m the rampires. Yet, by the
readinesse of his horse, and his great judgment and dexteritie, he
not only avoided the Turke's blows, but, having drawn his falchion, so
pierced the Turke under the cutlets, through back and body, that though
hee alighted from his horse, he stood not long ere hee lost his head as
the rest had done. In reward for which deed, Duke Segismundus gave him
3 Turke's head in a shield for armes and 300 Duckats yeerely for a
pension." Disdaining time and place (with that daring which is the
privilege of poets) in my tragedy, Smith is made to perform
similar exploits on the banks of our Potomac and James's river. Our
"ground-bait" verses, ran thus:--

"POCAHONTAS

"Wearied arm and broken sword
Wage in vain the desperate fight
Round him press the countless horde,
He is but a single knight.
Hark! a cry of triumph shrill
Through the wilderness resounds,
As, with twenty bleeding wounds,
Sinks the warrior, fighting still.

"Now they heap the fatal pyre,
And the torch of death they light
Ah! 'tis hard to die of fire!
Who will shield the captive knight?
Round the stake with fiendish cry
Wheel and dance the savage crowd,
Cold the victim's mien and proud,
And his breast is bared to die.

"Who will shield the fearless heart?
Who avert the murderous blade?
From the throng, with sudden start,
See, there springs an Indian maid.
Quick she stands before the knight,
'Loose the chain, unbind the ring,
I am daughter of the king,
And I claim the Indian right!'

"Dauntlessly aside she flings
Lifted axe and thirsty knife;
Fondly to his heart she clings,
And her bosom guards his life!
In the woods of Powhattan,
Still 'tis told, by Indian fires,
How a daughter of their sires
Saved the captive Englishman."

I need not describe at length the plot of my tragedy, as my children can
take it down from the shelves any day and peruse it for themselves. Nor
shall I, let me add, be in a hurry to offer to read it again to my young
folks, since Captain Miles and the parson both chose to fall asleep last
Christmas, when, at mamma's request, I read aloud a couple of acts.
But any person having a moderate acquaintance with plays and novels
can soon, out of the above sketch, fill out a picture to his liking.
An Indian king;