ombat on an island in the
river, each to use his own arms, but Smith to be as naked as the King.
The King still professed friendship, and laid a great present at the
door, about which the Indians lay in ambush to kill Smith. But this
hero, according to his own account, took prompt measures. He marched out
to the King where he stood guarded by fifty of his chiefs, seized him
by his long hair in the midst of his men, and pointing a pistol at
his breast led, him trembling and near dead with fear amongst all his
people. The King gave up his arms, and the savages, astonished that
any man dare treat their king thus, threw down their bows. Smith, still
holding the King by the hair, made them a bold address, offering peace
or war. They chose peace.

In the picture of this remarkable scene in the "General Historie," the
savage is represented as gigantic in stature, big enough to crush
the little Smith in an instant if he had but chosen. Having given the
savages the choice to load his ship with corn or to load it himself with
their dead carcasses, the Indians so thronged in with their commodities
that Smith was tired of receiving them, and leaving his comrades to
trade, he lay down to rest. When he was asleep the Indians, armed some
with clubs, and some with old English swords, entered into the house.
Smith awoke in time, seized his arms, and others coming to his rescue,
they cleared the house.

While enduring these perils, sad news was brought from Jamestown. Mr.
Scrivener, who had letters from England (writes Smith) urging him to
make himself Caesar or nothing, declined in his affection for Smith, and
began to exercise extra authority. Against the advice of the others, he
needs must make a journey to the Isle of Hogs, taking with him in
the boat Captain Waldo, Anthony Gosnoll (or Gosnold, believed to be a
relative of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold), and eight others. The boat was
overwhelmed in a storm, and sunk, no one knows how or where. The savages
were the first to discover the bodies of the lost. News of this disaster
was brought to Captain Smith (who did not disturb the rest by making
it known) by Richard Wiffin, who encountered great dangers on the way.
Lodging overnight at Powhatan's, he saw great preparations for war, and
found himself in peril. Pocahontas hid him for a time, and by her means,
and extraordinary bribes, in three days' travel he reached Smith.

Powhatan, according to Smith, threatened death to his followe