HAVING feasted him after their best barbarous manner they could, a long consultation was held, but the conclusion was, two great stones were brought then as many as could laid hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with their clubs to beat out his brains, Pocahontas, the Kings dearest daughter,* when no intreaty could prevail, got his head in her arms, and laid her own upon his to save him from death - whereat the Emperor 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 himself will make his own robes, shoes, bows, arrows, pots; plant, hunt, or do anything 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 fear and dread:
And having life suspected, doth
It still suspected lead.*
spelling modernised
The engraving of Pocahontas made in 1616 by Simon van de Passe (1595-1647) declared that she was then twenty-one, so in December 1607 she must have been twelve. Smith himself is inconsistent on the subject of her age, but he never-failingly refers to her as the chief’s ‘dearest daughter’ and as the Nonpareil (peerless one) of her nation.
That is, Smith felt his reprieve may only be temporary: now his right to life had been called into question (‘suspected’), he could not relax because he knew the questions remained.