ugh for his murderous designs, he
challenged him to decide the dispute in single combat on a neighboring
island. The wily chief declining that mode of settlement, endeavored to
inveigle Smith into an ambuscade, when his treachery being manifest, the
president seized him by the forelock, and with a cocked pistol at his
breast, led him, trembling, in the midst of his own people. Overcome
with terror, Opechancanough surrendered his vambrace, bow, and arrows;
and his dismayed followers threw down their arms. Men, women, and
children, now brought in their commodities to trade with the English.
Smith, overcome with fatigue, retired into a cabin to rest; and while he
was asleep, a party of the Indians, armed with swords and tomahawks,
made an attempt to surprise him, but starting up at the noise, he, with
the help of some of his comrades, soon put the intruders to flight.

During this time, Scrivener, misled by letters received from England,
began to grow ambitious of supplanting Smith, who was cordially attached
to him; and setting out from Jamestown for Hog Island, on a stormy day,
in company of Captain Waldo, Anthony Gosnold, and eight others, the boat
was sunk and all were lost. When no one else could be found willing to
convey this intelligence to Smith, Richard Wyffin volunteered to
undertake it. At Werowocomoco he was shielded from danger by Pocahontas,
who, in every emergency, still proved herself the tutelary angel of the
colony. Wyffin having overtaken Smith at Pamunkey, he concealed the news
of the recent disaster from his party, and, releasing Opechancanough,
returned down the river. On the following morning, a little after
sunrise, the bank of the river swarmed with Indians, unarmed, carrying
baskets, to tempt Smith ashore, under pretence of trade. Smith, landing
with Percy and two others, was received by Powhatan at the head of two
or three hundred warriors formed in two crescents; some twenty men and a
number of women carrying painted baskets. Smith attempted to inveigle
Powhatan into an ambuscade, but the savages, on a nearer approach,
discovering the English with arms in their hands, fled. However, the
natives, some days afterwards, from all parts of the country, within a
circuit of ten or twelve miles, in the snow brought, on their naked
backs, corn for Smith's party.

Smith next went up the Youghtanund (now Pamunkey) and the Matapony. On
the banks of this little river the poor Indians gave up their scanty
s