A Narrative of the Captivity and Adventures of John Tanner

Book excerpt: This book is an autobiographical account of John Tanner, portraying his life and adventures during his thirty years of servitude among the Ojibwa. The account is divided into two major sections. Part I is mostly about his childhood and assimilation into the Ojibwa clan, his travels and experiences as a fur trader, and his unsuccessful return to white society. Part II of this document contains some limited ethnographic data on the Ojibwa, primarily focusing on the list of plants, animals, totems, and the texts of various songs of the Ojibwas used in medicine and hunting.