by James Fenimore Cooper
 
  INTRODUCTION

    It is believed
         that the scene
               of this tale,
           and most
               of the information necessary
              to understand its allusions,
         are rendered sufficiently obvious
               to the reader
             in the text itself,
           or in the accompanying notes.

    Still there is
           so much obscurity
         in the Indian traditions,
           and so much confusion
               in the Indian names,
         as to render
               some explanation useful.

    Few men exhibit greater diversity,
           or,
         if we
            may so express it,
           greater antithesis of character,
         than the native warrior
               of North America.

    In war,
           he is daring,
         boastful,
           cunning,
         ruthless,
           self-denying,
         and self-devoted;
        in peace,
           just,
         generous,
           hospitable,
         revengeful,
           superstitious,
         modest,
           and commonly chaste.

    These are qualities,
           it is true,
         which do not
              distinguish all alike;
        but they
            are so far the
                 predominating
                    traits of
                       these remarkable people as
                  to be characteristic.

    It is generally believed
         that the Aborigines
               of the American continent
              have an Asiatic origin.

    There are many physical
           as well
         as moral facts
          which corroborate this opinion,
           and some few
             that would seem
                  to weigh against it.

    The color of the Indian,
           the writer believes,
         is peculiar to himself,
           and while his cheek-bones
              have a very striking indication
                   of a Tartar origin,
         his eyes have not.

  Climate may have had
      great influence
           on the former,
         but it
            is difficult to see
             how it
                can have
                      produced the substantial difference
                  which exists in the latter.

    The imagery of the Indian,
           both in his poetry and
               in his oratory,
         is oriental;
        chastened,
           and perhaps improved,
         by the limited
               range of his practical knowledge.

    He draws his metaphors
           from the clouds,
         the seasons,
         the birds,
           the beasts,
         and the vegetable world.

    In this,
           perhaps,
         he does no
               more than any other energetic
                   and imaginative race
            would do,
           being compelled
              to set bounds
                  to fancy by experience;
        but the North American Indian
              clothes his ideas
                   in a dress
              which is different from
             that of the African,
           and is oriental in itself.

    His language
        has the richness
               and sententious fullness
                   of the Chinese.

    He will
          express a phrase
               in a word,
           and he
            will qualify the meaning
                   of an entire sentence
                 by a syllable;
        he will
             even convey different significations
                   by the simplest inflections
                       of the voice.

    Philologists have said
         that there are
           but two or three languages,
           properly speaking,
         among all the numerous tribes
              which formerly occupied the country
             that now
                composes the United States.

    They ascribe the known difficulty
           one people
          have to understand another
               to corruptions and dialects.

    The writer remembers
          to have been
         present at an
              interview between two chiefs
                   of the Great Prairies west
                 of the Mississippi,
           and when an interpreter
            was in attendance
             who spoke both their languages.

    The warriors appeared
          to be
               on the most friendly terms,
           and seemingly conversed much together;
        yet,
           according to the account
               of the interpreter,
         each was absolutely ignorant of
             what the other said.

    They were of hostile tribes,
           brought together
               by the influence
                   of the American government;
        and it
            is worthy of remark,
           that a common policy
             led them both
              to adopt the same subject.

    They mutually exhorted each other
          to be of use
               in the event
                   of the chances of war
               throwing either of the parties
                   into the hands
                       of his enemies.

    Whatever may be the truth,
           as respects the root
               and the genius
                   of the Indian tongues,
         it is quite certain
             they are