The Pioneers

The chapter begins by explaining how North-Eastern America was shared between two hostile Native American groups: the Iroquois and the Delawares. The Mohicans (often mistaken for the Mohegan tribe by the settlers), were part of the Delaware tribes and were among the first dispossessed by the European settlers—first by the wars of King Phillip and later by the ‘peaceful’ policy of William Penn. Mohegan was a Mohican chief and great warrior who fought with the British and later converted to Christianity, being baptized under the name John. However, his entire family and tribe have since been killed, and he is the last remaining Mohican who still lives among their ancestral homeland. Several months prior to the beginning of the story, Mohegan had come to stay in Leatherstocking’s cabin in the woods outside of Templeton. With Leatherstocking, he goes by the name Chingachgook (Great Snake), which he acquired as a youth due to his skill as a warrior. By the white settlers, he is called John Mohegan, or Indian John.

Mohegan approaches Oliver without a word, and everyone parts to allow him access. Mohegan criticizes Temple for doing harm, though the Judge protests that it was an accident. Mohegan points out that great harm can be done without intending it, but accepts his explanation of the events and shakes his hand. Todd, instead of being displeased at being displaced by Mohegan, instead watches his activities closely. While Mohegan works, Todd eyes up the materials in his basket, and seeks to quietly learn medicine from him.

With Oliver’s wound now properly dressed, he rises and tells Temple that they still must settle their claim to the deer. Temple acknowledges that it’s Oliver’s deer, and that he can collect the carcass tomorrow, minus what Temple will take for himself, and that he will pay Oliver for the whole thing anyway. Oliver refuses, insisting on taking the entire deer with him that night back to Leatherstocking’s hut, and Temple agrees. Elizabeth, returning after leaving for the surgery, invites Oliver to come back and see them on Christmas, and Oliver leaves. Richard complains that Temple should not have let Oliver take the deer because, by law, Temple owns everything in the area and people can only shoot with his permission.

As the group sits down for dinner, Mohegan leaves and is invited by Reverend Grant to attend the Christmas service.

Monsieur Le Quoi fled Paris during the French Revolution and made his way to the West Indies, where he was involved with the plantations. However, he was forced to flee St. Domingo and arrived in America in relative poverty. He was later recommended to Temple by a mercantile house in New York that Temple had business dealings with, and settled in Templeton. There, with the assistance and knowledge of Temple, Le Quoi purchases goods needed for the settlers and opens up a shop. His gentle and suave nature renders him popular among the townsfolk, as do his showy and expensive clothes. He quickly becomes known as the second-best man in Templeton, after the Judge himself.

Major Hartmann is a Palatine German who, along with many others, emigrated from the banks of the Rhine in Germany to the banks of the Mohawk River. He is silent and serious, but passionate, courageous, and honest. He is close friends with Temple, who is the only non-German speaker whom has gained his full confidence. Four times a year, Hartmann travels from his home on the banks of the Mohawk to the Mansion House in Templeton where he stays for a week “in riotous living” (91) and is well loved by everyone in town.

Shortly after the village had been formally laid out in streets and blocks, Richard took up the task of designing the village academy, which he hoped would be designated a university. Temple agrees to fund it and bestow the necessary land, and Richard and Hiram set to designing it. The academy winds up being a long, narrow, simple building that serves as the combination school, assembly room, church, and ballroom. Because the town lacks a permanent religious leader, whenever a travelling priest (of any denomination) passes through, he is invited to give a sermon and paid via collection hat. When there is no priest, Richard himself leads a sermon. This leads to a great diversity within Templeton on questions of religion and faith, with a variety of sects without any religious organization. Because of this, Mr. Grant is been invited by Temple to come live in Templeton and serve as its priest. Grant and his daughter have arrived in the home given to them by Temple shortly before the beginning of the story, and he is set to deliver his first sermon on Christmas Eve.

As they prepare for the Christmas Eve feast, Temple complains to Richard that burning the maple wood in the fireplace for heat is wasteful. Temple argues that settlers need to be careful to limit what they take from the forest, or they will be out of fuel in 20 years. Richard mocks this sentiment, arguing that it is impossible to run out of the bountiful resources that they have in the area. Temple tells of his plans to start looking for coal after the spring thaw, but Richard again mocks this, telling him that no one will want to dig for coal when there are so many trees to burn.

The group then gathers for dinner and Richard volunteers to carve the turkey, bragging about his culinary skills. As they sit, Pettibone calls Elizabeth by her first name, and Elizabeth insists that she call her Miss Temple, as she is now the female head of the household. Temple’s plates and silverware are luxurious and elegant, and there is bountiful food offered—so much that it is almost impossible to see the tablecloth. As they eat, Temple again complains about the wastefulness of the settlers, pointing to an incident where he saw a man leaving a felled pine tree to rot instead of selling what he didn’t need for himself. Richard again mocks this, once again pointing to the abundance of nature and the difficulty of moving the lumber.

Temple asks Richard if he knows anything about Oliver—pointing out that while he lives with Leatherstocking and Mohegan, he has well-bred manners and a high-class way of speaking. Richard ignores the question, instead complaining again that the sleigh incident was Oliver’s fault, not his. Elizabeth says that Oliver seems like a gentleman, since he is skillful, courageous, and knows how to treat a woman with respect, which angers Richard. Temple explains that he feels that he owes Oliver a debt for wounding him, and wants to provide for him, but thinks it will be difficult to persuade the young hunter to accept his help. Ben shares a rumor that the townsfolk believe that Leatherstocking practiced his scalping skills on Christian men, but Temple defends him.

As they converse over dinner, the ship-bell attached to the academy begins to ring, signaling that it is time for the Christmas service.