The Relationship Between Marmaduke and Leatherstocking

Blog Post #2

An Interesting relationship in the Pioneers is between Marmaduke and Natty or Leatherstocking. Marmaduke speaks of conserving the maple trees, and agrees with Natty when he decries the wasteful ways the settler’s hunt and fish, but Natty is not convinced of the Judges intentions. These back and forth dialogue plays out distinctly in two instances (which is interesting in itself as we have seen Cooper frequently have events occur in twos). When the settlers are shooting pigeons in the valley and “none pretended to collect the game, which lay scattered over the fields in such a perfusion” (Pg. 247) Richard uses a cannon as his weapon of choice and Natty comments that “It’s wicked to be shooting into flocks in such a wasty manner….but not to kill twenty and eat one.” Marmaduke agrees with Natty saying “and I begin to think it time to put an end to this work of destruction.” (Pg. 249-250) Natty argues if the judge means what he says about wasteful ways then he should put an end to his “clearings” of the woods. Here Natty is pointing out the Judges hypocrisy in being concerned at the conservation of one creature and not the woods as a whole. This discourse is repeated when the settlers go fishing with a large net, Richard explains his fishing method is none of that “nibble, nibble, nibble as the duke does…give me a good seine that’s fifty or six fathoms in length…and let us haul them in by the thousands; I call that fishing.” (pg. 252-253) Once leatherstocking decrys this activity Marmaduke chimes in his agreement saying “Your reasoning is mine: for once, old hunters, we agree in opinion; and I heartily wish we could make convert of the sheriff. A net of half the size of this would supply the whole village for a week at one haul.” (Pg. 268) Once again Natty rebuffs the judge saying “no, no; we are not much of one mind, Judge, or you’d never turn good hunting grounds into stumpy pastures. And you fish and hunt out of rule.” (Pg. 268) In these dual scenarios Richard is exemplifying wastefulness toward the environment, Natty is urging conservation and Marmaduke is caught in the Middle; he is a pioneer and as thus develops the land, but at the same time claims to see the wisdom in Leatherstockings way of life.

The issue of the silver mine and Richard’s speculations that Leatherstocking, Indian John, and the Youth are involved in a secret operation also centers around the theme of the land and the utilization of natural resources (Ch. 25) If Natty is indeed involved in the mining operation it does seem out of character for him at first glance. However on further inspection if Natty is mining for silver ore this isn’t really all that different from hunting a deer or other animal and getting a bounty for it. He is (allegedly) utilizing the lands natural resources for profit but not doing so in a way that is destructive to the land. Marmaduke believes this operation is not right because it is on his land without his permission but this isn’t any different from Leatherstocking hunting on his land without his explicit permission.

I also found it interesting how applicable Natty’s message of conservation is to present times, with the extinction and endangerment of species a growing concern. Clearing of forests is also relevant, as deforestation is known to damage quality of land and destroys habitats.