" From which it would appear that she
could easily "stunt" the English boys at "making cart-wheels."
But there came a time very soon when she came into Jamestown for
other purpose than turning somersaults.
The Indians soon learned to distrust the white men, because of
the unfriendly and selfish dealings, of the new-comers, their
tyranny, their haughty disregard of the Indians' wishes and
desires, and their impudent meddling alike with chieftains and
with tribesmen. Discontent grew into hatred and, led on by
certain traitors in the colony, a plot was arranged for the
murder of Captain Smith and the destruction of the colony.
Three times they attempted to entrap and destroy the "great
captain" and his people, but each time the little Ma-ta-oka, full
of friendship and pity for her new acquaintances, stole
cautiously into the town, or found some means of misleading the
conspirators, and thus warned her white friends of their danger.
One dark winter night in January, 1609, Captain Smith, who had
came to Wero-woco-moco for conference and treaty with
Wa-bun-so-na-cook (whom he always called Pow-ha-tan), sat in the
York River woods awaiting some provisions that the chief had
promised him,--for eatables were scarce that winter in the
Virginia colony.
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