The Fur Country · Chapter
From Fort Reliance to Fort Enterprise explained
The expedition departs Fort Reliance on April 16th, with sledges crossing the frozen Slave Lake toward Fort Enterprise.
What happens
The expedition departs Fort Reliance on April 16th, with sledges crossing the frozen Slave Lake toward Fort Enterprise. The chapter contrasts the enthusiasm of Mrs. Paulina Barnett for the Arctic's sublime beauty with Madge's practical concerns about the cold. Corporal Joliffe's reckless driving causes a dangerous dispute with his wife, while Lieutenant Hobson and Sergeant Long discuss the mission's importance. The party travels northwest across snowy plains, observing migratory birds and the awakening spring landscape.
Themes in this chapter
Exploration and Ambition
The chapter depicts the expedition's departure and Hobson's determination to push northward for the Company's interests, reflecting the drive to explore unknown territories.
Human Resilience and Camaraderie
The party's cooperative travel, Captain Craventy's farewell urging unity, and the shared endurance of cold and hardship highlight resilience and mutual support.
The Sublime and Uncanny Nature
Mrs. Barnett's poetic description of the Arctic's icebergs, aurora, and six-month night emphasizes the sublime beauty and awe-inspiring power of the polar landscape.
Characters to notice
- Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson
Leads the expedition from Fort Reliance, directs the caravan northwest, and discusses the mission's importance with Sergeant Long.
- Mrs. Paulina Barnett
Expresses enthusiasm for the Arctic's beauty and poetry, contrasting with Madge's practical concerns; recalls past travels in hot climates.
- Madge
Complains of the cold and dismisses memories of heat, focusing on the immediate discomforts of the journey.
- Corporal Joliffe
Drives recklessly ahead of the caravan, arguing with his wife about the slope, ignoring Hobson's orders.
- Mrs. Joliffe
Warns her husband about the danger of their speed and the downhill slope, but is ignored.
- Sergeant Long
Rides with Hobson, expresses unwavering obedience, stating he would follow any order even to the North Pole.
Key passages
“You talk to me of heat, when we are freezing beneath our bearskins; you recall the broiling rays of the sun when its April beams cannot melt the icicles on our lips!”
Madge dismisses Mrs. Barnett's memories of tropical heat, insisting that the present cold makes such recollections unbelievable.
Highlights the contrast between past and present climates, emphasizing the harsh Arctic conditions.
“Wait till the winter shuts us in with its gigantic icebergs and thick covering of snow; wait till the northern storms break over us, and the glories of the Aurora Borealis and of the splendid constellations of the Polar skies are spread out above our heads; wait till we have lived through the strange long six months’ night, and then indeed you will understand the infinite variety, the infinite beauty, of our Creator’s handiwork!”
Mrs. Barnett anticipates the winter's dramatic phenomena—icebergs, storms, aurora, and polar night—as sublime expressions of nature's beauty.
Reflects her romanticized view of the Arctic, contrasting with Madge's practicality.
“Lieutenant, there is no such thing as an impossible order. ... Lieutenant, I should go! ... I should come back.”
Sergeant Long asserts absolute obedience, claiming he would follow any command, even to the North Pole, and return.
Illustrates the military discipline and loyalty central to the expedition's hierarchy.
