e was seriously
injured by the accidental explosion of a bag of gunpowder in his boat.
His clothes were set on fire and he had to throw himself into the river
to escape being burned to death.

His wounds were so grievous that he could no longer govern the colony,
and was forced to sail for England, in a ship just leaving, to seek the
help of a surgeon.

On that day Pocahontas, having heard of the accident, came to the town
with Nantaquaus, to see him. They were only in time to watch the ship
bearing Captain John sail away toward the open sea. Pocahontas little
dreamed that years would pass before they should meet again.

[Illustration]

18. POCAHONTAS IS CAPTURED BY ARGALL

From this day, having lost their leader, things went badly with the
Jamestown colonists, for the dissatisfied Indians, no longer fearing the
heavy hand of Captain John Smith, attacked the settlers, and caused them
serious losses.

And Pocahontas came no more, but waited for his coming again, and waited
in vain. So time passed, and at last she heard that he was dead, for
this was the rumor in the land. And she grieved deeply, and sat often
alone thinking of him, for she had grown to love her warrior Captain.
Some two years after Captain John's departure, came Argall, an
unscrupulous man, who plotted to capture Pocahontas and hold her as a
hostage, to keep the fighting savages quiet. With the help of two
treacherous Indians she was induced to come on board his ship, and once
there was seized and held prisoner.

Powhatan mourned his daughter's loss, and tried to ransom her, but the
crafty Argall would not give her up.

[Illustration]

19. THE MARRIAGE OF POCAHONTAS

She was never allowed to go back to her people, though Nantaquaus came
often to see her at Jamestown. And here she grew to be a woman, and
learned the ways of the English women, and dressed as they did.

At last a young Englishman, John Rolfe, captivated by her dark beauty
and gentle ways, wooed the Indian maid, and as years had passed since
Captain John had gone away, and she had long since thought him dead, she
listened to Rolfe, and consented to marry him, that peace might reign
between her people and the white men.

So they were married in the Jamestown church, and Nantaquaus and a body
of chiefs from her tribe, as well as all the settlers, came to the
wedding. There was great joy in the town, for now the colonists felt
that a good understanding with the Indians was a