Images of a Legend
KING POWHATAN COMANDS C. SMITH TO BE SLAYNE, HIS DAUGHTER
POKAHONTAS BEGGS HIS LIFE …
1624, Robert Vaughan
While its artistry is crude at best, this small engraving is a
landmark in the Pocahontas legend: the first visual representation
of the famous, and still hotly debated, story of her "rescue" of
John Smith. The engraving was published in Smith's
Generall Historie, where the self-promoting adventurer
recorded the event, 17 years after it supposedly took place. The
artist attempts to be faithful to Smith's account: "Two great stones
were brought before Powhatan: then as many as could layd hands on
him [Smith, here writing about himself in the third person], dragged
him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with their
clubs, to beate out his braines, Pocahontas the Kings dearest
daughter, when no intreaty 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."