<P> The relations with the Natives took a turn for the worse after the death of Pocahontas in England and the return of John Rolfe and other colonial leaders in May 1617 . Disease, poor harvests and the growing demand for tobacco lands caused hostilities to escalate . </P> <P> After Wahunsenacawh's death in 1618, he was soon succeeded by his own younger brother, Opechancanough . He maintained friendly relations with the Colony on the surface, negotiating with them through his warrior Nemattanew, but by 1622, after Nemattanew had been slain, Opechancanough was ready to order a limited surprise attack on them, hoping to persuade them to move on and settle elsewhere . </P> <P> Chief Opechancanough organized and led a well - coordinated series of surprise attacks on multiple English settlements along both sides of a 50 - mile (80 km) long stretch of the James River, which took place early on the morning of March 22, 1622 . This event came to be known as the Indian Massacre of 1622 and resulted in the deaths of 347 colonists (including men, women, and children) and the abduction of many others . The Massacre caught most of the Virginia Colony by surprise and virtually wiped out several entire communities, including Henricus and Wolstenholme Town at Martin's Hundred . </P> <P> Jamestown was spared from destruction, however, due to a Virginia Indian boy named Chanco who, after learning of the planned attacks from his brother, gave warning to colonist Richard Pace with whom he lived . Pace, after securing himself and his neighbors on the south side of the James River, took a canoe across river to warn Jamestown, which narrowly escaped destruction, although there was no time to warn the other settlements . </P>

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