Mrs. Neff, who lived with her, and a boy named Samuel Leonardson. They fell to the lot of an Indian family, consisting of twelve persons two men, three women, and seven children. They all came to an island in the Merrimac River, about six miles above Concord, New Hampshire. While there, the three captives, who had arranged the matter beforehand, arose early in the morning, seized the tomahawks of the Indians, and killed the whole party, with the exception of one woman who was wounded, and a child whom they allowed to

escape.

They then embarked on board one of the Indian canoes, and floated down the river to their home in Haverhill, where they arrived in safety. Mrs. Dustin, who had planned the whole affair, became quite famous all over the country; the General Court made her a grant of money, and several persons sent her presents. The island from which they made their escape is now called Dustin's Island, in honor of her.

In the month of February, 1704, the town of Deerfield, in Massachusetts, was surprised by a band of Indians and Canadians. The village was burned, forty-seven of the inhabitants were slain, and a hundred carried into captivity. Among these latter were Mr. Williams, the minister of the place, his wife, and five of his children. Mrs. Williams was weak from recent illness, and unable to keep up with the rest; and she was despatched by a blow from a tomahawk, as was the custom of the savages.

Mr. Williams and his children were carried into Canada, suffering greatly in their toilsome march through a trackless wilderness. But in the course of two or three years he and four of their children were ransomed, and brought back to their former home. One of his daughters, named Eunice, did not return. She was adopted into an Indian tribe, married an Indian, and spent her days in a wigwam. She once visited Deerfield, dressed as an Indian woman, and accompanied by her husband. She was kindly received by her friends, but

could not be prevailed upon to remain with them. Mr. Williams, after his return, published an account of his sufferings in a book which was much read in New England.

LX.-STORY OF POCAHONTAS.

THE Indians were not all cruel or unfriendly to the whites. Many of them were uniformly kind and hospitable; and many showed amiable and excellent traits of character. They were generally honest and truthful, and would do whatever they had promised. They had a great contempt for any body that lied or cheated. Some of them were converted to the Christian religion, and practised the Christian virtues. There was one person of the Indian race whose memory is cherished with peculiar affection by the whites, and we will now tell you about her.

Virginia was settled, as was mentioned in the previous lesson, in the year 1607. One hundred and five men came there in a vessel from England. The most active and energetic person among them was Captain John Smith, who was soon chosen president of the colony. Although then not quite thirty years old, he had been through many adventures and escaped many dangers. He had fought against the Turks in the armies of the Emperor of Germany, and had slain three of their bravest champions in single fight. He had been taken prisoner, and carried away into Tartary, had risen against his cruel master, killed him with a threshing flail, made his way on horseback into Russia, and finally returned to England.

When Captain Smith and the other English colonists came to Jamestown, there were many tribes of Indians in Virginia, between the mountains and the sea. The principal chief among them was named Powhatan, who had raised himself to this position by his courage, energy, and spirit. He had two places of residence; one where the city of Richmond now is,

and the other on York River, within the present county of Gloucester. He had a guard of forty warriors in constant attendance upon him, and four sentinels kept watch during the night around his dwelling. He was not friendly to the whites, and did not want to have them living in a country which he regarded as belonging to him.

It was in the spring of the year that the English came to Virginia; and early the next winter, Captain Smith took a few of his men and went off to explore the country in the neighborhood. He sailed up one of the rivers in a barge as far as it could float, and then paddled farther up in a canoe, taking two Englishmen and two Indians with him. He then left the canoe in charge of the two Englishmen, and went some miles inland on foot, attended by the two Indians, where he occupied himself in shooting game.

While thus employed, he was attacked by three hundred Indians, under the command of the brother of Powhatan, who had already killed the two men left in charge of the canoe. As soon as they discovered Captain Smith, they shot their arrows at him, and one of them wounded him in the thigh. Finding himself beset with numbers, he tied one of the Indians to his left arm, in order to use him as a shield, and defended himself so well with his gun that he killed three, and wounded many others. But they were too many for him, and he was at last obliged to surrender himself prisoner.

After some days, he was brought to the place where Powhatan lived, on the north side of York River. Powhatan was at that time about sixty years old a tall, strong man, with a stern and haughty countenance. He was seated on a kind of throne, raised above the floor of a large hut, in the midst of which there was a fire. He was dressed in a robe of raccoon skins. Two young girls, his daughters, sat, one on his right and the other on his left, and on each side of the hut there were two rows of men in front, and two rows of women behind. These all had their heads and shoulders painted red, and many wore ornaments of beads or feathers.

They then had long while, as to But it was at last

Soon after Captain Smith came in, one of the women brought him scme water to wash his hands, and a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel, to wipe them on. a feast; and after it they talked together a what they should do with their prisoner. determined that he should be put to death. were brought in and placed before Powhatan, and Smith was dragged up to them, and his head placed upon them, that his brains might be beaten out with clubs.

Two large stones

The fatal weapons were already raised, and about to descend upon the head of the victim, when Pocahontas, the chief's favorite daughter, at that time a child of twelve or thirteen years, finding that her entreaties to save the life of Smith were useless, rushed forward, clasped his head in her arms, and laid her own upon it, determined either to save his life or share his fate. The stern heart of the father was touched. He spared his captive's life, and sent him back to his countrymen at Jamestown.

This striking incident is the first thing we know or hear of Pocahontas; and this alone is enough to prove that she must have been no common person. That so young a girl should have felt pity for Captain Smith, instead of the terror and aversion which were entertained by others of her race, proves her to have had a kind and a loving heart, which recognized in him the claims of a man and a brother. But this tenderness and humanity of hers would have been of no use, had she not also been a brave and courageous girl, who did not fear to oppose her father's will, and perhaps provoke his anger. To be loving and brave at the same time makes up a fine character.

All that we hear of Pocahontas afterwards is consistent with the kindness and humanity she showed on this memorable occasion. About a year afterwards, when Captain Smith and some of his people had gone into her father's country in search of food, a plan was laid to attack them by night, which would have probably been successful had not Pocahontas come

through the woods at night and informed them of it. Captain Smith returned to England in 1609. The next year Powhatan attacked the English settlers, and killed thirty-one of their number; but a boy that fell into his hands was saved by Pocahontas, and lived many years among the Indians.

In 1612, Pocahontas, who was living apart from her father, was persuaded to go on board an English ship, in the James River; and when there she was detained, and told that she could not go back to her own people. The English wanted to get possession of her in order to make peace on favorable terms with her father; and that was the reason she had been asked on board the vessel. But though they kept her a pris

oner, they treated her kindly.

But while she was thus living, a young gentleman, named John Rolfe, fell in love with her, and she returned his attachment. With the consent of her father, they were married in April, 1613, and in 1616 she went to England with her husband. She had previously embraced the Christian faith, and been baptized by the name of Rebecca. In England she saw her old friend, Captain Smith, and was an object of much interest and attention.

But in 1617, as she was preparing to return to Virginia, she was taken ill and died, being then about twenty-two years old. She left one son; and many persons now living in Virginia are descended from her, and are justly proud of the distinction.

LXI.-RAIN IN SUMMER.

LONGFELLOW.

How beautiful is the rain!

After the dust and heat;

In the broad and fiery street,

In the narrow lane,

How beautiful is the rain!