ad and in his hand they place a
staff of honour and upon his shoulders they throw royal robes, so that
all who see shall know that this is the King and that all must do him
fealty. Our own King James, who hath heard of thee, and of the many
tribes that are subject to thee, hath desired that thou, too, shouldst
be crowned as another king, his friend, so that the English may know
that he calls thee 'brother,' and that thine own people shall hold thee
in yet greater awe."

Powhatan manifested no sign of interest in these words; but from the
eager look on Pocahontas's face Smith was aware that his Indian speech
had at least been comprehended.

"Therefore," Smith continued, "it is planned to hold thy coronation at
Jamestown upon as near a day as thou shalt see fit to appoint. Our King
hath sent presents for thee which await thy coming to us."

Then he ceased and looked to Powhatan for an answer. The werowance
thought a moment in silence, then he spoke:

"If your king hath sent me presents, I also am a king, and this is my
land; eight days I will stay to receive them. Your Father is to come to
me, not I to him, nor yet to your fort."

He spoke with so kingly a dignity that the Englishmen did not seek to
dissuade him. They promised to do as he wished and to persuade Newport,
whom he called their "father," to go to Werowocomoco, which might be
considered as Powhatan's capital. Then they departed for Jamestown,
after having thanked Powhatan and Pocahontas for their entertainment.

Pocahontas awaited their return with eagerness. She talked the matter
over with Nautauquas. Perhaps, she said, there was some strange medicine
in this ceremony which would make their father invulnerable and
perchance safe even from death itself.

"I have more faith in the white men's guns than in their medicine,"
declared Claw-of-the-Eagle. "Ever since one of those fat housebuilders
whom they call Dutchmen let me try to fire off one of them, I know now
that they are not worked by magic. If we could manage to get enough of
them we should be ten times as strong as their starving company and
could destroy all of them before another shipload of newcomers arrived."

"Nay," cried Pocahontas, "not as long as our brother, the captain,
lives. Thou couldst not even face his eyes when he is angry."

She did not imagine that she was stating an actual fact.
Claw-of-the-Eagle had never been able to look Smith in the eye since he
crawled away from the lodge