scribing by my best means the use thereof; whereat he so amazedly admired, as he suffered me to proceed in a discourse of the roundness of the earth, the course of the sun, moon, stars and planets.

With kind speeches and bread he requited me, conducting me where the canoe lay and John Robinson slain, with twenty or thirty arrows in him. Emry I saw not.

The Captain conducting me to his lodging, a quarter of venison and some ten pound of bread I had for supper; what I left was reserved for me, and sent with me to my lodging.

Each morning three women precented me with great platters of fine bread, more venison than ten men could devour I had; my gown, points and garters, my compass and my tablet they gave me again. Though eight ordinarily guarded me, I wanted not what they could devise to centent me; and still our longer acquaintance increased our better affection.

I desired he would send a messenger to Paspahegh (the district in which Jamestown was situated), with a letter I would write, by which they should understand how kindly they used me, and that I was well, lest they should revenge my death. This he granted and sent three men, in such weather as in reason were unpossible by any naked to be indured. Their cruel minds towards the fort I had deserted, in describing the ordinance and the mines in the fields, and also the revenge Captain Newport would take of them at his return. Their intent, I incited the fort, (as also of) the people of Ocanahonum and the back

sea; this report they after found divers Indians that confirmed.

The next day after my letter, came a savage to my lodging (still at Rasawrack), with his sword, to have slain me; but being by my guard intercepted, with a bow and arrow he offered to have effected his purpose; the cause I knew not, till the King understanding thereof came and told me of a man dying, wounded with my pistol; he told me of another I had slain, yet they must conceal that they had any hurt. This was the father of him I had slain, whose fury to prevent, the King presently conducted me to another kingdom, upon the top of the next northerly river, called Yought

anan.

The next day another king of that nation, called Kekataugh, having received some kindness of me at the Fort, kindly invited me to feast at his house. The people from all places flocked to see me, each showing to content me.

From thence, this kind king conducted me to a place called Tepahannock, a kingdom upon another river northward. The cause of this was, that the year before, a ship had been in the river of Pamaunke, who having been kindly entertained by Powhatan their Emperor, they returned thence and discovered the river of Topahanocke; where being received with like kindness, yet he slew the king, and took off his people, and they supposed I were he. But the people reported him to be a great tall man that was the Captain, and using me kindly, the next day we departed.

Arriving at Weramocomoco (on or about 5 January, 1608) their Em

peror proudly laying upon a bedstead a foot high, upon ten or twelve mats, richly hung with great chains of many pearls about his neck, and covered with a great covering of rahaughcums. (Raccoon skins.) At his head sat a woman, at his feet another; on each side sitting upon a mat upon the ground, were ranged his chief men on each side of the fire, ten in a rank, and behind them as many young women, each with a great chaine of white beads over their shoulders, their heads painted in red; and Powhatan with such a grave and majestical countenance, as drew me into admiration to see such state in a naked savage.

He kindly welcomed me with good words, and great platters of sundry victuals, assuring me his friendship, and my liberty within four days. He much delighted in Opechan Conoughs relation of what I had described to him, and oft examined me upon the same. He desired me to forsake Paspahegh (i. e. James Town) and to live with him upon his river, a country called Capa Howasicke. He promised to give me corn, venison, or what I wanted to feed us; hatchets and copper we should make him, and none should disturb us.

This request I promised to perform; and thus, having with all the kindness he could devise, sought to content me, he sent me home, with four men; one that usually carried my gown and knapsack after me, two other loaded with bread, and one to accompany me."

I have not omitted anything which bears upon the mooted subject. To save space, the dialogue

between

Smith and Powhatan, about Europe and America, was left out.

Note three important points:

(1) While Smith relates that he showed Opecannough the compass, he as plainly lets it be seen that he is in no immediate danger of death, is not tied to a tree, nor fettered in any way.

(2) Fearing that his friends at Jamestown might revenge themselves for his supposed death, he sends them a letter to let them know that he is being kindly treated.

(3) Powhatan receives Captain Smith ceremoniously, in state, as kings have always received strangers of distinction. ers of distinction. In modern parlance, we would say that King Opecancannough "presented" Captain Smith at the court of the Emperor, That's practically what took place. At that time, Captain Smith had his pistols on his person, one discharge of which would have emptied that "palace" in just about two seconds. In fact, the first time Powhatan heard a pistol-shot, he ran howling into the woods!

Instead of being bound with cords, cords, and then thrown to the ground, with a rock for a pillow, Captain Smith was as unshackled as Powhatan; and was soon filling the inner man with "great platters of sundrei victuals." The head men present were the councillors, not warriors.

How on earth can anyone believe in the Pocahontas story, and, at the same time, believe Captain John Smith?

But there is cumulative evidence: In Smith's last reference to Pocahontas in the narrative of 1608 he

writes of her as "a child of ten years old," who therefore was but nine years old, at the time he first appeared before Powhatan. He describes her (all the colonists did) as the brightest, prettiest of the savage girls; but he gives not the faintest hint of her having saved his life, the year before. He gave her trinkets, on this occasion, and released some prisoners, in accordance with a message which Smith says had been taught her by Powhatan. Afterwards, the little maiden did save the Captain's life twice, once by warning, and again, by concealing

him.

If, before the girl was sent to Jamestown to plead for the prisoners, she had risked her life to save Captain Smith's, would not Powhatan, or Pocahontas, or Smith himself, have made some allusion to the fact? Would not the petition of the old Emperor and his daughter have been made upon that ground?

The plea was based upon the Powhatan's kindness in sending his favorite child to visit Smith. And Smith states that he granted the release of the prisoners, "in regard for her father's kindness in sending her."

The prisoners were fed, and were given "their bows, arrows, or what else they had, and then sent packing."

"Pocahontas also we requited with such trifles as contented her." Not a word from either Captain Smith or Pocahontas about her enormous service to him the year before! Not a word about the unpayable debt that Smith owed her! He speaks of her as he would of any other intellingent, beautiful little

girl; and he makes her happy-with glass beads, probably-as he would gratify any other maiden of the forest, sent to him by the Powhatan. If she had, before that, saved him from an awful death, would he not have written of her differently?

It is far more natural to surmise that the little girl was grateful to the handsome white chief who had given her the first presents she had ever received-gifts altogether different from anything within her previous previous knowledge-and that, on this account, she admired and loved the brave Captain. Because of this, and because of her innate tenderness of heart, she saved his life twice, after her first visit to Jamestown.

Read what Captain Smith wrote, in 1608, and draw your own conclusions:

"Powhatan understanding we detained certain savages, sent (i. e. in May, 1608) his daughter, a child of ten years old; which, not only for feature, countenance, and proportion, much exceeded any of the rest of his people; but for wit, and spirit, the only Nonpariel of his country. This he sent by his most trusty messenger, called Rawhunt, as much exceeding in deformity of person; but of a subtle will and crafty understanding.

He, with a long circumstance, told me, how well Powhatan loved and respected me; and in that I should not doubt any way of his kindness, he had sent his child, which he most esteemed, to see me; a deer and bread besides, for a present; desiring me that the boy (Thomas Salvage) might come again, which he

loved exceedingly. His little daughter he had taught this lesson also, not taking notice at all of the Indians that had been prisoners three days, till that morning that she saw their fathers and friends come quietly, and in good terms to entreat their liberty.

Opechankanough sent also unto us, that for his sake, we would release two that were his friends; and for a token, sent me his shooting glove and bracer, which the day our men was taken upon, separating himself from the rest a long time, intereated to speak with me, where intoken of peace, he had preferred me the same. Now all of them having found their peremptory conditions but to increase our malice;

which they seeing us began to threaten to destroy them, as familiarly as before, without suspicion or fear, came amongst us, to beg liberty for their men.

In the afternoon, they being gone, we guarded them as before to the church; and after prayer, gave them to Pocahuntas, the king's daughter, in regard for her father's kindness in sending her. After having well fed them, as all the time of their imprisonment, we gave them their bows, arrows, or what else they had; and with (their) much content, sent them packing. Pocahuntas also we requited with such trifles as contented her, to tell that we had used the Paspaheyans very kindly in so releasing them."

I'

T is doubtful whether Europe ever produced a scholar who surpassed Erasmus. Montaigne had read as widely, perhaps; but much learning had made of the Frenchman a selfish, good-humored cynic. He wrote a great deal, but without any definite purpose, and without any regard for the up-lift of. mankind. He studied and wrote in desultory fashion, as the humor possessed him; and his motive was not more elevated than that of a man who keeps a diary for his own amusement and glorification. Montaigne's Preface to the first edition of his "Essays" is so quaint and candid, that I copy it for your benefit, the date being June 12th, 1580:

"This, reader, is a book without guile. It tells thee, at the very outset, that I had no other end in putting it together but what was domestic and private. I had no regard therein either to thy service or to my glory; my powers are equal to no such design. It was intended for the particular use of my relations and friends, in order that when they have lost me, which they must soon do, they may here find some traces of my quality and humour, and may thereby nourish a

more entire and lively recollection of me.

Thus, reader, thou perceivest that I am myself the subject of my book; 'tis not worth thy while to take up thy time longer with such a frivolous matter; so fare thee well."

A whimsical preface, truly! Montaigne was an old bachelor, living in a granite chateau, remote from cities; a firm Catholic, a loyal courtier, but a free-thinker and a comfirmed, immovable, non-combatant. Religious wars raged around him; the frenzy of fanaticism was drenching his country with blood; but he refused to be drawn into the storm. At his modest castle, he lived among his books, writing and dictating from time to time; and, without apparently meaning to do it, produced a voluminous mass of "Essays" which have done the Roman Catholics almost as much harm, as did the frankly hostile books of Voltaire.

Around the great Dutchman, Erasmus, will forever cling a greater human interest, than around any other scholar whomsoever. His father-a handsome, gallant, ambitious young man-loved a beautiful, noble girl of Sevenbergen; and a mar