THE LAST PORTAGE

A surprising number of post-colonial American youths apparently suffered the fate of Indian captivity, growing up neither truly white nor red. The memoirs of many such individuals have found their way into books over the years. Walter O'Meara turns his attention to the records of John Tanner, son of a pioneer minister, who at age nine fell into hands of the Shawnee and was traded to an Ojibway woman. Tanner's own Narrative published in London in 1830 and in America in 1956, forms the basis of this work. Frankness concerning the Indians' sexual customs rather limits the potential for immature readers, but the simplicity of style otherwise commends itself to the young history student.