes (he appear to
more advantage, than when di (gutted
with the cold formalities of a court, and
the impertinent and tronblcfomc cariouty of
-•w- -ry-r—»- -jj- - i.-_j _
pathetic remouftrancfe to captain Smith, on
the distant cnldnefs of his manner—briefly
fke. ftatri the rife and prog refs of their
Triendftip, modestly ihe pointed out the fer
viccs, Hie had rendered kits ; concluding
with an ?)ijfl;dlin» picture of her (ituation,
ar a diftanc# from her coantry ami family *
and fummnded by Grangers in a ft range
land.
Indeed, there is ground for apprehension,
that poflerity in reading this part ot Amer
ica.* hlilory, will he inclined to corifiiler
the {lory of Pocahontas, as an iv.tcrcfting
romance ; perhaps recalling the palpable
fiction ot early, travellers and navigators,
they nrej fupoofe, that in ihofc rimes, 3
portion of ficHen was deemed cdcutial to
ike cmbclliihrocMt of hiftory : it is n6t even
iaipr: ’.able, tlur, conquering every thing
relating to captain Smith and Pocahontas as
a merefiftion, tk?y may vent their fplceu
ajamfl the historian, for impairing the in
to rest of his plot, by marrying the princes of
Pawkatan to a Mr. Rolfe, of whom noth
ing had previously been fdd, i« dyfiancc cf
all the expectation* railed by the foregoing
parts of the fable.
It is the last fad office *f liSSory to record
the fate of this incomparable woman, Th*
severe m»fc, who pntfrrles over this depart
ment, cannot plant tkc cyprcfs over her
grave and consign her to the tomb, with
the fUtelypwip and graceful tears of poetry*
f*c aa«:m with pious for row inurn the alli
es cad immortalize the virtues of the dead by
the foul pierccir.g elegy, which fancy, •
myftcrious deity, pours ouf, wild ana!
plaintive; her hair loofc, and white. b©f6w
throbbing with anguish; Thofc thing; ar«
placed equally beyond !ier reach and her in
clinafions Rat hiftory aftacls not to concial
her furrow on this occasion.
She died at Gtavcf*nd r where (hr was
preparing to embark with her hufbahd and
fori on kcr rsturn to Virginia, Every tiling;
had bam dona f*r the accommodation of
this intercftlig family d the voyage, and
ia ord*r that the Itatc and figure of k*r huf
| ba*d might k»ar fom« proportion of tha
j quality of the princafs, he was *r;ade fectc- .
ry *r recorder general, a place, which ap
paar* to have beta created cxpfcfaiy for tka
occasion, Har death was a happy mixta;#
of Indian l»rtitilde aed thriftian fubmiflibn,
aifaeding all tkofc whs fa .r her, l*y the lire -
ly and edifying picture of piety and virtu*
which marked ker latter moments.
Tke tender years cf tha younger Rolfe,
I thus bar* ft of tha nccaflary car* end atr«n.
S tioa »f his mother, fuggrilcd tlt* expedien
cy of 1 giving UI in iu Er.ghad, until « t
ft rang tk ansklau him t»b*sr tke &i :
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