The Fur Country · Chapter
The Large Polar Bears explained
The colonists at Fort Hope are besieged by a pack of large polar bears during extreme cold.
What happens
The colonists at Fort Hope are besieged by a pack of large polar bears during extreme cold. The bears climb onto the roof and break into the loft, threatening the furs and the structure. After days of siege, the bears damage the stove pipes, filling the house with smoke and forcing Hobson to lead a desperate attack. In the midst of the battle, a violent earthquake shakes the fort, causing the bears to flee in terror.
Themes in this chapter
Survival Against Nature
The colonists face both extreme cold and a bear siege, testing their endurance and resourcefulness.
Human Resilience and Camaraderie
The group works together to barricade the fort, move furs, and plan attacks, showing solidarity in crisis.
Characters to notice
- Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson
Leads the defense against the bears, organizes the removal of furs, and ultimately decides to attack when the stove pipes are broken.
- Mrs. Paulina Barnett
Urges Hobson to take action when the cold becomes deadly, and participates in the council of war.
- Sergeant Long
Identifies the bears initially, advises on their behavior, and volunteers for the risky fuel-gathering mission.
- Mac-Nab
The carpenter who barricades the window and despairs as the bears damage the roof he constructed.
- Captain Kellet
First to spot the bears approaching the fort.
- Mrs. Joliffe
Serves breakfast and hot grog to the colonists after the cold subsides.
Key passages
“The cold was, however, so intense in the loft that the men could not hold the barrels of their guns, and their breath froze as it left their lips and floated about them as snow.”
The loft was so cold that the soldiers couldn't grip their gun barrels, and their breath turned to ice crystals in the air.
Illustrates the extreme cold conditions during the bear siege.
“Something must be done, Lieutenant Hobson! exclaimed the energetic woman; we cannot die like this without an effort to save ourselves!”
Mrs. Barnett insists that they must act to avoid freezing to death.
Shows Paulina Barnett's proactive role in motivating the group.
“Seventy-two degrees! cried Hobson. My friends, two courses only are open to us, we can risk our lives to get a fresh supply of fuel, or we can burn the benches, beds, partition walls, and everything in the house to feed our stoves for a few days longer.”
Hobson reports the temperature at 72°F below zero and presents the grim choice between fetching wood or burning their furniture.
Highlights the desperate fuel shortage and the life-or-death decision.