The experiences of white persons held in captivity by Indians have fascinated readers for almost 3 centuries. Hundreds of redeemed captives have written or related accounts of their adventures, and many of them acknowledged that they had enjoyed the lifestyle of their captors. Other former captives charged, however, that they had been brutalized by the Indians to the point of preferring death to a life of captivity. Many captives retained almost no recollection of white civilization, having lost the use of their native languages and even forgotten their own names. They had become proficient in the skills required for survival in the wilderness and, except for the color of their skins, they could scarcely be distinguished from their captors.

This study analyzes narratives of captivity in order to identify and evaluate factors which facilitated or retarded assimilation. A number of anthropologists and historians have suggested the need for a study, based upon a large number of cases, which would help to determine why some captives became “white Indians” while others completely rejected native American culture. Scholars have speculated that both white and Indian children, when exposed to both civilizations, invariably preferred the Indian way of life. The experiences of Indian children reared by whites were analyzed, therefore, to ascertain whether assimilation occurred along similar lines among both races.

The first section of this study examines Indian-white relationships as a contest of civilizations. While the Indian perceived that the white man held superior technological knowledge which could make his life easier, he rejected many aspects of European culture, and he did not consider his own civilization to be inferior. Many whites, on the other hand, regarded Indians as savages who must be forced to abandon their way of life for the benefit of both races. The experiences of young captives who were adopted by Indian families show that these whites were treated as natural-born Indians, and that they accepted and enjoyed the way of life of their captors.

The next section looks at factors which have been suggested as determinants of the assimilation of white captives. It was concluded that the original cultural milieu of the captive was of no importance as a determinant. Persons of all races and cultural backgrounds reacted to captivity in much the same way. The cultural characteristics of the captors, also, had little influence on assimilation. While some tribes treated captives more brutally than others, abuse delayed but did not prevent Indianization. A lengthy captivity resulted in greater assimilation than a brief one, but many captives became substantially Indianized in a matter of months. It was concluded that the most important factor in determining assimilation was age at the time of captivity. Boys and girls captured below the age of puberty almost always became assimilated while persons taken prisoner above that age usually retained the desire to return to white civilization.

The final section compares the assimilation of Indian children reared by whites during frontier times with that of white children who were captured by Indians. It was concluded that an Indian child reared and cherished in a white family became assimilated in much the same manner as a white child adopted by an Indian family. The determining factor was age at the time of removal from natural parents for Indian children as well as for whites. Indian children educated at boarding schools became less assimilated than those reared in white families because teachers regarded them as persons of inferior culture and because associations with other Indian students reinforced tribal ties and cultural predilections.

Introduction
A Contest Of Civilization
The Cultural Milieu From Which They Came
The Culture Area In Which They Were Held
Length Of Time In Captivity
The Critical Age
After Restoration
Indian Children And White Civilization
Conclusion