Outlander Book Club: Written in My Own Heart’s Blood Chapter 72 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Ian on the horse Claire gave him in the previous chapter. He’s scouting the land again, and this time, he senses danger. An arrow flies over his head, and Ian realizes that there are some Indians around. They should “Mohawk” as an insult, but Ian can’t understand them. They are not part of an Algonquian tribe.

Something that history does a bad job of teaching is that the Native American tribes didn’t speak the same language. There were some that were similar enough for trading and blending, but there were others that were completely different. Think of it like the various European languages. Diana Gabaldon doesn’t let us overlook this fact.

Ian sees a group of British Grenadiers and is sure the Native Americans are working with the British Army. He turns back around and heads back to camp to relay his information.

Meanwhile, William heads out to Banastre Tarleton and his men to hand over the note from Captain Andre. While there, Tarleton makes a remark about Jane, who wouldn’t come to his bed the night before. This makes William mad, and the two end up in a fistfight.

They’re pulled apart by the soldiers, and William is sent back on his way. That’s when he hears someone whistling “Yankee Doodle.” There are some members of the Continental Army with a cannon and they shoot at William. He is able to get away, and he’ll head back to camp to relay the information that he now has.