Cooper begins his novel with a short author’s introduction describing the diversity of Native American tribes, but he also depicts them as superstitious. He discusses the physical appearance, ethnic origins, and languages of the Native Americans. He argues that white people have obscured the origins of Native Americans by corrupting their names and calls them “dispossessed.”

Chapter 1 begins by discussing the wilderness of the American frontier, especially in the upper Hudson region. The novel’s action occurs in the third year of the war between England and France (also called, in America, the French and Indian War) 1757. Forces are preparing to battle in the wilderness and are having difficulties traversing it. An officer of the British forces, Duncan Heyward, is traveling with two women, Alice and Cora Munro, to take them to their father, Colonel Munro.

Duncan explains that a runner from the Mohawk tribe, Magua, is guiding them to a lake en route to Fort William Henry. Magua had previously fought against Munro but is now thought to be an ally. They come upon a stranger who says he is also headed to William Henry and suggests they travel together.