Answer:
Settlers were dependent on Native Americans for survival in the wilderness beyond the settlement.
Explanation:
When Roger Chillingworth arrives to the settlement for the first time, Hester notices that he is dressed in a strange combination of European and Native American styles. Afterwards, Chillingworth tells his story, and we learn that he claims to have lived with Native Americans for a period of time. This shows that, at the time, settlers were often dependent on Native Americans for survival beyond the settlement.
