The Falcon

by Tanner, John (Author); Erdrich, Louise (Introduction by)

• ISBN13: 9780142437513
• ISBN10: 0142437514
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-06-01
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)

Summary

This is the fascinating autobiography of John Tanner (the Falcon), who is captured by the Shawnee tribe in 1789 at the age of nine, then sold to an Ojibwa family, with whom he spends the first half of his adult life. His effort to return to white society is unsuccessful, and he decides his home is with the Ojibwa. But that changes when he is accused of murder and forced to flee. Louise Erdrich writes in her Introduction, "Tanner's narrative is an intensely personal and emotional tale, and probably one of the very few in the captivity genre that appeals strongly to Native Americans. His existence was a contradiction, his story enigmatic. In the end he simply vanished, presumably to the north woods, and the manner and date of his death remain a mystery... His life was a paradigmatic quest to belong, a restless search for peace and place." Book jacket.

Author Biography

John Tanner (1780-unknown) was captured by the Shawnee when he was nine years old and lived his life among the Ojibwa.

Bestselling author Louise Erdrich grew up in North Dakota and is of German and Turtle Mountain Chippewa descent. Her novels include Love Medicine and The Beet Queen.

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Note on the Text

Recollections of early life

Capture

Journey from the mouth of the Miami to Sa-gui-na

Ceremonies of adoption into the family of my foster parents

Harsh treatment

Transferred by purchase to the family of Net-no-kowa

Removal to Lake Michigan

First attempt to hunt

Measles

Trapping martins

Emigration to Red River

Death of my foster father and brother

Arrival at Lake Winnipek

Friendly reception among the Indians on the Assinneboin

Prairie Portage

Net-no-kwa's dream, and its fulfillment

Meet with Pee-shau-ba, a distinguished warrior of the Ottawwaws

Journey to Kau-wau-koning, and residence there

Return towards Lake Superior

War-party against the Minnetauks

Mouth of Assinneboin river

Elk hunting

Beaver and buffalo hunting

Endangered in killing a buffalo cow

Fall Indians

Return to Rainy Lake

Swamp River and Portage

The Begwionusko River and Lake

Honesty and good faith in the intercourse of the Indians

Hospitality

Sufferings from hunger

Red River

Loss of packs

Supposed dishonesty of traders

Rapacity of the N. W. company

Disasters following the loss of our peltries

Medicine hunting

Indolence of an Indian hunter, and consequent suffering of his family

Relief from humane traders

A hunter amputates his own arm

Moose chase

Hospitality of Sah-muk, and residence at Rainy Lake

Carcase of a buffalo cow watched by a bull

Severe suffering from cold

My lodge, and most of my property, destroyed by fire

Failure of an attempt to accompany a war-party to the Missouri

Removal to Elk River

Joined in my hunting grounds by some Naudoways, from Lower Canada

Hospitality of the Crees

Practice of medicine

Dispute with a Naudoway

Band of Tuskwaw-go-nees

Brine Spring, on Elk River

I receive a severe injury by falling from my horse

Involved in difficulty by my foster brother

Habits of the moose-deer

Range of the moose, the elk, and the reindeer

I receive a proposal from a chief to marry his daughter

Theft and drunkenness

Manner of pursuing the elk on foot

Disease and great mortality among the beaver

Second offer of marriage from an A-go-kwa

Haunted encampment, called the "place of the two dead men"

Indian courtship

Distressing sickness

Insanity and attempt at suicide

Gambling

Several offers of young women in marriage

My courtship and marriage with Mis-kwa-bun-o-kwa, (the red sky of the morning)

Preparation for a war excursion

Herds of buffalo heard at a great distance

Terrible conflicts among the bulls

Observances of the young warriors

Ko-zau-bun-ziche-e-gun, or divination to discover the situation of an enemy

Jeebi-ug, or memorials of deceased friends to be thrown away on the field of battle; and the design of the custom

War-party broken up by the interference of a rival chief

Stupidity of the porcupine

I save the life of my foster brother

Albino bears

Waw-be-no

Marriage of Piche-to and Skwa-shish

Attack of a Sioux war-party, and pursuit to the village at Chief Mountain, and the head of the St. Peters, etc.

Visit to several Assinneboin villages, in pursuit of stolen horses

Peculiar customs

I seize a horse belonging to an Assinneboin

War excursion to Turtle Mountain

Battle at a village of the Mandans

Doctrines of the Shawnese prophet

Drunkenness, and its effects

Presence of mind and self-devotedness in an Indian mother

Indian warfare

Conversation of a chief

Winter hunt on the Begwionusko River

Medicine hunting

Customs, in cases of manslaughter

Symbolic, or picture writing

Death of Pe-shau-ba

Disaster at Spirit Lake, and death of the Little Clam

Rapacity of the traders

Revelation of Manito-o-geezhik

Pretensions of As-kaw-ba-wis

Credulity of the Indians

Colony at Red River, planted by the Hudson's Bay traders

Large war-party assembled at Turtle Mountain

Want of discipline

Superstitions of the Indians

Violent and unjust prejudice

Family misfortunes

Remarkable tenacity of life in the otter, and some other small animals

Disturbances between the Hudson's Bay and North West Fur Companies

Suffering of the Ojibbeways from hunger

Persecutions of Waw-be-be-nai-sa, and unkindness of my Indian relatives

Journey to Detroit

Governor Cass

Council at St. Mary, on the Miami

Journey to Kentucky

Hospitalities of the whites

Return to Detroit

Jackson

St. Louis

General Clark

Return to the Lake of the Woods

Col. Dickson

Second journey to St. Louis, by Chikago and Fort Clark

Kindness of the Potawattomies

Transactions of the agents and clerks of the American Fur Company, in the country about the Lake of the Woods

Treachery of an Indian woman

Misfortunes attendant on an attempt to bring my children from the Indian country

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