Nick of the Woods The novel is set in Kentucky in the 1780s and revolves around the mysterious figure of "Nick of the Woods", dressed as a monster, who seeks to avenge the death of his family by killing numerous Indians, carving a cross on the body of all he slays. "Nick" is revealed to be Nathan Slaughter, a Quaker by day who should by nature and creed avoid all violence. Bird's brutal depiction of Native Americans (the Shawnee) was very hostile, and in part a reaction to the more positive representation of Indians by James Fennimore Cooper in the Leatherstocking Tales. The novel
James Fenimore Cooper was virulent in its comments about him, and Cooper filed legal actions for libel, winning all his lawsuits. After concluding his last case in court, Cooper returned to writing with more energy and success than he'd had for several years. On May 10, 1839, he published his "History of the U.S. Navy", and returned to the "Leatherstocking Tales" series with "The Pathfinder, or The Inland Sea" (1840) and "The Deerslayer" (1841) and other novels. He wrote again on maritime themes, including "Ned Myers, or A Life Before the Mast", which is of particular interest to naval historians. In the late