The
confederacy, in its strongest days, never numbered more than
eight or nine thousand people, and yet it was considered one of
the largest Indian unions in America. This, therefore, may be
considered as pretty good proof that there was never, after all,
a very extensive Indian population in America, even before the
white man discovered it.
Into one of the Pow-ha-tan villages that stood very near the
shores of Chesapeake Bay, and almost opposite the now historic
site of Yorktown, came one biting day, in the winter of 1607, an
Indian runner, whose name was Ra-bun-ta. He came as one that had
important news to tell, but he paused not for shout or question
from the inquisitive boys who were tumbling about in the light
snow, in their favorite sport of Ga-wa-sa or the "snow-snake"
game. One of the boys, a mischievous and sturdy young Indian of
thirteen, whose name was. Nan-ta-qua-us, even tried to insert the
slender knob-headed stick, which was the "snake" in the game,
between the runner's legs, and trip him up. But Ra-bun-ta was too
skilful a runner to be stopped by trifles; he simply kicked the
"snake" out of his way, and hurried on to the long house of the
chief.
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