Indian Captive, The Story of Mary Jemison is about a 12 year old girl
captured by the Seneca tribe of the Iroquois of western New York. They came and raided her
house. Mary, called Molly, her family, and Betsey Wheelock, and her children, were
captured by the Indians. They had to walk for days, with hardly anything to eat. Soon they
came to a resting place. The Indian chief, Shagbark, took off Molly's shoes and replaced
them with moccasins. Then Davy Wheelock was brought to the chief. He had already been
given moccasins to wear. In a low and sad voice, Molly's mother told her that she and Davy
would be taken on a long trip. Molly's mother told her to never forget her name or her
father's name and certainly not to forget her own name. She also told Molly to pray at all
times and to remember to speak in English.
They were taken to Fort Duquesnes, a French and Indian fort. Shagbark painted their
faces and then sent them to a nearby lodge to live. Davy was then taken away by a white
man and Molly never saw him again. Two Indian sisters named Shining Star and Squirrel
Woman came to trade and Molly was taken to their village. Molly was considered part of
their tribe. She was given the name Corn Tassel because of her golden hair. She was then
given a bath, her clothes were thrown into the river and she was given deerskin to wear.
Molly 's first friend is a young boy named Little Turtle. He is to become a great
warrior when he grows up. Molly worked in the fields and had to carry Shining Star's son
for her. Little Turtle goes to the chief and talks to him on behalf of Molly. He tries to
explain how lonely and unhappy she is because she has lost her true family. Molly is
treated a little more fairly because of Little Turtle. She continues to live and work and
learn the customs of the tribe.
After more than a year, white men came to the village and want to trade for Molly. She
is given the choice of staying with the tribe or going with the white traders. Molly
decides to stay with the Indians because they have made her a part of their family. She
also knows that her white family has been killed. The white traders are surprised by her
choice. They told her that she would be given the opportunity to go to school and relearn
the way of the whites, but she doesn't change her mind. She decides that she will live and
die with the Senecas.
A special ceremony is held and Chief Burning Sky tells Molly that her name , Corn
Tassel, had been given to her by her Seneca sisters, but now she had earned a new name
"Little -Woman -of- Great- Courage." From that day on, Little -Woman- of - Great
-Courage lived as a Seneca Indian.
I thought this was a very good book. It was not sad all the time, but it did
have sad moments. I think it was good because it gave many details about how the Seneca
Indians live on a day to day basis. The book described the way clothing was made, how they
farmed, and the utensils used for the tasks done by the men and women of the tribe.