Chief Powhatan declares War!
More and more white settlers came to Jamestown. Jamestown was part of the Virginia Colony. Chief Powhatan was angry. He declared war on the little colony. There was a lot of fighting.
Pocahontas was 17 years old. Powhatan wanted to protect his favorite daughter. He sent her to live with the Potomac tribe. The Potomac Indians were friends of the white people. Pocahontas was safe with them.
Powhatan said to Pocahontas, "You must stay with the Potomac Indians. You must not go to Jamestown. We are at war with Jamestown."
"Yes father."
Pocahontas liked her life with the Potomacs. Chief Japazaws was the head of the Potomac tribe. His wife was Pocahontas' friend. Chief Japazaws and his wife were friends of Captain Samuel Argali. Captain Argali was an English explorer. He lived in Jamestown.
One day Captain Argali went to visit Chief Japazaws. When he saw Pocahontas he said to the chief.
"Come to see my ship! I want to show you a lot of interesting things."
"We can eat on the ship."
"You are very kind," said Pocahontas. "I want to see an English ship."
Chief Japazaws and his wife wanted to see the ship too.
Captain Argali took Pocahontas, Chief Japazaws and his wife to the big sailing ship. They looked around the big ship.
They saw the tall masts and the white sails. Then they ate delicious food.
Pocahontas was very happy and said, "Thank you for a wonderful day, Captain Argali."
At sunset Chief Japazaws and his wife left the ship in a canoe. But Pocahontas did not leave. She was Captain Argali's prisoner! He tricked her!
"Why can't I go with my friends?" asked Pocahontas. She looked at the canoe and saw her friends. Chief Japazaw's wife had a new copper kettle and a basket full of colored beads. Chief Japazaws and his wife helped Captain Argali capture Pocahontas. The copper kettle and the colored beads were their payment.
Pocahontas cried. She had no true friends. She asked, "What is happening? Why am I a prisoner?" Captain Argali said, "I don't want to hurt you, Pocahontas. I want to take you to Jamestown and keep you there. When your father returns the weapons he took from us, I can free you. Then you can return home. Your father loves you. He must return the weapons."
Pocahontas was a prisoner but she was not afraid of Captain Argali. She was not afraid of the white people.
Captain Argali took her to Jamestown. Everyone in Jamestown liked Pocahontas. They remembered that she saved Captain Smith's life twice. They also remembered that she brought them food during the long winter.
Everyone in Jamestown was kind and friendly. The women gave her English clothes to wear.
Pocahontas was a beautiful young woman. She learned English manners and customs. She made many friends. Pocahontas became a Christian and her Christian name was Rebecca.
Powhatan did not return the weapons. He sent some corn and some broken weapons. The war continued. Captain Argali was furious because his plan did not work. He kept Pocahontas in Jamestown. She was his prisoner, but she was not unhappy. She liked Jamestown because she learned new things every day.
By Kelly Reinhart