The Adventures of Pocahontas and John Rolfe: Book I
Chapter 12: Tribal Remedies
The woman lunged at John Rolfe, tongue-lashing him in a language he understood not a word of. Not knowing what to do, he dropped the spear and waved his hands in an attempt to ward her off. "Please, no! I didn't mean—" All she did when she got to him ultimately was give him a hard shove. He stumbled in reverse, landing on his sore hindquarters. He rolled all the way back and hit his head on a tree trunk. It was not a hard hit but it was in exactly the wrong spot. A coarse cry tore from his throat at the sharp pain. He brought his hands to his head as she stood over him brandishing a fist.
Pocahontas became instantly irate. "Hey, get away from him! How dare you touch him! Leave him alone!" she bellowed, kicking wildly in the bewildered warrior's arms. All she could think about was getting her fingers around the other woman's throat.
Siwili quickly set Pocahontas down on a stump and turned around, rushing over to the feud to try and diffuse the situation. Meanwhile, Percy inserted himself between John Rolfe and the irate woman, yapping and growling at her to back off from the Englishman. She did indeed jump back and squeal in alarm at the sight of the bizarre creature just before her husband was able to take her by the arm. He harshly rebuked her for her actions. She glared at Siwili and tried to pull her arm away, hissing something back at him, and then pointed furiously at John Rolfe. "Hemo si veleki to dranito va!"
The warrior shook his head. He spoke calmly but firmly as he pointed to the canoe and gave his wife a good shove in its direction. She snorted and stomped over to the boat, grumbling to herself. Furiously, she began packing their supplies into the canoe. These items included a pot of fresh fish, another of ripe gooseberries, a beaver, goose, and large fishing net. Siwili turned his attention to John Rolfe, who was sitting with his back against the tree while holding his head. Pocahontas stood up and hopped over to them as the warrior offered Rolfe a hand. "Siwili!" she called, gaining his attention. "Be careful. He is hurt." When she reached them, she kneeled by Rolfe and glanced up at the warrior. She mimed hitting herself hard on the head and then pointed to Rolfe.
Siwili cocked a brow. Pocahontas sighed in frustration and took John Rolfe's head in her hands, pulling his own hands away so she could show the warrior where the lump was. Parting his wet hair carefully, she pointed out the black and blue area where a scabbed-over cut could be seen contrasting sharply with the rest of the man's pale white scalp. The warrior's eyes widened as Pocahontas again thumped herself on the head and feigned a look of wooziness to help him get the idea. Siwili nodded his head the moment he understood. He knelt down and scooped the Englishman up, carrying him over to the canoe. "Wait, no! I can walk. I don't need to be carried!" Rolfe protested, squirming.
"Just relax, John," Pocahontas told him.
The craft appeared to have enough room to seat four people as well as some supplies in the slots between the seats. John Rolfe was placed in the second seat from the rear of the canoe. Siwili then returned for Pocahontas, helping her into the third to rear seat. Meeko and Percy jumped into the canoe too and Flit perched on Pocahontas's shoulder. "We're going on a boat ride?" Rolfe suddenly inquired, glancing around with squinted eyes.
"It would seem so. I guess this is the way to get to these people's village," Pocahontas said, catching the other woman glaring at John Rolfe again. Pocahontas glanced back at him with a raised brow. "John, do you know what her problem is? She seems so mean."
John Rolfe sighed, abashed by the inquisition. "Yes, Pocahontas. Let's just say that we had a regrettable encounter by the river. I'm guessing she's the one who sent Siwili after me." The aforementioned warrior glanced up when he heard Rolfe speak his name.
"What happened?" Pocahontas asked.
John Rolfe rubbed the nape of his neck. "When I approached the river, I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings. I was about to fill up the skin for you when I saw that lady in the water. And she was… err, um… How do you put it? She was…"
"She was what?"
John Rolfe stared at his hands as he poked his fingers together. "Sh-she was bathing and didn't have any clothes on, you see," he hesitantly explained. Pocahontas did not reply at first, falling silent. Rolfe got anxious about the quietude and peered up at her. His visage was crimson. "It wasn't on purpose." Pocahontas exchanged glances with Meeko, Percy, and Flit. All four looked back at Rolfe and burst out laughing. "It's not funny!"
"It is funny, John," Pocahontas countered, hiding her grin with her hand as she snorted to herself. "It's more than funny. It's hilarious." John Rolfe crossed his arms resentfully and refused to meet her eye. Siwili hooked his spear to the side of the canoe, glancing briefly at the laughing girl in curiosity. Once his wife was seated in the front position, he pushed the canoe into the water and climbed in himself. The canoe sunk low from the heavy load, but still remained afloat. The warrior's paddling provided the power and his wife's provided the steering. There were only two paddles. Otherwise, Pocahontas would have offered to help. She decided to spend her time trying to entertain Rolfe, who was obviously feeling sicker and sicker as the day wore on. "Look, John, baby turtles," she said softly, pointing into the water. A line of little green-and-black water turtles swam by the side of the canoe. Siwili was careful not to hit them with his oar blade.
John Rolfe had misery written all over his visage. "I'm sure they'd be more adorable if I wasn't in so much pain," he grumbled, rubbing his whole face with his hands.
Pocahontas reached back and patted his knee. "With any luck, these people will have a medicine man or woman in their village. I'm sure that he or she will be able to help."
…
The upriver canoe ride took longer than Pocahontas or John Rolfe had anticipated. It was early evening by the time cultivated cornfields came into view. Both Pocahontas and Rolfe's clothes had dried out by then from sun exposure. "John, look. I think we're almost there," Pocahontas remarked, pointing. Rolfe had nearly fallen asleep in his seat but he peered up with slightly blurred eyes when Pocahontas indicated their location. Meeko and Percy were leaning over the side of the canoe and trying to get a better look.
Women who were working the cornfields, some with babies strapped to their backs, stopped and came to the edge of the water when the canoe and its passengers came into sight. It was not until they took a right turn around a slight river bend that the first hut came into view. The huts of this village were circular rather than oblong like the yehakins of Pocahontas's village. Roofs were slightly overarching and distinct from the walls. They appeared to be made out of saplings, mud, and dried grasses—among other ingredients. Siwili raised a flat palm in greeting as curious men, women, and children began to gather at the shore. Some individuals ran off to beckon others over.
The youngest children were running around mostly in the buff but John Rolfe was too out of it to notice or care. He rubbed his eyes as they came to shore while Siwili's irritable wife shooed some of the crowd out of the way. Siwili himself stepped into the water and pushed the canoe up onto the riverbank to keep it from drifting off. Meeko jumped out of the canoe and started sniffing around the people on the bank in search of food. Percy was much timider by comparison. He cowered in Pocahontas's lap, whimpering. Flit buzzed overhead, observing the scenario and watching for any possible signs of hostility.
The smell of cooking food and burning herbs stirred Pocahontas's appetite but she decided to stay put until someone came to help her out of her seat. She was glad to see Siwili tending to John Rolfe first. The warrior offered Rolfe his hands. When the latter accepted, Siwili pulled him slowly and carefully to his feet. He helped Rolfe step out of the canoe. The concussed man was wobbly on his feet but Siwili helped him stand.
The riverbank was bordered by a shallow incline with patches of cattails and grasses that led up to where the huts were distributed throughout partially-forested terrain. It was not unlike Pocahontas's own village, albeit with fewer bluffs, rocks, and cliffs. There was a central area near the top of one low rise with uniquely painted totem poles. The decorated location appeared to be the village's gathering place. A stack of firewood had already been piled up in the center for the evening's festivities, though it was yet to be set ablaze. After scanning the surroundings, Pocahontas's gaze fell on the crowd again.
All eyes were on John Rolfe. Siwili had to shoo some curious children and even adults away who were trying to touch him. The warrior pulled one of Rolfe's arms over his own shoulders to help the concussed man walk. Siwili signaled to Pocahontas to stay put, pointing to the village and the canoe again to indicate he would be back. She nodded her understanding. The warrior assisted the shaky Englishman up the hill and then the two of them disappeared over a slope, a crowd of chattering onlookers following in their wake.
Meanwhile, Siwili's wife began to unload the material contents of the canoe. She handed the clay pot of fish to another woman, same with the berries. She herself grabbed the goose, beaver, and fishing net and retreated toward a hut not far from the river's bank. "Cono me luhelek do ra mutizo?" said one young girl, about ten, to Pocahontas. She appeared to be under the impression that the Powhatan woman spoke their language. Pocahontas could only shake her head, causing the inquisitive youngster to frown in disappointment. Some of the villagers gained an interest in Pocahontas's bizarre belongings—namely the cloth trousers, boot, and machete she bore on her person. She did not know how to explain where she had gotten the items from, but she allowed the people to look and even touch to help them satisfy their intense curiosity.
…
John Rolfe leaned heavily on Siwili as the warrior walked him through part of the village and up a narrow path that led to a more secluded spot on a hill. It was not far from the rest of the huts. Upon that hill rested a little herb garden snuggled against a bigger-than-average hut. There were dried herbs of all kinds hanging from the eaves of the hut's roof, all around the structure. A hide hanging over the door obscured the interior. Three warriors, four women, and two of the village's boldest children had trailed them to the location wanting to get a better look at the visitor with bizarre clothes and even more bizarre physical features. Siwili continued to pull their hands away whenever they made to grab or poke at the Englishman's skin, hair, or clothes.
When they reached the hut, Siwili stopped outside the buckskin curtain and made a bird-like whistling sound. An elderly woman with braided gray hair that reached her waist appeared in the doorway, her eyes widening at the sight of the white man. The two exchanged words. Siwili gestured to the back of John Rolfe's head. The woman nodded and held the curtain aside, allowing them to enter the hut. Inside was a central fire pit. The medium-sized flames warmed a clay pot and the scent of tasty stew filled the interior. Herbal incense burned near the fire as well, the sweet aroma wafting through the air.
Siwili sat John Rolfe on an animal skin near the fire. He helped the medicine woman pull a wooden frame down from the rafters. There were several such frames stored up there. Each was about six feet long, three feet wide, and one foot in height with two handles on each end. They had to be medical cots or stretchers built out of strong sticks and twine. Siwili placed the cot near the wall and began to cover it with thick animal furs, making a sort of bedding. The pillow consisted of a stuffed beaver skin at one end. When it was ready, Siwili helped the Englishman seat himself gingerly on it. It was soft enough to be to Rolfe's liking, though he was still in sufficient pain to be uncomfortable regardless.
The medicine woman quickly got to work on a concoction by the fire that consisted of water, herbs, and some kind of powder mixed in a small clay pot. She pushed another dry stick under the frame supporting the pottery and fanned the flames higher as she set the potion to heat. Siwili had retrieved another such cot from the rafters and set it by John Rolfe's bed. The Englishman hoped it was for Pocahontas. He kicked off his boots and pulled off his socks, sticking them inside the boots before he shoved them against the wall. He did the same with his pocket contents, pushing them up against the wall.
John Rolfe barely noticed when Siwili left with a pair of well-made crutches. He returned with Pocahontas minutes later, who was happily using her new walking aids. She was pleased to see Rolfe sitting on a comfortable surface but noticed that he seemed down. "John, do you feel alright?" Pocahontas inquired, receiving a quick shake of the head.
John Rolfe winced at the motion. "I'm starting to get confused again. Before you got in, I fell into a partial dream state where I saw chickens running around everywhere."
Pocahontas frowned. She leaned her crutches on the wall and sat by John Rolfe, putting a hand on his forehead. "How bad is the pain right now on a scale of one to ten?"
"Seven and rising," John Rolfe replied, rubbing his face in exasperation.
"Maybe you should try to lie down," Pocahontas advised.
John Rolfe groaned. "I'd rather not. I don't think it'll help. But I'll do it if the doctor lady tells me to," he indicated, pointing to the medicine woman working busily at the fire. She peered up and smiled with a warm and welcoming expression on her wrinkled face.
Siwili entered the hut with a bundle of split logs, placing them on the pile by the opposite wall. "Pocahontas, Djahn," he said, gaining their attention. He pointed to the medicine woman. "Inola," he said. Then he pointed at himself, "Siwili," and back at her, "Inola."
"In-a-what?" John Rolfe blurted.
Pocahontas giggled. "He says her name is Inola, John. The 'doctor lady.'"
"Oh," John Rolfe hesitated. "That's a lovely name."
"Yes, I think so too."
There were herbs, tubers, and other medicinal items hanging from the rafters. A series of shelves stood against the wall to the right of the firewood. Varied items filled the shelves, generally things that were used in rituals such as decorated masks and the like. Siwili rose to his tiptoes and brought a basket down off the top shelf, pulling an odd rock attached to a length of beaded twine out of the basket. "Hemio to ta to kalé Songaa," Siwili uttered to Inola, receiving a nod of understanding from the old woman as he handed her the item.
Inola stuffed it in her pouch and said, "Hemele no Songaa." The woman's potion was steaming. She took it off the fire and fanned it to cool it. The concoction contributed a bittersweet scent to the air in the hut. She pointed to Pocahontas. "Pocahon?"
"Pocahontas," Siwili clarified.
Inola nodded. "Pocahontas la homa déos," she said, pointing to the pot of stew.
Siwili got a clay bowl and spoon from the bottom shelf and scooped a generous helping of stew into it, handing it over to Pocahontas. It smelled divine and she was more than just a little starved. "Thank you!" she said enthusiastically, receiving a nod. She blew on each spoonful before shoving it into her mouth. It was a mix of hominy, vegetables, and meat and she enjoyed every bite. Meeko and Percy came over to sniff it in curiosity.
The warrior filled two more bowls with stew and offered them to the animals. Meeko inhaled his and tried to steal Percy's portion. Pocahontas, having learned from Rolfe, prevented the thievery from taking place and shook a finger at the naughty raccoon.
Siwili set about collecting furs from the shelves. He piled them onto the second cot, preparing the bedding in the same way as before. The warrior pointed to Pocahontas and then patted the surface to let her know it was for her use. Pocahontas smiled. She set her bowl on the ground momentarily so she could scoot over onto her own bed. "It's comfortable. Thank you," she indicated, picking up the bowl again. She glanced at Rolfe, who was now seated on the cot right next to hers. "How is your appetite, John?"
"Not so good," he admitted. "My body feels like it needs something, but I don't think my stomach could handle it." He stooped over with his head in his hands again, groaning.
Pocahontas leaned forward to rub him on the back. "When they offer you food, I want you to try to eat something. Okay?" she pleaded, receiving a slow nod from the unhappy diplomat. When Inola's steaming potion had cooled sufficiently, she brought it over. The medicine woman sat by Pocahontas, placing a hand on John Rolfe's knee to gently get his attention. He raised his head and she offered him the concoction, miming a drinking action. The Englishman nodded his head and took it from her. The hard red clay was very warm in his hands. He leaned his head back and drank a small amount. "How is it?"
"It's some kind of tea," John Rolfe remarked. "Slightly bitter but also slightly sweet."
Inola mimed drinking again. "I think she wants you to drink all of it," Pocahontas noted.
John Rolfe began drinking again, taking breaks after every few gulps. Pocahontas could easily tell when his eyelids began to feel heavy. "I feel oddly serene," Rolfe observed.
"And your head?" Pocahontas asked.
John Rolfe yawned. "The pain appears to be going down rather than up. I think. Slowly. What was I saying?" He giggled almost childishly as Inola took the empty pot from him.
"Never mind," Pocahontas replied, her question having been answered.
The fur texture on John Rolfe's bed kept him amused for the next five minutes. Another new face soon appeared in the doorway. It was a thin elderly man with stark white hair that was tied in two braids descending down his shoulders. "Songaa!" Inola greeted with enthusiasm, rising to her feet. She shuffled over, kissed him, and pointed to the white visitor. "Gynoho hoda télali." Pocahontas figured that they had to be a married couple. What a privileged village to have both a medicine man and woman in its midst.
When the old shaman caught sight of John Rolfe, his creased eyes filled with amazement. He approached slowly and knelt down by the cots, taking one of the Englishman's hands into his own to look at it. Pocahontas watched as he touched Rolfe's hair and examined his eyes in the same way Siwili had previously. One of the Englishman's eyelids slid halfway shut and he had a small silly grin on his face as the foreign individual inspected him. "Hello, sir," Rolfe spoke in greeting, giving the older man a salute. "I trust you will find everything is in order," he declared, hiccuping. "Wait… I'm not a soldier."
The man glanced back at his wife. After exchanging a few words with her, she indicated the back of her head to denote the kind of injury the stranger had. Pocahontas decided to assist by pulling John Rolfe's head down and revealing the lump so the medicine man could get a look at it. His eyes widened as he nodded his head in understanding.
Inola pointed to the old man. "Songaa," she said.
"Songaa?" Pocahontas repeated.
Inola nodded her head. She pointed to herself, "Inola," she pointed to the Powhatan princess, "Pocahontas," and then she pointed to the old man again, "Songaa."
"Oh, his name," Pocahontas replied, understanding. "Songaa. Son-gaaaa."
Inola smiled and John Rolfe raised a brow. "What's that?" he asked.
"She says his name is Songaa," Pocahontas indicated, pointing to the medicine man.
"Oh?" John Rolfe replied. "Lovely."
Inola set more herbs to burn in a small bowl near the cots. She treated their cuts and bruises with salves that she made right there in front of them. Pocahontas was pleased when Inola made John Rolfe consume a small cup of the stew, despite his protestations. Then they moved on to their next procedure. Inola took the stone on a beaded string that Siwili had given her and handed it to Songaa. The medicine man, in turn, pulled up a sitting mat by Rolfe's cot, carefully pushing Pocahontas's farther away to make more room. Inola went outside to summon someone. A few minutes later, Siwili and Inola reentered the hut together. Siwili made it over to Rolfe's side and knelt down next to him as Songaa began a chant. The elderly man started to sway the stone to and fro from the beaded twine, holding it up so that Rolfe had a good view of it.
John Rolfe's eyes followed the stone. Carved intricately, it shined in the gold-orange firelight as it undulated like a child on a swing. Pocahontas watched the stone at first, but then she gained more interest in the effect it was having on John Rolfe. He seemed to slump a bit, a hypnotic look on his face. Siwili held him upright. The pitch of Songaa's chant seemed to rise as the words sped up, though the stone maintained a constant swing. As the chant ended, Rolfe's eyeballs joggled and rolled back in his head. Songaa handed the stone to Inola and helped Siwili lie Rolfe down on his side, facing the hut's entrance.
Pocahontas was startled when John Rolfe lost consciousness, but the others' actions indicated it was supposed to happen. She pulled her boot and trousers off, leaving herself in her comfortable buckskin dress. Then she stashed her all belongings against the wall by Rolfe's stuff. It was only then that she noticed Rolfe had taken off his boots. She glanced at his feet, seeing them bare for the first time. Out of curiosity, she was about to reach over and touch them. Instead, Inola came over and began rubbing them with some kind of scented herbal oil. Pocahontas lay back on her own cot right before the two local men in the room used the handles to move her bed a little bit closer to Rolfe's. She yawned as Meeko curled up beside her and Flit on top of Meeko. Percy snuggled up at the foot of the Englishman's bed as soon as Inola moved to rub oil on his hands.
When Inola finished with John Rolfe, she moved to the foot of Pocahontas's bed and held the injured ankle. Pocahontas nodded her consent, watching as Inola removed the binding and gently massaged the area with the oil. She wrapped the ankle with a long strip of soft doeskin afterward and pointed to the stew pot, inquiring by body language if Pocahontas wanted more to eat. Pocahontas shook her head, smiling sleepily, and dozed off.
…
Pocahontas awoke hours later when night had fallen. The sounds of drums, chants, and feasting in the village pervaded the hut, stirring her curiosity. She sat up in bed and stretched, snapping her gaze toward the door when she heard low muttering. There were two curious villagers, a man and a woman, poking their heads in to peek at John Rolfe. They were in awe of what they were seeing, whispering excitedly among themselves.
A warrior ushered them out of the way, saying something in a slightly annoyed tone. He stopped and peeked in himself, eyes widening at the sight. Without breaking his stunned gaze, he waved his hand in a beckoning gesture. A young girl child came to join him, presumably his daughter. He lifted her up so she could get a better look, given that Pocahontas was partly blocking the view. Pocahontas then came to realize there was a whole line of people outside waiting to peer in and see John Rolfe as he slept unawares.
Pocahontas's lip curled up in slight amusement. She scooted down her own cot so the young girl could get a better look. Then she reached over and brushed John Rolfe's hair out of his face so she could see his features better. The little girl's eyes turned to saucers. "Uno mek uneto téa!" she exclaimed in a loud whisper. Her father shushed her and put her back down on her feet, pushing her along so the next people in line could have a look. He gave Pocahontas a nod of thanks on his way out. The Powhatan princess smiled and began again to try and brush her hair out with her fingers. It was terribly matted and she could only imagine how impossible it would be if she still had her long hair.
The next pair of onlookers were a mother and her adolescent son. They stood aside momentarily so Inola could enter the hut again. The medicine woman noticed that Pocahontas had roused and was trying to brush her hair. She picked something out of a basket on the shelves and offered it to Pocahontas. It turned out to be a porcupine tail hairbrush. "Thank you," Pocahontas whispered, beaming at the old woman as she accepted the item. She began to brush out her matted hair. The chore took a good fifteen minutes but Pocahontas felt immensely relieved once she was tangle-free.
Glancing down at John Rolfe, still asleep, she decided to brush his hair too. She sat on the side of his bed and started at the matted ends, slowly and gently working her way up. She was careful not to pull too hard or aggravate the lump on the back of his head as she worked her way through the tangles. The villagers who witnessed the act found it to be extremely interesting. It took another fifteen minutes but Pocahontas was able to work all the knots out of the Englishman's dark auburn hair. She pulled the matted locks out of the brush and threw them into the fire for the sake of etiquette, returning the brush to Inola.
Meeko and Flit had roused by the time Pocahontas felt ready to venture out of the hut and experience the local culture firsthand. She had risen with the help of her new crutches when Siwili made an appearance, smiling when he noticed that one of the patients was up and about. She smiled back and waved to him. "Hello, Siwili," she happily greeted.
"Pocahontas," he acknowledged.
Inola said something to Siwili, pointing to John Rolfe. The warrior took an alight stick out of the fire pit. He walked over to Rolfe and pulled one of his eyelids open, waving the light around to see how his pupils reacted. Siwili then returned the stick to the fire. He checked Rolfe's pulse and breathing. This protocol got Pocahontas wondering if Siwili was the medicinal apprentice of Songaa and Inola or perhaps their son. Upon further observation, she noticed that Siwili had a pretty similar jaw structure to Songaa.
Satisfied, Siwili rose and returned his attention to Pocahontas. He beckoned her to go outside with him and held the curtain aside as she limped out. They greeted the small crowd with smiles and nods. A few of the small children who had been hanging around and playing outside the hut got up and followed Pocahontas and Siwili over to the feast.
There had to be at minimum fifty people gathered in the area encircling four swift dancers who pranced around the central bonfire in costume. The roaring red light burned brightly against the black of night, obscuring the stars in the clear sky overhead with a massive plume of smoke. Scents wafted through the air, all kinds of aromas of cooking and cooked food. Roasted turkey parts were passed around on large ceramic dishes. Hominy, maize-stuffed fish, venison dumplings made from pounded wild grains, ripe berries, persimmon, pawpaw, raw oysters, nuts and sunflower seeds, roasted corn on the cob, cornbread, various smoked meats, and fritters were a few of the items on the menu.
When Meeko beheld all the food, his mouth watered. He snuck away to nab as much sustenance as his two arms and two cheeks could carry. Pocahontas had not even entered the crowd yet as she observed the local dress. Women wore their hair long and wavy down their backs, even longer than Pocahontas's hair had once been. It looked as if they never bothered to cut it. Some of the women even had hair down to their knees. In her village, Pocahontas's long hair had been an anomaly because most Powhatan women kept theirs shorter than waist-length. The local men, on the other hand, kept their hair tied up in buns to keep it out of their faces for battle and hunting. Both sexes had intricate multicolored tattoos on their bodies. Siwili, Siwili's wife, Songaa, and Inola were unique in that they all four had minimal tattooing. Pocahontas wondered if the fewer tattoos were a feature of the medicinal trade or perhaps the religious leadership of the tribe.
Male children who were old enough to wear clothes, five and up, wore their hair in buns like their fathers did. Female children and the very young wore their hair down. The dancers near the bonfire were strikingly dressed with colorful dyed skins, corncobs and husks, or animal skins and horns. All had elaborately painted bodies. Jewelry of shell, stone, wood, and animal bone was common among both adolescents and adults.
As they reached the group, Siwili introduced Pocahontas to a few people and got her a ceramic dinner plate. Dish-bearers began generously offering her different food items to try. It was not long before she had filled up on fish, berries, and cornbread. She sat on a stump and watched the exotic dances as curious children of all ages gathered around her. One thing Pocahontas noted was the absence of a chief. She was unsure if this was because they did not have one or simply because he was away. It was about this time of year that Chief Powhatan and some followers would be traveling from village to village gathering tribute from his subjects. Pocahontas had accompanied her father on this quest more than once, even though it was considered unusual for non-warriors to do so. It was also during this journey that people were encouraged to give tribute and gifts to the most accomplished warriors who traveled along with the paramount chief.
A couple hours later, the formal dancers had gone away. There were still a few older children and other celebrants dancing to softer music. Overall, it seemed the people of the village were getting tired and beginning to retire. The youngest children had gone to bed and almost all the feast had been consumed. Flit had been hanging out on Pocahontas's shoulder for a while, but she had no clue where Meeko had scurried off to. She was getting tired herself, so she rose with the help of her crutches and limped off to find Meeko. "See if you can spot him for me, Flit," she said, sending the hummingbird off on his mission. By the time she had wandered around the perimeter of the thinning crowd, Flit returned in a frenzy and chirped at Pocahontas to follow him to the raccoon.
Indeed, Flit had found Meeko. The raccoon had passed out on a high pine tree limb near the riverbank, bloated beyond all recognition. Bones, cobs, husks, nutshells, and oyster shells were scattered on the ground near the trunk. Pocahontas smiled and shook her head in amusement. "Meeeeeeeko," she called up to him. "Do you want to come with us or are you planning to crash there for the night?" When he heard her voice, Meeko abruptly cooed and peered down at her through lethargic eyes. "I'd think furs would be a bit more comfortable," she laughed, placing a few fingers over her mouth to try and conceal her amusement. Flit's high-pitched snickering was not particularly helping either.
Meeko seemed to utter a groan, almost too tired and bloated to even move. Gradually, he rolled over and clambered his way down the tree. When the three of them got back to the remedial hut, Songaa and Inola had set up their own bedding on the ground by the fire opposite the cots. They covered the dirt with woven mats and then placed their clean furs on top of that. Songaa was asleep but Inola was still up, cleaning out the stew pot for the following day's meal. When she caught sight of Pocahontas, she nodded to her a greeting. John Rolfe was still passed out in bed, though his spectators had all but retired.
Pocahontas kissed John Rolfe goodnight. She snuggled into her own bed with Meeko and Flit and pulled the furs over her head, falling back into a deep and dreamless sleep.
…
OCTOBER 4, 1613
About a third of the village, namely the warriors, woke up before the crack of dawn to go hunting. It was at this time that Songaa and Inola roused, fully rested, and began the day's work. Songaa himself disappeared out of the hut soon enough, possibly to collect herbs in the forest. Inola's work was more domestic and it was her soft shuffling noises which caused Pocahontas to awaken bright and early as well. The medicine woman was already hard at work preparing breakfast. She had the fire going strong and was busy mixing peas and beans into the stew pot. Pocahontas got up to assist her. She started skinning and cutting up yams, among other tasks. It was still early morning when Siwili arrived with his wife. He bore eight dead quails in his left hand. His wife was carrying a basket of shelled hickory nuts in one arm and another basket full of fresh blackberries in the other. The woman's angry demeanor of the prior day had vanished. She greeted Inola in an amiable tone, handing over her offerings. Siwili introduced his wife to Pocahontas as "Awenasa" while he was busy roasting the quails over the fire pit.
By the time the sun was all the way up, the four of them had prepared a morning feast consisting of stewed vegetables, roast quail, cornbread, nuts, and berries. Perhaps it was the delightful aroma that caused John Rolfe to stir. When Pocahontas heard a soft noise behind her, she glanced back over her shoulder and saw Rolfe flop over on his other side and stretch. She was sure he was about to get up, but he only seemed to relax and fall back asleep after that. Siwili prepared a place for him to sit by the fire and then went over to the cot, shaking him gently. Rolfe only groaned slightly, so Siwili carefully pulled him up into a sitting position and helped him to his feet, ushering him over to his place by the fire. "Huetéc tega, Djahn," he said. "Amele hulokotev guino solem nika."
John Rolfe's eyes were still closed as he was seated. He crinkled his rosy face and reached up to rub his eyes vigorously. Then he cracked one of his eyes open and beheld the impressive repast before him, breathing out a relaxed sigh. "Good morning, John," Pocahontas greeted him as she ate her own breakfast. Siwili sat back down next to Awenasa to eat as well. The woman, perched between her husband and Inola, was staring curiously at the Englishman as she ate her morning meal. "How do you feel?"
"Hungry," John Rolfe grunted, his appetite finally returning. He picked up his bowl of stew and spooned it into his mouth, trying not to eat too fast as it was still very hot.
Pocahontas smiled. "That's a huge improvement."
"How long have I been asleep?"
Pocahontas ate a handful of berries. Though they stained her hands, they were absolutely delicious and at the peak of ripeness. "Since yesterday evening," she replied.
John Rolfe blinked owlishly. "Oh, good. Not too terribly long." The Englishman saw the roasted quail. "Is that some kind of bird?" he inquired. "It looks… appealing."
"That's a roast quail. Siwili caught them this morning," Pocahontas explained.
John Rolfe noticed the arrow hole in the bird's chest. "Ah, I see." When he finished his stew, he put the bowl down and tore the quail apart. He ate some of the lightly charred bones, enjoying the flavor as well as the experience of crunching them to powder.
"How does your head feel?" Pocahontas inquired as she ate her own quail.
John Rolfe swallowed a bite, wiping his mouth with his handkerchief before replying. "There is a dull ache, but it's nowhere near as bad as yesterday. That was just ghastly."
"Well consider it a blessing we ran into Siwili and Awenasa then," Pocahontas declared.
John Rolfe raised a brow at the unfamiliar name. "Awe-who?"
"Awenasa, Siwili's wife," Pocahontas explained, gesturing to the aforementioned woman.
When John Rolfe met eyes with her again, his face went red and he turned away. "Oh yes, her… Lovely name that is, Awenasa," he mumbled self-consciously.
"I don't think she's mad at you anymore, John."
John Rolfe cleared his throat. "Right, yes! Very good then. Onto the next topic. So, love, tell me what you remember about how we got here again. Everything's so fuzzy in my mind. It feels like I'm trying to put a picture together with many missing puzzle pieces."
Pocahontas rolled her eyes as she finished up her berries and hickory nuts. "Alright, fine," she conceded, complying with his request. "Well, I'm not sure where to start. A couple days ago we were still on the ship with the French girls. It was morning and I was shocked when I saw you crawling down the steps to the lower deck. You told me how much your head hurt and I was just completely shocked at the state of…"
"Asa quetano!" an enthused young voice called out, giving Pocahontas and John Rolfe a jolt. The Englishman glanced over his shoulder and spotted a couple of older children peeking into the hut. It was the oldest one, a warrior-in-training, who had spoken to alert the villagers of the pale visitor's awakening. Siwili smiled in greeting to the preteens.
John Rolfe raised a brow at Pocahontas. "Who are they?"
She shrugged. "Just villagers. They want to look at you."
John Rolfe appeared puzzled at the notion. "Look at me?"
More and more people ran over and gathered outside the remedial hut, seeking a chance to peer inside. Awenasa perked up when one small child appeared, a girl with a heart-shaped face who appeared to be about five years old. She waved the girl inside.
"Pabua, yuelte!" the child cried, running to Siwili. He sat her on his knee. The girl stared at John Rolfe and turned to Siwili. Pointing to Rolfe, she said, "Aguehone mo dalos?"
Pocahontas leaned over to the Englishman and whispered, "That must be their daughter."
"How can you be sure?" John Rolfe inquired.
Pocahontas turned attention to Siwili and Awenasa. She pointed at the girl, folded her arms in like she was cradling an infant, and pointed to Siwili and Awenasa with a raised brow. Both of them understood and fervently nodded, beaming at their small child. "Siba, siba," Siwili replied. He held up the little girl seated in his lap. "Aquela," he said.
"Aquela," Pocahontas repeated the girl's name.
"Ah, Pocahontas, that was clever," John Rolfe remarked. Siwili uttered something to his daughter and she stood up, stepping over toward Rolfe. He looked at her and she looked at him. "She's adorable. I wish I knew the right words to congratulate them."
The little girl seemed nervous for a moment as she wrung her chubby little hands. But then she walked right up and took hold of one of John Rolfe's hands, examining it like a rare gem. She ran her fingers over his skin and turned his hand over to look at the palm, her eyes widening at the sight of the blue veins on his wrist. "Pabua, ateqo vile no ra pote!" she exclaimed, pulling Rolfe's hand in the direction of her father. The Englishman was jerked forward as the small girl tried to show Siwili the veins. The warrior craned his neck and then nodded, uttering a chuckle at his daughter's inquisitiveness. Aquela turned her attention back to Rolfe and started poking softly at the veins on his wrist.
"Siwili, nolo Aquela no habe," a teen boy said from the doorway in a resentful tone.
Siwili smirked. "Yo tube no regaté femos."
The warrior's reply seemed only to annoy the boy. He pointed at John Rolfe. "Hefe lo me norat. Quoloke téa mirtan tube no ras. Quime notraisa no veti hesquita. Hebitan sequa!"
"I think he wants you to come out of the hut, John," Pocahontas speculated.
John Rolfe cocked a brow at her. "But I'm not done eating."
"Didn't say you had to go, just that they want you to," Pocahontas replied, stretching her back. "Inola," she spoke, gaining the old lady's attention. She mimed brushing her hair.
Inola nodded her understanding and went to get the brush, handing it over to Pocahontas. John Rolfe glanced over. "They have hairbrushes here?" he asked, almost to himself.
"You don't see any villagers with matted hair, do you?" Pocahontas replied, brushing the tangles from the night before out of her hair. She handed the brush to John Rolfe. "Here. I brushed your hair last night but you might want to brush it again since you slept on it."
John Rolfe examined the bristles, taking his other hand back from the curious little girl. "What do they make this out of?" he inquired as he brushed his hair. The brush worked well as he was able to get the tangles out in no time. Aquela watched in fascination while he groomed himself as did the other observers watching from outside the hut.
"Porcupine tail. A porcupine is a small animal that is covered in spikes to defend itself from bigger animals," Pocahontas explained. "If I spot one later, I'll point it out to you."
John Rolfe handed the brush to Inola. "Fascinating. I wonder if I might procure a hair strap from this nice lady," he remarked, glancing around the area to see if he could find anything that could be used for such a purpose. He put a hand to his face and scratched his chin. "The other question is if there's anything that could function like a razor."
"I don't think so. Men from this land do not grow face-hair so they do not need to shave."
John Rolfe frowned. "But what about the men from your tribe? I thought I remembered the warriors in your village having the right half their heads shaved," he whined.
"They don't shave it," Pocahontas disclosed. "They pluck it out by the root."
John Rolfe's eyes widened. "Ouch." He returned his attention to Aquela when the young girl reached to touch his face, fascinated by the hair growing out of it. She petted his jawline like a furry animal. Pocahontas giggled. Not saying a word, the diplomat kept a narrowed side-glance on the girl as he raised a nut to his mouth and chewed it slowly.
It was hard to finish his meal under inspection, but John Rolfe managed it. He then rose to his feet to stretch again, but doubled over and held his head in pain. He ended up in a squat, groaning. Siwili, Awenasa, Aquela, Pocahontas, and Inola appeared alarmed by his actions. "John?" Pocahontas fretted, scooting over toward him. "What's wrong?"
"My head. When I stand up all the way, the pressure rises," he bit out, carefully sitting back down. With a concerned expression on her face, Pocahontas pulled his head down gently and examined the lump. The swelling had gone down immensely.
Pocahontas smiled lightly as she released him. "Okay. Well, that just means you need to take it easy until you fully recover. I suppose that means no going out to explore today."
"I can handle that."
Pocahontas stayed inside during the day with Inola and John Rolfe. She assisted the medicine woman with her basketry and drilled Rolfe on Powhatan vocabulary. The villagers were disappointed that Rolfe would not be coming out of the remedial hut that day. Some of them left but there were still visitors that kept stopping by throughout the day to observe him. He just waved to them all. Whenever his head hurt too much, Inola had him lie down so she could rub an herbal analgesic jelly onto his temples.
After a nap, John Rolfe rejoined Pocahontas. They spent the day talking, cooking, and sharing in other domestic duties as Pocahontas explained to him how things were done.
…
OCTOBER 11, 1613
A week passed and both John Rolfe and Pocahontas had convalesced to the point that they were able and willing to go outside of the remedial hut for any length of time, other than for personal excursions. It was evening when Pocahontas, busy with beadwork and sewing, decided to take a break and see the village in full daylight. She got up with her crutch, only needing one now as she was able to put some weight on her healing ankle, and beckoned Rolfe to go outside with her. "Come on, John," she encouraged, pulling back the hide curtain in the door of the hut. "We can go swimming in the river."
Suddenly, there was a big hullabaloo coming from the west side of the village. John Rolfe was shy about meeting the villagers face-to-face but he wanted to know what was going on. He asked Pocahontas to see what it was. When she did, she spotted a crowd of people gathering on the riverbank. Getting closer, she spotted a line of canoes through the trees. Shouts of joy and ululations were heard from the bank. The great chief had returned.