Bokashi

The bear disguise is a practical prop in Hawkeye and Uncas’s escape from the Huron village: first worn by Hawkeye to reach the bound Uncas, then by Uncas to leave the lodge while Hawkeye passes as David Gamut. Its success depends on coordinated impersonation, staged animal behavior, and the Hurons’ interpretation of the disguise as an actual bear and its human companion as a harmless or mad performer.

Acquisition and Preparation

While operating among the Hurons, Hawkeye encounters a tribal conjurer preparing for a ceremony. He incapacitates the man, ties him between saplings, takes his costume, and assumes the part of a bear so he can continue moving through the village. The bear performance is therefore not merely a borrowed garment: Hawkeye uses it as a complete disguise, supported by his knowledge of animal behavior and the confusion caused by the village’s activity.

The escape plan also depends on a disguise for Duncan Heyward. At Heyward’s request, Chingachgook paints him to resemble a friendly, comic performer rather than a warrior, preparing him to enter the Huron community as an apparent healer and entertainer. The bear disguise belongs to this wider chain of impersonations, but its decisive role comes later, when Hawkeye and Uncas use it to get out of captivity.

Rescue of Uncas

Hawkeye enters the lodge where Uncas is held with his hands and feet bound. He initially keeps up the bear act, performing rather than speaking, while David waits outside to ensure they are not observed. Uncas recognizes that the animal is not real only after Hawkeye makes a prearranged hissing sound; he then names Hawkeye, and David releases him. Once free, Uncas receives a knife from Hawkeye, who has taken weapons from their enemies.

Hawkeye next proposes that Uncas wear the animal covering while Hawkeye changes into David’s clothing, including his hunting shirt and cap. The exchange lets Hawkeye imitate the singer’s appearance and manner, while Uncas becomes the apparent bear. Their escape thus turns on a transfer of roles: the disguise that brought Hawkeye into the lodge becomes the means for Uncas to leave it.

Deception and Escape

Outside, Hawkeye mimics David’s posture and psalm-singing, while Uncas’s bear disguise supplies a second, distracting performance. When a Huron stops the supposed singer and challenges the Delaware captive’s fear, Hawkeye avoids answering in a voice that might betray him. The disguised Uncas produces a convincing growl; the Huron releases Hawkeye and recoils, allowing the pair to proceed.

The deception holds until the escaping men are clear of the village. A cry from the lodge alerts the Hurons, but Hawkeye urges Uncas to wait for the next outburst before discarding the covering. Once the village-wide alarm sounds, Uncas casts off the bear skin and joins Hawkeye in the forest. Hawkeye retrieves two rifles hidden beneath a bush, including Killdeer, and the pair hurry into the darkness.

Function in the Narrative

The bear disguise makes concealment an active, collaborative skill rather than a matter of clothing alone. Hawkeye’s performance depends on his familiarity with the animal, while Uncas’s patience and willingness to take over the role allow the escape plan to adapt. The same covering changes meaning with each wearer: first it conceals Hawkeye’s approach, then disguises Uncas’s departure, while Hawkeye’s borrowed clothes create a complementary false identity.

The episode also makes the disguise a temporary instrument of reversal. The Hurons who hold Uncas captive become an audience whose assumptions the escapees manipulate; what appears to be a bear and a singer masks two armed fugitives. Once the deception has served its purpose, the disguise is cast aside, and the fugitives continue openly as themselves, carrying weapons into the forest.