The Adventures of Captain Hatteras · Chapter
The Last Piece of Coal explained
The crew of the Forward endures extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to -44°F.
What happens
The crew of the Forward endures extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to -44°F. Scurvy ravages the crew, leaving only a few healthy men. The last piece of coal is burned, signaling a dire fuel crisis. Dr. Clawbonny tends to the sick, while Hatteras remains stoic and unaffected by the cold. The chapter highlights the crew's suffering and the impending doom as resources dwindle.
Themes in this chapter
Human Endurance and Survival
The crew's struggle against extreme cold, scurvy, and dwindling coal highlights the limits of human endurance and the fight for survival.
The Sublime and Dangerous Nature
The auroras and lunar halos are described as magnificent, yet the deadly cold and ice underscore nature's sublime and dangerous power.
Leadership and Mutiny
Hatteras's stoic leadership contrasts with the crew's growing discontent, threats, and reproaches, foreshadowing potential mutiny.
Characters to notice
- Dr. Clawbonny
Tends to the sick with devotion, tries to maintain morale, and observes the auroras. He remains healthy and advises the crew on enduring the cold.
- John Hatteras
Remains stoic and unaffected by the extreme cold, walking the deck without extra clothing. He is indifferent to the crew's suffering and focuses on the expedition.
- Richard Shandon
Experiences early symptoms of scurvy but recovers through exercise. He is forced into the common-room after the stove in the after-room is put out.
- Johnson
Assists with clearing the water-hole and notes the ice thickness. He converses with the doctor about Hatteras's resilience.
- Pen
Seems to escape scurvy due to his strong constitution, but he refuses to take exercise and is part of the disgruntled crew.
- Clifton
First to be attacked by scurvy, suffering from swollen legs and bleeding gums.
Key passages
“The bears, it seemed, could not be caught; a few seals were killed on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of November, and the wind shifted and the weather grew much milder; but the snowdrifts began again with incomparable severity.”
Despite a brief respite, the snowstorms returned with extreme intensity, making hunting difficult.
Highlights the relentless and unpredictable Arctic weather.
“The doctor regretted his captivity, for the snow was hardened by the wind, so as to make good walking, and he might have gone very far from the ship.”
The doctor wished he could explore the hardened snow, but the extreme cold made exercise exhausting.
Shows the doctor's curiosity and the physical limits imposed by the cold.
“The breath of the men condensed in the air, and, changing from a fluid to a solid form, it fell about them in the form of snow.”
The men's breath froze instantly, falling as snow around them.
Illustrates the extreme cold and its immediate effects.
“He’s a singular man, said the doctor to Johnson; he astonishes me! He carries a glowing furnace within him!”
The doctor marvels at Hatteras's ability to withstand the cold as if he has an internal heat source.
Emphasizes Hatteras's extraordinary resilience.
“And on that day the last piece of coal on board was thrown into the stove.”
The final coal was burned, marking a critical fuel crisis.
Signals a turning point in the crew's survival prospects.
