第1章

ThePathfinderandTheDeerslayerstandattheheadofCooper’snovelsasartisticcreations。Thereareothersofhisworkswhichcontainpartsasperfectasaretobefoundinthese，andscenesevenmorethrilling。Notonecanbecomparedwitheitherofthemasafinishedwhole。

Thedefectsinbothofthesetalesarecomparativelyslight。

Theywerepureworksofart。——Prof。Lounsbury。

Thefivetalesrevealanextraordinaryfulnessofinvention……Oneoftheverygreatestcharactersinfiction，NattyBumppo

Thecraftofthewoodsman，thetricksofthetrapper，allthedelicateartoftheforest，werefamiliartoCooperfromhisyouthup。——Prof。BranderMatthews。

CooperisthegreatestartistinthedomainofromanticfictionyetproducedbyAmerica。——WilkieCollins。

ItseemstomethatitwasfarfromrightfortheProfessorofEnglishLiteratureinYale，theProfessorofEnglishLiteratureinColumbia，andWilkieColliestodeliveropinionsonCooper’sliteraturewithouthavingreadsomeofit。ItwouldhavebeenmuchmoredecoroustokeepsilentandletpersonstalkwhohavereadCooper。

Cooper’sarthassomedefects。Inoneplacein’Deerslayer，’andintherestrictedspaceoftwo—thirdsofapage，Cooperhasscored114offencesagainstliteraryartoutofapossible115。Itbreakstherecord。

Therearenineteenrulesgoverningliteraryartinthedomainofromanticfiction——somesaytwenty—two。InDeerslayerCooperviolatedeighteenofthem。Theseeighteenrequire:

1。Thatataleshallaccomplishsomethingandarrivesomewhere。ButtheDeerslayertaleaccomplishesnothingandarrivesintheair。

2。Theyrequirethattheepisodesofataleshallbenecessarypartsofthetale，andshallhelptodevelopit。ButastheDeerslayertaleisnotatale，andaccomplishesnothingandarrivesnowhere，theepisodeshavenorightfulplaceinthework，sincetherewasnothingforthemtodevelop。

3。Theyrequirethatthepersonagesinataleshallbealive，exceptinthecaseofcorpses，andthatalwaysthereadershallbeabletotellthecorpsesfromtheothers。ButthisdetailhasoftenbeenoverlookedintheDeerslayertale。

4。Theyrequirethatthepersonagesinatale，bothdeadandalive，shallexhibitasufficientexcuseforbeingthere。ButthisdetailalsohasbeenoverlookedintheDeerslayertale。

5。Theyrequirethatwhenthepersonagesofataledealinconversation，thetalkshallsoundlikehumantalk，andbetalksuchashumanbeingswouldbelikelytotalkinthegivencircumstances，andhaveadiscoverablemeaning，alsoadiscoverablepurpose，andashowofrelevancy，andremainintheneighborhoodofthesubjectinhand，andbeinterestingtothereader，andhelpoutthetale，andstopwhenthepeoplecannotthinkofanythingmoretosay。ButthisrequirementhasbeenignoredfromthebeginningoftheDeerslayertaletotheendofit。

6。Theyrequirethatwhentheauthordescribesthecharacterofapersonageinhistale，theconductandconversationofthatpersonageshalljustifysaiddescription。ButthislawgetslittleornoattentionintheDeerslayertale，asNattyBumppo’scasewillamplyprove。

7。Theyrequirethatwhenapersonagetalkslikeanillustrated，gilt—

edged，tree—calf，hand—tooled，seven—dollarFriendship’sOfferinginthebeginningofaparagraph，heshallnottalklikeanegrominstrelintheendofit。ButthisruleisflungdownanddanceduponintheDeerslayertale。

8。Theyrequirethatcrassstupiditiesshallnotbeplayeduponthereaderas\"thecraftofthewoodsman，thedelicateartoftheforest，\"byeithertheauthororthepeopleinthetale。ButthisruleispersistentlyviolatedintheDeerslayertale。

9。Theyrequirethatthepersonagesofataleshallconfinethemselvestopossibilitiesandletmiraclesalone;or，iftheyventureamiracle，theauthormustsoplausiblysetitforthastomakeitlookpossibleandreasonable。ButtheserulesarenotrespectedintheDeerslayertale。

10。Theyrequirethattheauthorshallmakethereaderfeeladeepinterestinthepersonagesofhistaleandintheirfate;andthatheshallmakethereaderlovethegoodpeopleinthetaleandhatethebadones。ButthereaderoftheDeerslayertaledislikesthegoodpeopleinit，isindifferenttotheothers，andwishestheywouldallgetdrownedtogether。

11。Theyrequirethatthecharactersinataleshallbesoclearlydefinedthatthereadercantellbeforehandwhateachwilldoinagivenemergency。ButintheDeerslayertalethisruleisvacated。

Inadditiontotheselargerulestherearesomelittleones。Theserequirethattheauthorshall:

12。Saywhatheisproposingtosay，notmerelycomenearit。

13。Usetherightword，notitssecondcousin。

14。Eschewsurplusage。

15。Notomitnecessarydetails。

16。Avoidslovenlinessofform。

17。Usegoodgrammar。

18。Employasimpleandstraightforwardstyle。

EventhesesevenarecoldlyandpersistentlyviolatedintheDeerslayertale。

Cooper’sgiftinthewayofinventionwasnotarichendowment;butsuchasitwashelikedtoworkit，hewaspleasedwiththeeffects，andindeedhedidsomequitesweetthingswithit。Inhislittleboxofstagepropertieshekeptsixoreightcunningdevices，tricks，artificesforhissavagesandwoodsmentodeceiveandcircumventeachotherwith，andhewasneversohappyaswhenhewasworkingtheseinnocentthingsandseeingthemgo。Afavoriteonewastomakeamoccasinedpersontreadinthetracksofthemoccasinedenemy，andthushidehisowntrail。

Cooperworeoutbarrelsandbarrelsofmoccasinsinworkingthattrick。

Anotherstage—propertythathepulledoutofhisboxprettyfrequentlywashisbrokentwig。Heprizedhisbrokentwigabovealltherestofhiseffects，andworkeditthehardest。Itisarestfulchapterinanybookofhiswhensomebodydoesn’tsteponadrytwigandalarmalltheredsandwhitesfortwohundredyardsaround。EverytimeaCooperpersonisinperil，andabsolutesilenceisworthfourdollarsaminute，heissuretosteponadrytwig。Theremaybeahundredhandierthingstostepon，butthatwouldn’tsatisfyCooper。Cooperrequireshimtoturnoutandfindadrytwig;andifhecan’tdoit，goandborrowone。Infact，theLeatherStockingSeriesoughttohavebeencalledtheBrokenTwigSeries。

Iamsorrythereisnotroomtoputinafewdozeninstancesofthedelicateartoftheforest，aspractisedbyNattyBumppoandsomeoftheotherCooperianexperts。Perhapswemayventuretwoorthreesamples。

Cooperwasasailor——anavalofficer;yethegravelytellsushowavessel，drivingtowardsaleeshoreinagale，issteeredforaparticularspotbyherskipperbecauseheknowsofanundertowtherewhichwillholdherbackagainstthegaleandsaveher。Forjustpurewoodcraft，orsailorcraft，orwhateveritis，isn’tthatneat？ForseveralyearsCooperwasdailyinthesocietyofartillery，andheoughttohavenoticedthatwhenacannon—ballstrikesthegrounditeitherburiesitselforskipsahundredfeetorso;skipsagainahundredfeetorso——andsoon，tillfinallyitgetstiredandrolls。Nowinoneplacehelosessome\"females\"——ashealwayscallswomen——intheedgeofawoodnearaplainatnightinafog，onpurposetogiveBumppoachancetoshowoffthedelicateartoftheforestbeforethereader。Thesemislaidpeoplearehuntingforafort。Theyhearacannonblast，andacannon—

ballpresentlycomesrollingintothewoodandstopsattheirfeet。Tothefemalesthissuggestsnothing。ThecaseisverydifferentwiththeadmirableBumppo。IwishImayneverknowpeaceagainifhedoesn’tstrikeoutpromptlyandfollowthetrackofthatcannon—ballacrosstheplainthroughthedensefogandfindthefort。Isn’titadaisy？IfCooperhadanyrealknowledgeofNature’swaysofdoingthings，hehadamostdelicateartinconcealingthefact。Forinstance:oneofhisacuteIndianexperts，Chingachgook（pronouncedChicago，Ithink），haslostthetrailofapersonheistrackingthroughtheforest。Apparentlythattrailishopelesslylost。NeitheryounorIcouldeverhaveguessedoutthewaytofindit。ItwasverydifferentwithChicago。Chicagowasnotstumpedforlong。Heturnedarunningstreamoutofitscourse，andthere，intheslushinitsoldbed，werethatperson’smoccasin—tracks。

Thecurrentdidnotwashthemaway，asitwouldhavedoneinallotherlikecases——no，eventheeternallawsofNaturehavetovacatewhenCooperwantstoputupadelicatejobofwoodcraftonthereader。

WemustbealittlewarywhenBranderMatthewstellsusthatCooper’sbooks\"revealanextraordinaryfulnessofinvention。\"Asarule，IamquitewillingtoacceptBranderMatthews’sliteraryjudgmentsandapplaudhislucidandgracefulphrasingofthem;butthatparticularstatementneedstobetakenwithafewtonsofsalt。Blessyourheart，Cooperhadn’tanymoreinventionthanahorse;andIdon’tmeanahigh—classhorse，either;Imeanaclothes—horse。Itwouldbeverydifficulttofindareallyclever\"situation\"inCooper’sbooks，andstillmoredifficulttofindoneofanykindwhichhehasfailedtorenderabsurdbyhishandlingofit。Lookattheepisodesof\"thecaves\";andatthecelebratedscufflebetweenMaquaandthoseothersonthetable—landafewdayslater;andatHurryHarry’squeerwater—transitfromthecastletotheark;andatDeerslayer’shalf—hourwithhisfirstcorpse;andatthequarrelbetweenHurryHarryandDeerslayerlater;andat——butchooseforyourself;youcan’tgoamiss。

IfCooperhadbeenanobserverhisinventivefacultywouldhaveworkedbetter;notmoreinterestingly，butmorerationally，moreplausibly。

Cooper’sproudestcreationsinthewayof\"situations\"suffernoticeablyfromtheabsenceoftheobserver’sprotectinggift。Cooper’seyewassplendidlyinaccurate。Cooperseldomsawanythingcorrectly。Hesawnearlyallthingsasthroughaglasseye，darkly。Ofcourseamanwhocannotseethecommonestlittleevery—daymattersaccuratelyisworkingatadisadvantagewhenheisconstructinga\"situation。\"IntheDeerslayertaleCooperhasastreamwhichisfiftyfeetwidewhereitflowsoutofalake;itpresentlynarrowstotwentyasitmeandersalongfornogivenreason;andyetwhenastreamactslikethatitoughttoberequiredtoexplainitself。Fourteenpageslaterthewidthofthebrook’soutletfromthelakehassuddenlyshrunkthirtyfeet，andbecome\"thenarrowestpartofthestream。\"Thisshrinkageisnotaccountedfor。

Thestreamhasbendsinit，asureindicationthatithasalluvialbanksandcutsthem;yetthesebendsareonlythirtyandfiftyfeetlong。IfCooperhadbeenaniceandpunctiliousobserverhewouldhavenoticedthatthebendswereoftenerninehundredfeetlongthanshortofit。

Coopermadetheexitofthatstreamfiftyfeetwide，inthefirstplace，fornoparticularreason;inthesecondplace，henarrowedittolessthantwentytoaccommodatesomeIndians。Hebendsa\"sapling\"totheformofanarchoverthisnarrowpassage，andconcealssixIndiansinitsfoliage。Theyare\"laying\"forasettler’sscoworarkwhichiscomingupthestreamonitswaytothelake;itisbeinghauledagainstthestiffcurrentbyaropewhosestationaryendisanchoredinthelake;itsrateofprogresscannotbemorethanamileanhour。Cooperdescribestheark，butprettyobscurely。Inthematterofdimensions\"itwaslittlemorethanamoderncanal—boat。\"Letusguess，then，thatitwasaboutonehundredandfortyfeetlong。Itwasof\"greaterbreadththancommon。\"Letusguess，then，thatitwasaboutsixteenfeetwide。Thisleviathanhadbeenprowlingdownbendswhichwerebutathirdaslongasitself，andscrapingbetweenbankswhereithadonlytwofeetofspacetospareoneachside。Wecannottoomuchadmirethismiracle。Alow—

roofedlogdwellingoccupies\"two—thirdsoftheark’slength\"——adwellingninetyfeetlongandsixteenfeetwide，letussayakindofvestibuletrain。Thedwellinghastworooms——eachforty—fivefeetlongandsixteenfeetwide，letusguess。OneofthemisthebedroomoftheHuttergirls，JudithandHetty;theotheristheparlorinthedaytime，atnightitispapa’sbedchamber。Thearkisarrivingatthestream’sexitnow，whosewidthhasbeenreducedtolessthantwentyfeettoaccommodatetheIndians——saytoeighteen。Thereisafoottospareoneachsideoftheboat。DidtheIndiansnoticethattherewasgoingtobeatightsqueezethere？Didtheynoticethattheycouldmakemoneybyclimbingdownoutofthatarchedsaplingandjuststeppingaboardwhenthearkscrapedby？

No，otherIndianswouldhavenoticedthesethings，butCooper’sIndiansnevernoticeanything。Cooperthinkstheyaremarvelouscreaturesfornoticing，buthewasalmostalwaysinerrorabouthisIndians。Therewasseldomasaneoneamongthem。

Thearkisonehundredandfortyfeetlong;thedwellingisninetyfeetlong。TheideaoftheIndiansistodropsoftlyandsecretlyfromthearchedsaplingtothedwellingasthearkcreepsalongunderitattherateofamileanhour，andbutcherthefamily。Itwilltakethearkaminuteandahalftopassunder。Itwilltaketheninetyfootdwellingaminutetopassunder。Now，then，whatdidthesixIndiansdo？Itwouldtakeyouthirtyyearstoguess，andeventhenyouwouldhavetogiveitup，Ibelieve。Therefore，IwilltellyouwhattheIndiansdid。Theirchief，apersonofquiteextraordinaryintellectforaCooperIndian，warilywatchedthecanal—boatasitsqueezedalongunderhim，andwhenhehadgothiscalculationsfineddowntoexactlytherightshade，ashejudged，heletgoanddropped。Andmissedthehouse！Thatisactuallywhathedid。Hemissedthehouse，andlandedinthesternofthescow。

Itwasnotmuchofafall，yetitknockedhimsilly。Helaythereunconscious。Ifthehousehadbeenninety—sevenfeetlonghewouldhavemadethetrip。ThefaultwasCooper’s，nothis。Theerrorlayintheconstructionofthehouse。Cooperwasnoarchitect。

TherestillremainedintheroostfiveIndians。

Theboathaspassedunderandisnowoutoftheirreach。Letmeexplainwhatthefivedid——youwouldnotbeabletoreasonitoutforyourself。

No。1jumpedfortheboat，butfellinthewaterasternofit。ThenNo。

2jumpedfortheboat，butfellinthewaterstillfartherasternofit。