# Chapter XXIII: The Goldmine and the Missionary's Burial explained — Five Weeks in a Balloon

> Chapter companion for Five Weeks in a Balloon by Jules Verne.

## What happens

The chapter opens with the missionary's peaceful death under a beautiful night sky, watched over by the three travelers. The next day, they descend into a barren ravine to bury him. While digging the grave, Joe and Kennedy discover heavy quartz rocks, which Dr. Ferguson identifies as gold-ore. Joe is overcome with greed and despair at leaving the treasure behind, but the doctor and Kennedy persuade him to take some as ballast. The chapter ends with the balloon continuing westward, having made ninety miles.

## Themes in this chapter

### Survival and Resilience

The travelers must manage the balloon's weight and ballast carefully to continue their journey, even when tempted by gold.

### Humanity vs. Nature

The barren, gold-rich landscape presents both a resource and a temptation, testing the travelers' discipline and priorities.

## Character check-ins

### Joe

Falls into a rage over the missionary's death, then becomes greedy upon discovering the goldmine, but is eventually consoled by taking some gold ore as ballast.

### Dr. Samuel Ferguson

Calmly identifies the goldmine, philosophizes about the vanity of wealth, and decides to take bearings for future reference.

### Dick Kennedy

Assists in burying the missionary and helps Joe gather stones, but remains level-headed about the gold.

### Victoria

Descends into the ravine for the burial and later rises again after ballast adjustment.

## Key lines

> That priest, who took the oath of perpetual poverty, now reposes in a goldmine!

The missionary, who vowed to live in poverty, is buried in a goldmine.

_Dr. Ferguson's ironic observation about the missionary's final resting place._

> What! a philosopher of your mettle—

You, a philosopher, should not be so easily tempted.

_Dr. Ferguson chides Joe for his greed._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_weeks_in_a_balloon_se/chapters/xxiii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_weeks_in_a_balloon_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_weeks_in_a_balloon_se/chapters