the complete writings-3-第48节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


come：　but　not　any　of　them　would　eate　a　bit　with　him；　but　put　up　all　the　remainder　in　Baskets。　　At　his　returne　to　Opechancanoughs；　all　the　King's　women　and　their　children　flocked　about　him　for　their　parts；　as　a　due　by　Custome；　to　be　merry　with　such　fragments。

〃But　his　waking　mind　in　hydeous　dreames　did　oft　see　wondrous　shapes　Of　bodies　strange；　and　huge　in　growth；　and　of　stupendious　makes。〃

At　last　they　brought　him　to　Meronocomoco；　where　was　Powhatan　their　Emperor。　　Here　more　than　two　hundred　of　those　grim　Courtiers　stood　wondering　at　him；　as　he　had　beene　a　monster；　till　Powhatan　and　his　trayne　had　put　themselves　in　their　greatest　braveries。　　Before　a　fire　upon　a　seat　like　a　bedstead；　he　sat　covered　with　a　great　robe；　made　of　Rarowcun　skinnes　and　all　the　tayles　hanging　by。　　On　either　hand　did　sit　a　young　wench　of　sixteen　or　eighteen　years；　and　along　on　each　side　the　house；　two　rowes　of　men；　and　behind　them　as　many　women；　with　all　their　heads　and　shoulders　painted　red；　many　of　their　heads　bedecked　with　the　white　downe　of　Birds；　but　everyone　with　something：　and　a　great　chayne　of　white　beads　about　their　necks。　　At　his　entrance　before　the　King；　all　the　people　gave　a　great　shout。　　The　Queene　of　Appamatuck　was　appointed　to　bring　him　water　to　wash　his　hands；　and　another　brought　him　a　bunch　of　feathers；　instead　of　a　Towell　to　dry　them：　having　feasted　him　after　their　best　barbarous　manner　they　could。　　A　long　consultation　was　held；　but　the　conclusion　was　two　great　stones　were　brought　before　Powhatan；　then　as　many　as　could　layd　hands　on　him；　dragged　him　to　them；　and　thereon　laid　his　head；　and　being　ready　with　their　clubs；　to　beate　out　his　braines。　　Pocahontas；　the　King's　dearest　daughter；　when　no　entreaty　could　prevaile；　got　his　head　in　her　armes；　and　laid　her　owne　upon　his　to　save　him　from　death：　whereat　the　Emperour　was　contented　he　should　live　to　make　him　hatchets；　and　her　bells；　beads；　and　copper：　for　they　thought　him　as　well　of　all　occupations　as　themselves。　　For　the　King　himselfe　will　make　his　owne　robes；　shooes；　bowes；　arrowes；　pots；　plant；　hunt；　or　doe　any　thing　so　well　as　the　rest。

　　　　　　　　　　'They　say　he　bore　a　pleasant　shew；　　　　　　　　　　　But　sure　his　heart　was　sad　　　　　　　　　　　For　who　can　pleasant　be；　and　rest；　　　　　　　　　　　That　lives　in　feare　and　dread。　　　　　　　　　　　And　having　life　suspected；　doth　　　　　　　　　　　If　still　suspected　lead。'

Two　days　after；　Powhatan　having　disguised　himselfe　in　the　most　fearfullest　manner　he　could；　caused　Capt。　Smith　to　be　brought　forth　to　a　great　house　in　the　woods　and　there　upon　a　mat　by　the　fire　to　be　left　alone。　　Not　long　after　from　behinde　a　mat　that　divided　the　house；　was　made　the　most　dolefullest　noyse　he　ever　heard：　then　Powhatan　more　like　a　devill　than　a　man　with　some　two　hundred　more　as　blacke　as　himseffe；　came　unto　him　and　told　him　now　they　were　friends；　and　presently　he　should　goe　to　James　town；　to　send　him　two　great　gunnes；　and　a　gryndstone；　for　which　he　would　give　him　the　country　of　Capahowojick；　and　for　ever　esteeme　him　as　his　sonn　Nantaquoud。　　So　to　James　towne　with　12　guides　Powhatan　sent　him。　　That　night　they　quartered　in　the　woods；　he　still　expecting　（as　he　had　done　all　this　long　time　of　his　imprisonment）　every　houre　to　be　put　to　one　death　or　other；　for　all　their　feasting。　　But　almightie　God　（by　his　divine　providence）　had　mollified　the　hearts　of　those　sterne　Barbarians　with　compassion。　　The　next　morning　betimes　they　came　to　the　Fort；　where　Smith　having　used　the　salvages　with　what　kindnesse　he　could；　he　shewed　Rawhunt；　Powhatan's　trusty　servant；　two　demiculverings　and　a　millstone　to　carry　Powhatan；　they　found　them　somewhat　too　heavie；　but　when　they　did　see　him　discharge　them；　being　loaded　with　stones；　among　the　boughs　of　a　great　tree　loaded　with　Isickles；　the　yce　and　branches　came　so　tumbling　downe；　that　the　poore　Salvages　ran　away　halfe　dead　with　feare。　　But　at　last　we　regained　some　conference　with　them　and　gave　them　such　toys：　and　sent　to　Powhatan；　his　women；　and　children　such　presents；　and　gave　them　in　generall　full　content。　　Now　in　James　Towne　they　were　all　in　combustion；　the　strongest　preparing　once　more　to　run　away　with　the　Pinnace；　which　with　the　hazard　of　his　life；　with　Sakre　falcon　and　musketshot；　Smith　forced　now　the　third　time　to　stay　or　sinke。　　Some　no　better　then　they　should　be　had　plotted　with　the　President；　the　next　day　to　have　put　him　to　death　by　the　Leviticall　law；　for　the　lives　of　Robinson　and　Emry；　pretending　the　fault　was　his　that　had　led　them　to　their　ends；　but　he　quickly　tooke　such　order　with　such　Lawyers；　that　he　layed　them　by　the　heeles　till　he　sent　some　of　them　prisoners　for　England。　　Now　ever　once　in　four　or　five　dayes；　Pocahontas　with　her　attendants；　brought　him　so　much　provision；　that　saved　many　of　their　lives；　that　els　for　all　this　had　starved　with　hunger。

　　　　　'Thus　from　numbe　death　our　good　God　sent　reliefe；　　　　　　The　sweete　asswager　of　all　other　griefe。'

His　relation　of　the　plenty　he　had　scene；　especially　at　Werawocomoco；　and　of　the　state　and　bountie　of　Powhatan　（which　till　that　time　was　unknowne）；　so　revived　their　dead　spirits　（especially　the　love　of　Pocahontas）　as　all　men's　feare　was　abandoned。〃


We　should　like　to　think　original；　in　the　above；　the　fine　passage；　in　which　Smith；　by　means　of　a　simple　compass　dial；　demonstrated　the　roundness　of　the　earth；　and　skies；　the　sphere　of　the　sun；　moon；　and　stars；　and　how　the　sun　did　chase　the　night　round　about　the　world　continually；　the　greatness　of　the　land　and　sea；　the　diversity　of　nations；　variety　of　complexions；　and　how　we　were　to　them　antipodes；　so　that　the　Indians　stood　amazed　with　admiration。

Captain　Smith　up　to　his　middle　in　a　Chickahominy　swamp；　discoursing　on　these　high　themes　to　a　Pamunkey　Indian；　of　whose　language　Smith　was　wholly　ignorant；　and　who　did　not　understand　a　word　of　English；　is　much　more　heroic；　considering　the　adverse　circumstances；　and　appeals　more　to　the　imagination；　than　the　long…haired　Iopas　singing　the　song　of　Atlas；　at　the　banquet　given　to　AEneas；　where　Trojans　and　Tyrians　drained　the　flowing　bumpers　while　Dido　drank　long　draughts　of　love。　Did　Smith；　when　he　was　in　the　neighborhood　of　Carthage　pick　up　some　such　literal　translations　of　the　song　of　Atlas'　as　this：

〃He　sang　the　wandering　moon；　and　the　labors　of　the　Sun；　》From　whence　the　race　of　men　and　flocks；　whence　rain　and　lightning；　Of　Arcturus；　the　rainy　Hyades；　and　the　twin　Triones；　Why　the　winter　suns　hasten　so　much　to　touch　themselves　in　the　ocean；　And　what　delay　retards　the　slow　nights。〃


The　scene　of　the　rescue　only　occupies　seven　lines　and　the　reader　feels　that；　after　all；　Smith　has　not　done　full　justice　to　it。　　We　cannot；　therefore；　better　conclude　this　romantic　episode　than　by　quoting　the　description　of　it　given　with　an　elaboration　of　language　that　must　be；　pleasing　to　the　shade　of　Smith；　by　John　Burke　in　his　History　of　Virginia：

〃Two　large　stones　were　brought　in；　and　placed　at　the　feet　of　the　emperor；　and　on　them　was　laid　the　head　of　the　prisoner；　next　a　large　club　was　brought　in；　with　which　Powhatan；　for　whom；　out　of　respect；　was　reserved　this　honor；　prepared　to　crush　the　head　of　his　captive。　The　assembly　looked　on　with　sensations　of　awe；　probably　not　unmixed　with　pity　for　the　fate　of　an　enemy　whose　bravery　had　commanded　their　admiration；　and　in　whose　misfortunes　their　hatred　was　possibly　forgotten。

〃The　fatal　club　was　uplifted：　the　breasts　of　the　company　already　by　anticipation　felt　the　dreadful　crash；　which　was　to　bereave　the　wretched　victim　of　life：　when　the　young　and　beautiful　Pocahontas；　the　beloved　daughter　of　the　emperor；　with　a　shriek　of　terror　and　agony　threw　herself　on　the　body　of　Smith；　Her　hair　was　loose；　and　her　eyes　streaming　with　tears；　while　her　whole　manner　bespoke　the　deep　distress　and　agony　of　her　bosom。　　She　cast　a　beseeching　look　at　her　furious　and　astonished　father；　deprecating　his　wrath；　and　imploring　his　pity　and　the　life　of　his　prisoner；　with　all　the　eloquence　of　mute　but　impassioned　sorrow。

〃The　remainder　of　this　scene　is　honorable　to　Powhatan。　　It　will　remain　a　lasting　monument；　that　tho'　different　principles　of　action；　and　the　influence　of　custom；　have　given　to　the　manners　and　opinions　of　this　people　an　appearance　neither　amiable　nor　virtuous；　they　still　retain　the　noblest　property　of　human　character；　the　touch　of　pity　and　the　feeling　of　humanity。

〃The　club　of　the　emperor　was　still　uplifted；　but　pity　had　touched　his　bosom；　and　his　eye　was　every　moment　losing　its　fierceness；　he　looked　around　to　collect　his　fortitude；　or　perhaps　to　find　an　excuse　for　his　weakness　in　the　faces　of　his　attendants。　　But　every　eye　was　suffused　with　the　sweetly　contagious　softness。　　The　generous　savage　no　longer　hesitated。　　The　compassion　of　the　rude　state　is　neither　ostentatious　nor　dilating：　nor　does　it　insult　its　object　by　the　exaction　of　impossible　conditions。　　Powhatan　lifted　his　grateful　and　delighted　daughter；　and　the　captive；　scarcely　yet　assured　of　safety；　from　the　earth。。。。〃

〃The　character　of　this　interesting　woman；　as　it　stands　in　the　concurrent　accounts　of　all　our　historians；　is　not；　it　is　with　confidence　affirmed；　surpassed　by　any　in　the　whole　range　of　history；　and　for　those　qualities　more　especially　which　do　honor　to　our　nature…　…an　humane　and　feeling　heart；　an　ardor　and　unshaken　cons