he Captain and his men were making ready to start on the
expedition, to their great surprise messengers arrived from Powhatan
inviting Captain Smith to visit Werewocomoco again if he would bring
with him men to build a house and give the Emperor a grindstone, fifty
swords, some firearms, a hen and rooster, and much beads and copper,
for which he would be given corn.

Immediately forty-six Englishmen set out on a snowy December day, in
two barges and a pinnace, for Werewocomoco. The first night they spent
at the Indian village of Warrasqueake, where a friendly chief warned
Captain Smith not to go further.

"You shall find Powhatan to use you kindly," he said, "but trust him
not, and be sure he have no opportunity to seize on your arms, for he
hath sent for you only to cut your throats."

On hearing these words many of his comrades would have turned back,
but the Captain spoke to them in such courageous words that in spite
of the warning all continued on their way.

While they were journeying on toward their destination, Pocahontas,
at Werewocomoco, was daily with her father, watching him with alert
ears and eyes, for she saw that the old ruler was brooding over some
matter of grave import, and she drew her own inference. Only when
planning to wage war on an alien tribe or plotting against the
Jamestown settlers did he so mope and muse and fail to respond to her
overtures. Late one evening, when she saw two of his loyal warriors
steal to his side, in order to hear their conversation better she
climbed a near-by tree and listened to their muttered words. Her
suspicions were confirmed. There was need of her intervention again.
From that moment until she had foiled Powhatan's design, she was on
guard day and night watching and waiting for the coming of the
Englishmen, often lying sleepless in her wigwam to listen for some
unwonted noise in the hushed forest.

When the party from Jamestown reached the Indian village the river was
frozen over for a half-mile from shore. With his usual impetuous
courage the Captain broke the ice by jumping into the frozen stream,
and swam ashore, followed by the others, who were ashamed to be less
courageous than he. It was nearly night, and they took possession of a
deserted wigwam in the woods near the shore and sent word to Powhatan
that they were in immediate need of food, as their journey had been a
long one, and asked if he would not send provisions at once. In
response an Indian ru