208
POCAHONTAS, OR THE SETTLERS OF VIRGINIA
Smith. Aye, true, unbind him; the brave honour the brave alike in misfortune and prosperity.
Hugo. So please ye to favour your veteran Hugo, let this grateful task be mine. When I was a prisoner, this chief releas'd me, and gave me a chance to redeem mine arms, and now old Hugo performs the most pleasing duty of all his long and arduous services—to relieve a fallen enemy.
(Takes off Matacoran's chains.)
Smith. Chief, our wars are ended; thy noble bearing claims all our esteem. Thou hast fought for thy country—we for ours. Let's in future be friends, and join in friendship those hands, which lately wielded the weapons of enmity. Mataeoran shall be of power and influence in the country which he hath so gallantly defended, and shall hold of the royal James posts of honour and trust in the newly acquired colony of Virginia.
Matacoran. Hear me, chief. Know that Mataeoran scorns thy friendship, and hates all thy kind. The fortune of war is on thy side; thy gods are as much greater than the gods of the Indian, as thine arms are greater than his. But altho' thy gods and thine arms have prevail'd, say did not Matacoran fight bravely in the last of his country's battles? and when his comrades fled, singly did he face the thunders of his foe. Now that he can no longer combat the invaders he will retire before them, even to where tradition says, there rolls a western wave. There, on the utmost verge of the land which the Manitou gave to his fathers, when grown old by time, and his strength decay'd, Matacoran will erect his tumulus, crawl into it and die. But when in a long distant day, posterity shall ask where rests that brave, who disdaining alliance with the usurpers of his country, nobly dar'd to be wild and free, the finger of renown will point to the grave of Matacoran.
(Matacoran rushes out.)
Smith. Brave, wild, and unconquerable spirit, go whither thou wilt, the esteem of the English goes with thee.
Powhatan. Captain Smith, after what hath pass'd thou might well distrust my friendship for the future. But experience makes even an Indian wise. We cannot resist thee as enemies, therefore, it becomes us to be thy friends. In the name of Virginia, I pledge friendship to the English, so long as grass grows and water runs.
Smith. And dost consent to the union of thine admirable daughter with worthy Master Rolfe?
Powhatan. Aye, and let their union be a pledge of the future union between England and Virginia.
(Enter Barclay, Mantea and Namoutac.)
Powhatan. And mine be the privilege of giving away the bride. And may the fruits of this union of virtue and honour be a long line of descendants, inheriting those principles, gifted with rare talents, and the most exalted patriotism. Now it only remains for us to say, that looking thro' a long vista of futurity, to the time when these wild regions shall become the ancient and honour'd part of a great and glorious American Empire, may we hope that when the tales of early days are told from the nursery, the library, or the stage, that kindly will be received the national story of Pocahontas, or the Settlement of Virginia.
CURTAIN FALLS.
