Pocahontas’s Cartwheels

History, More Than Just Linguistics Jargon, Short and Sweet

Last updated: May 20, 2020

A completely off-topic and brief Fun Fact today, as a reminder that the stories of Pocahontas, John Smith, and Jamestown that have entered American mythology are extremely massaged and that the truth was more interesting and complex. Among other things, as hopefully many people know by now, Pocahontas and Smith did not have any sort of romantic relationship; she was an irreverent, playful little prepubescent girl when he knew her. For example:

DID YOU KNOW: That a young Pocahontas would cartwheel naked around Jamestown with all the English boys?:

The better ſort of women̄ cover them (for the moſt parte) all over wth ſkyn̄ mantells, fynely dreſt, ſhagged, & frindged at the ſkirt, carved and coulored, wth ſome pretty worke or the proportion̄ of beaſts, fowle, tortoyſes, or other ſuch like Imagery as ſhall beſt pleaſe or expreſſe the fancy of the wearer, their younger women̄ goe not ſhadowed amongeſt their owne company vntill they be nigh eleaven̄ or twelue returnes of the Leafe (for ſo they accompt and bring about the yeare) calling the fall of the leafe Taquitock) nor are they much aſhamed thereof, and therefore would the before remembred Pochohuntas, a well featured but wanton young girle Powhatans Daughter, ſometymes reſorting to our Fort, of the age then of 11. or 12. years, gett the boyes forth with her into the markett place and make them wheele, fallnig [sic] on their handes turning their heeles vpwardes, whome ſhe would follow, and wheele ſo her ſelf naked as ſhe was all the Fort over . . .

—Strachey, The First Decade Conteyning the Historie of Travell into Virginia Britania, Caput 5, 1612: Princeton MS

The last portion of Pocahontas’s very short life is pretty depressing, and it’s nice that we have a few goofy snapshots from her younger, more carefree days.

Sources Used

  • Strachey, William (1612). The First Decade Conteyning the Historie of Travell into Virginia Britania. With illustrations by Theodor de Bry and a copy of John Smith’s 1612 map of Virginia. Ms., Princeton University Library, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Manuscripts Division, C0199 (no. 1416).
  • Strachey, William (1953 [1612]). The Historie of Travell into Virginia Britania, eds. Louis B. Wright and Virginia Freund. London: Hakluyt Society.
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