Unca
Unca is a strong and powerful Indian princess from a native Indian tribe. She is among a group of Indians sent to commit a massacre of European settlers who have invaded their lands. She pardons one of the settlers, Mr. William Winkfield and spares him from being put to death. Initially, Unca takes William in as her subject and they eventually develop feelings for one another. Unca goes on to save William’s life countless times which further strengthens their feelings for one another. They eventually get married and leave the Indian village for the European settlements for their safety. Unca gets pregnant and gives birth to Unca Eliza. She, however, doesn’t live long enough to be a mother to her. Unca is murdered by an assassin sent by her sister who was jealous of her for marrying William.
Mr. William Winkfield
William is a European settler who lives in a settlement in Virginia with his grandfather. They are attacked by native Indians who kill everyone in the settlement. Luckily, he is spared by Unca, who likes him. William is captured and goes to live in the Indian village as Unca’s prisoner. William falls in love with her captor. Unca’s sister also finds William attractive and wants to marry him at all costs. William rejects him and she poisons him. Unca saves him once again. He convinces Unca to leave the village for their safety. While at the European settlement, Unca is murdered soon after she gives birth. William decides to leave for Europe with her young daughter to keep her safe. She leaves Unca Eliza in Europe to educate herself and be indoctrinated into the Christian faith. William returns to Virginia to be close to her dead wife. When Unca Eliza is old enough, she summons her back. William dies soon after.
Unca Eliza
Unca Eliza is the daughter of William and Unca. She is born in Virginia but grows up in Europe with her extended family. While living in England, she is educated and indoctrinated into the Christian faith. Despite being constantly discriminated against for the color of her skin, she grows up to be a confident and fierce woman like her mother Unca. When she gets older, her father summons her back to Virginia. She is thrilled to be back in her birthplace. The thrill is however cut short when her father dies, and she’s left all alone. She lives in Virginia for a few years until she decides to leave for Europe. While on the way back to Europe, the captain of the ship forces her to marry his son or be stranded on an island. Being the strong witted and confident woman that she is, she turns down the offer. She is left on an uninhabited island. Unca Eliza discovers a manuscript left on the island by a man previously stranded on the same island. She uses it to survive the treacherous environment. The manuscript guides her to an Indian temple that is frequented by an Indian tribe. She uses the idols in the temple to mask herself as a god who has come to save the people. Unca Eliza uses this opportunity to secure dominance over the people and indoctrinate them into the Christian faith.
John Winkfield
John is Unca Eliza’s cousin from England. He finds Unca Eliza attractive and asks her to marry him. Unca Eliza turns him down claiming she cannot marry a man who is not as skilled in bow and arrow as she is. While Unca Eliza is stranded on the Island, John seeks her out. He finds her on the Island, and she is happy to see him. He asks for her hand in marriage one more time, and she once again declines. John decides to live on the island with Unca Eliza and help her in her Christian missionary work. As time passes, Unca Eliza learns to appreciate John, and he eventually accepts his proposal for marriage.
