Cogewea, the Half-Blood · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Cogewea, the Half-Blood by Mourning Dove.

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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.

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Dedication

To the Reader

Cogewea, the Half-Blood

I: Cogewea the Half-Blood

II: The Roundup at Horseshoe Bend