Cogewea, the Half-Blood · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Cogewea, the Half-Blood by Mourning Dove.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The dedication honors See-whelh-ken, a venerated chief of the Schu-ayl-p-k, whose legacy is tied to the natural landmarks of the falls and pines. It mourns the destruction brought by the arrival of the pale face, and dedicates the work to the memory of a once strong people, expressing a deep yearning for the uplifting of the author's race.
Chapter 2
To the Reader
This introductory chapter presents the author, Mourning Dove, as the first Indian woman to enter the realm of fiction. It details her ancestry, including her great-grandfather Chief See-whelh-ken, her childhood, her education, and her experiences with the buffalo roundup, establishing her authority and perspective for the story that follows.
Chapter 3
Cogewea, the Half-Blood
This opening chapter introduces Cogewea, a half-blood woman on the Montana cattle range, and sets the stage for the novel's exploration of identity, cultural conflict, and the lives of the Okanogan people. It establishes the setting and key characters, including Cogewea, her sister, and the ranch hands, while hinting at the tensions between Native and white worlds.
Chapter 4
I: Cogewea the Half-Blood
The chapter introduces Cogewea, a young woman of mixed Indian and white heritage, living on the Horseshoe Bend Ranch. She is contemplative and ambitious, feeling the weight of being a 'breed'—ostracized by both races. The narrative details her upbringing, her mother's death, her father's disappearance, and her education at a convent and Carlisle Indian School. Despite her refinement, she remains connected to her wild, nature-loving roots and is respected by the cowboys. The chapter sets up her internal conflict about her place in the world.
Chapter 5
II: The Roundup at Horseshoe Bend
The chapter opens with the beginning of the great horse roundup at Horseshoe Bend, where over a dozen cowboys gather at the Carter ranch. Cogewea helps her sister with housework while the men ride out for the hard chase. After the riders leave, Cogewea expresses her restlessness and longing for a purpose beyond her prescribed sphere. She later rides to Polson for mail, and on her return, she plays a mischievous trick on LaGrinder by leading his horse away while he sleeps. Shortly after, her own horse is spooked by a rattlesnake, throwing her. She confronts the snake with a dramatic speech, shooting it, and is then discovered by LaGrinder, who finds her afoot and teases her about her mishap.
Chapter 6
A Range Idyl
Cogewea receives letters announcing the upcoming visit of her grandmother Stemteemä and sister Mary. She dreams of writing a book to preserve her people's legends. Jim, the foreman, is in love with her, but she treats him with playful indifference. The bunkhouse riders discuss Cogewea's independence and Jim's chances with her, while Jim lies awake pondering his feelings.
Chapter 7
IV: Cogewea Hires the Tenderfoot
Cogewea rides to Polson to meet her grandmother and sister, reflecting on the cultural divide between traditional Indian life and the modern world. She hires a tenderfoot from the East, Alfred Densmore, who is seeking adventure and employment on a ranch, unaware of his ulterior motives.
Chapter 8
V: The Tenderfoot's Bronco Riding
John Carter scolds Cogewea for hiring the tenderfoot, Alfred Densmore, to break broncos. Despite his objections, the ranch prepares for the task. Cogewea converses with Densmore, who is bewildered by the ranch's unconventional ways. Jim, jealous of Cogewea's attention to Densmore, conspires with the other cowboys to saddle the outlaw horse Croppy for the tenderfoot. Densmore is thrown violently, breaking his arm and gashing his head. Cogewea takes charge of the situation, sending for the doctor and volunteering to nurse Densmore back to health.
Chapter 9
VI: The Fourth of July
The chapter opens on the morning of the Fourth of July. The H-B ranch hands, including Rodeo Jack, Celluloid Bill, and Bob, are roused by Jim to prepare for the day's festivities. Cogewea is eager to participate in the races, while her grandmother, Stemteemä, insists on attending the celebration to witness the Kootenai war dance, a tradition she holds dear. The group travels to town, where Cogewea enters her horses in the ladies' and squaw races. Densmore, too injured to join, remains at the ranch. The chapter captures the excitement of the holiday, the blending of white and Indian traditions, and Cogewea's determination to win.
Chapter 10
VII: The “Ladies’ ” and the “Squaw” Races
Cogewea competes in the ladies' race at the Fourth of July celebration, facing racial prejudice from white riders and officials. Despite winning the race, she is denied her prize money because she is a 'squaw.' Jim confronts the judge, leading to a tense standoff, but Cogewea defiantly throws the money back and leaves with Jim.
Chapter 11
VIII: The Indian Dancers
The chapter opens with the bucking contest at the roundup, where Jim LaGrinder demonstrates his unmatched skill by riding the notorious outlaw horse Croppy. Afterward, the focus shifts to the Indian dance ceremony, where dancers from various tribes participate in a friendship dance, exchanging gifts as tokens of goodwill. Cogewea receives a horse from the Pend d'Oreille Chief, and Jim gives a blanket to Stemteemä, subtly ingratiating himself with her. As the day ends, Cogewea and Jim ride home, with Cogewea eager to return to Densmore. The chapter also depicts the aftermath of the celebration, as the cowboys return broke and battered after days of carousing.
Chapter 12
Under the Whispering Pines
Two weeks after Densmore's riding accident, he spends his mornings under the pines with Cogewea as his nurse. He struggles with his growing attraction to her, dismissing it as a fascination with a 'squaw' and reminding himself of his social standing. Cogewea writes a letter for him to his mother, omitting that his nurse is an Indian woman. Densmore schemes to use her possible Yukon gold connection for his own gain, while Cogewea remains wary and distant.
Chapter 13
X: Lo! The Poor 'Breed'
Cogewea, alone on the veranda, reads a book that misrepresents Indian life and becomes enraged. Densmore tries to engage her, but she vents her frustration about the book's portrayal of breeds. Jim arrives and recounts how cowboys fed false information to a woman writer, highlighting the difficulty whites have in understanding Indian customs. Cogewea passionately defends her mixed-race identity, expressing the alienation breeds feel from both whites and full-bloods. Densmore dismisses her outburst, and Jim, overhearing her harsh words, suspects Densmore of turning her against him, vowing revenge.
Chapter 14
At the Teepee Fireside
Cogewea visits her grandmother Stemteemä in her teepee, bringing food and sharing news. Densmore arrives, and Cogewea playfully instructs him in traditional Indian customs, including the old taboo against showing ankles. Stemteemä scolds Cogewea for exposing her ankles, and the conversation turns to marriage customs and religion. Densmore expresses his desire to marry Cogewea according to ancient tribal ways, but Stemteemä warns Cogewea that Densmore is not sincere and is only making sport of her. The chapter ends with Stemteemä deciding to tell Densmore a tale of the past, about the coming of the pale face and the wasting of her people.
Chapter 15
XII: On Buffalo Butte
Jim, the foreman, rides to Buffalo Butte after seeing Cogewea alone, hoping to win her affection. Cogewea, troubled by her feelings for Densmore and the warnings of her grandmother, seeks solitude on the butte. Jim finds her and they talk, with Jim expressing his jealousy and concern. They return home to find Densmore back from fishing and Mary calling them to supper.
Chapter 16
XIII: A Visit to Stemteemä’s Teepee
On a quiet Sabbath, the ranch hands depart for town, leaving Cogewea and Densmore behind. Densmore, seeking to win favor, asks Cogewea to arrange a visit to her grandmother's teepee to hear the promised story. During the visit, Stemteemä performs a peace pipe invocation, and Cogewea explains the sacred history and cultural significance of smoking to Densmore, contrasting it with the vices introduced by the white man. The chapter highlights the tension between tradition and the encroaching white culture, as well as the growing connection between Cogewea and Densmore.
Chapter 17
XIV: The Dead Man’s Vision
Stemteemä recounts a sacred tribal story passed down from her father, about a medicine man's vision of the future. The vision foretold the arrival of pale faces, the loss of lands, and the coming of a Black Robe who would teach a new spiritual path. The story explains the tribe's initial trust in the Black Robe and the eventual disappointment as more white settlers arrived, leading to the loss of traditional ways and lands.
Chapter 18
XV: The Superior Race
Cogewea and Densmore engage in a heated debate about race, history, and religion. Cogewea passionately defends her people's oral traditions and criticizes the white race's treatment of Native Americans, while Densmore attempts to court her by proposing a tribal marriage ceremony. The chapter highlights the cultural and ideological clash between the two characters.
Chapter 19
On the Old Buffalo Grounds
Cogewea and Densmore ride to Buffalo Butte, where Cogewea reflects on her heritage and the loss of the buffalo. Densmore attempts to persuade her to accept his views on Indian assimilation and marriage, but Cogewea resists, insisting she will only marry within her own kind. The chapter highlights the cultural and ideological clash between them.
Chapter 20
XVII: Frenchy—Toy of the Cowboys
The chapter opens with the ranch preparing for the annual beef roundup, which will last nearly a month. A comical Frenchman, Eugene La Fleur (Frenchy), arrives seeking adventure and is hired as a rangler. The cowboys, including Jim, Bob, and Celluloid Bill, play pranks on him, stretching his buckskin breeches as a joke. Frenchy takes the hazing good-naturedly, determined to become a real cowboy. Meanwhile, Densmore, left in charge of the ranch, plots to win Cogewea's favor while Jim is away, but he underestimates the Indian character.
Chapter 21
XVIII: Swa-lah-kin
A week after the roundup outfit leaves, Densmore ingratiates himself with Stemteemä by providing game and fish, but the grandmother remains wary. Cogewea and Densmore go fishing, where he tries to win her affection and proposes marriage, but she is troubled by her mixed-race identity. A sudden storm, interpreted by Cogewea as the Swa-lah-kin (a bad omen) caused by Densmore's turning of a frog, forces them to take shelter in the teepee. Stemteemä, displeased, prepares to tell a story to her grandchildren.
Chapter 22
XIX: The Story of Green-blanket Feet
Stemteemä tells the story of Green-blanket Feet, a cautionary tale about a woman who was lured away from her people by a false Shoyahpee (white man). The story details her life with him, her subsequent hardships among the Blackfeet, and the tragic death of her child. Stemteemä uses this story to warn Cogewea against Densmore, but Cogewea resists, believing the grandmother's wisdom is outdated.
Chapter 23
A Tragedy of the Range
The chapter recounts the tragic death of the Dixie Canary, a mysterious and beloved cowboy on the H-B roundup. After a day of riding, he fails to return to camp, prompting a desperate nighttime search. The riders find him gravely injured, his horse Twilight having stepped in a badger hole and fallen on him. In his final moments, the Canary speaks of a childhood memory and a vision, then dies. He is buried with his horse, and the cowboys erect a memorial marker.
Chapter 24
XXI: A “Geezar” in Camp
The beef roundup concludes, and the H-B riders return to camp, with Frenchy enduring pranks from Celluloid Bill, including a staged drowning in the Pend d’Oreille River. A misunderstanding over stammering leads to a fight between Bill and a visiting stockman, resolved with laughter. Jim, the foreman, anxiously anticipates seeing Cogewea, fearing Densmore's influence.
Chapter 25
Back to the Ranch
The roundup outfit returns to the ranch, and Cogewea greets them. Jim is affectionate but uses terms that anger her, though she quickly forgives him. Densmore is frustrated by his lack of progress with Cogewea and the grandmother's resistance. The chapter also includes the men's plans for an upcoming social event, with Jim plotting to outshine Densmore.
Chapter 26
The Basket Social
The chapter describes the basket social, a community event where women's baskets are auctioned to men. Cogewea brings two baskets, one of which is a canoe-shaped basket, and orchestrates a trick on Jim by having him bid on it while she dines with Densmore. The event is marked by bidding wars, humorous exchanges, and a subplot involving Frenchy, who is tricked into buying a basket and then flees, leaving Slim to pay. Jim, disappointed, shares his basket with Mary, while Cogewea reveals the brooch prize and teases Jim about his loss.
Chapter 27
XXIV: The Second Coming of the Shoyahpee
The Stemteemä summons Jim to her teepee, expressing her distrust of Densmore and her desire to protect Cogewea from a white man she believes will abandon her. She recounts the story of the first Shoyahpee (white men) who came to her tribe, revealing how her aunt was betrayed and how her people were deceived by the white men's supposed divinity. Jim agrees to help guard Cogewea, and they decide to let events unfold for the present.
Chapter 28
XXV: Voice of the Autumn Leaves
Cogewea and Densmore become engaged, but Densmore's secret plot is revealed when Mary finds a torn letter from his Eastern fiancée. Jim learns of the scheme and plans to intervene, while Cogewea remains unaware of Densmore's true intentions.
Chapter 29
XXVI: Stemteemä Consults the Sweat House
Stemteemä prepares to consult the sweat house, a sacred ritual. Mary and Jim participate in the ceremony, with Jim showing respect for the old ways, which surprises Mary. Cogewea, haunted by a broken stone omen, meets with Densmore to plan a visit to her grandmother to seek consent for their marriage.
Chapter 30
XXVII: The Forked Tongue of the Shoyahpee
Cogewea brings Densmore to her grandmother's teepee to ask for her blessing on their marriage. The Stemteemä, distrusting the white man, refuses, citing a prophetic vision of sorrow and ruin. Densmore, humiliated and enraged, vows revenge. Cogewea is torn between her love for Densmore and her loyalty to her grandmother, who offers her wealth and blessings if she marries within her own people.
Chapter 31
XXVIII: The Sentinel at the Rock
Cogewea, troubled by her decision to elope with Densmore, withdraws a thousand dollars from the bank in Polson, ignoring the cashier's advice. She meets Densmore, and during their conversation, he learns that she is not as wealthy as he believed. Enraged by this revelation, Densmore robs her, binds her to a tree, and flees, leaving her to her fate.
Chapter 32
XXIX: Stemteemä’s Dream of the Soma-ash-hee
Celluloid Bill and Silent Bob witness Cogewea riding swiftly toward Ronan, suspecting she is meeting Densmore. Bill reveals he told Densmore about Cogewea's supposed wealth, which led Densmore to court her for money. Bob, concerned for Cogewea, rides to warn Jim. Meanwhile, Stemteemä has a prophetic dream of the Shoyahpee harming Cogewea and sends Jim to rescue her. Jim rides off on Diamond, and the men follow. Stemteemä confronts Julia, reminding her of her warnings and stating that Jim will kill Densmore if he has harmed Cogewea.
Chapter 33
XXX: The Cost of Knowing
Jim, desperate to find Cogewea and Densmore, rides hard toward Ravalli. After losing the trail, he is guided by the dog Bringo to a cottonwood where Cogewea is bound and unconscious. He frees her, and she recounts Densmore's betrayal and theft. The other riders arrive, furious and wanting revenge, but Cogewea persuades them against pursuit, recognizing the futility of seeking justice as 'breed Injuns.' She decides to return to the Okanogan, while Jim vows to leave the range.
Chapter 34
XXXI: A Voice from the Buffalo Skull
Two years after Densmore's departure, Cogewea still mourns on Buffalo Butte. Jim brings her a letter revealing her father's death and a fortune, but also his attempt to disinherit his daughters. The letter's technical flaw grants them each a quarter million dollars. Jim confesses his love, and Cogewea reciprocates, accepting his proposal. The chapter ends with news of their marriage and the younger sister's honeymoon in Europe.
Chapter 35
Endnotes
The endnotes provide historical and cultural annotations, including the Okanogan legend of the Shoyahpee, the medicine man's power, the tragic story of Green-blanket Feet (Sophia Pelkey), and critiques of the Indian Bureau's mistreatment of tribes.
