Maine author Fannie Hardy Eckstorm was a personal friend of the tribe, having worked with them with her fur trader father. John Neptune was the Governor and Hereditary Chief of the Penobscot Tribe, as well as shaman to his people. In this classic study, first published in 1945, Fannie Hardy Eckstorm traces Neptune's life and his ancestors, discusses the history and politics of the Penobscot tribe, and describes their spiritual beliefs.