her
father's vengeance.

The noise grew louder and more fiendish in character and the Englishman
saw the corner of the mat begin to wave, to bulge as if a man were
butting his head against it to raise it. Then he saw it lifted and in
came a creature more hideous than Smith ever dreamed could exist.
Painted all in red pocone, with breast tattooed in black, wearing no
garment save a breech-clout and a gigantic headdress of feathers,
shells and beads, he straightened himself to his great height. A
horrible mask, distorting human lineaments, covered the face, and a
medicine-bag of otter skin hung from his back and dangling from one arm
as an ornament hung the dried hand of an enemy long since dead. On
account of his stature and in spite of the mask, Smith recognized The
Powhatan, and drew himself up proudly to meet his fate.

Behind their werowance now swarmed the other braves and chieftains, two
hundred in all, and all with masks that made them as fearful, thought
John Smith, as a troop of devils from hell.

To his astonishment, they did not fall upon him and in their shrieking
he thought he could even distinguish the word "friend." The Powhatan
alone of them all approached him, saying:

"Have no fear, my son; we are not come to harm thee. The ceremony which
thou hast heard was to call Okee to witness to the friendship we have
sworn thee. Henceforth are we and thou as of one tribe. No longer art
thou a prisoner but free to come and go as thy brothers here, aye, even
to return to thy comrades on the island if thou so desirest. When thou
hast arrived there send unto me two of those great guns that spit forth
fire and death that my name may become a still greater terror to mine
enemies, and send to me also a grindstone such as thou hast told me of,
that my squaws may use it for crushing maize. I ask not these gifts for
naught. A great chief giveth ever gifts in return. Therefore I present
to thee for thine own the land called Capahosick, where thou mayst live
and build thee a lodge and take a squaw to till thy fields for thee.
Moreover, I, The Powhatan, I, Wahunsunakuk, will esteem thee as mine own
son from this day forth."

It was difficult for Smith during this discourse not to betray his
astonishment. First came the relief at learning that he was not to be
killed immediately and then the wonderful news that he was free to go to
Jamestown. And if The Powhatan and his people had sworn friendship to
him, would that not