th
the sullen warriors from the fort, and sent them on their way back to
Werewocomoco, led by victorious Pocahontas.

But the Indian girl did not spend all of her time in such heroic deeds
as this, nor in dreaming of the pale-faced _Caucarouse_. She was
usually the merry, care-free child of the forest and daily led her
mates in sport and dance. Once when the Captain went to Werewocomoco
to confer with Powhatan on matters concerning neighboring tribes, and
found the great Chief away from home, Pocahontas did the honors of the
village in her father's place. After sending an Indian runner to
request the old ruler to return, she invited Smith and his companions
to be seated in an open space before the huge fire which had been
built for their benefit.

There, with the clear starlit sky over their heads, and the forest on
all sides, they awaited the pleasure of their dusky hostess. But she
remained away from them for so long that they grew uneasy, fearing
some plot against them. While the Captain was wondering what to do in
case of treachery, the woods suddenly resounded with wild shrieks and
hideous yells. All jumped to their feet, but stepped back at sight of
Pocahontas, who darted from the woods to the Captain's side and said
that there was nothing to fear, that she would not allow a hair of the
white men's heads to be injured, but had merely arranged a masquerade
to amuse her guests while they awaited Powhatan's coming. Then she
flitted back into the forest, and presently she danced out, leading a
band of thirty young Indian girls, whose bodies were all stained with
puccoon and painted with gay colors, while such garments as they wore
were made of brilliant green leaves. "Pocahontas, as leader, wore a
head-dress of buck's horns and girdle of otter-skin; across her
shoulder was slung a quiver filled with arrows, and she carried a bow.
Her companions all carried rattles made of dried gourds, or clubs, or
wooden swords as they rushed out of the forest yelling and swaying to
weird music while they formed a ring around the fire. There they
joined hands and kept on dancing and singing in a weird, fantastic way
for an hour, when at a whoop from their leader they all ran into the
forest, but soon came back in their ordinary Indian dress, to spread a
feast before the white men and spend the remainder of the evening in
dancing and revels, after which, by the light of flaming torches, they
escorted their guests to their tents for