The Fur Country

The Fur Country (1873) by Jules Verne is an Arctic adventure novel set in the frozen wilderness of northern Canada. The story follows an expedition from the Hudson's Bay Company, led by Lieutenant Jasper Hobson and accompanied by a group of settlers, soldiers, and the courageous traveler Mrs. Paulina Barnett. Their mission is to establish a new trading post near the Arctic Circle for the fur trade. At first, the settlers succeed in building Fort Hope, but they soon face the extreme hardships of polar life—blizzards, hunger, and isolation. The true crisis begins when they discover that the land beneath them is not solid ground but a vast ice floe that has broken away from the continent. Trapped on a drifting island of ice, they are carried helplessly into the Arctic Ocean. Fighting freezing temperatures and despair, the group must rely on courage, ingenuity, and unity to survive. Verne combines scientific observation with human drama, exploring the fragility of civilization against nature's immense power. The Fur Country is both a thrilling tale of survival and a reflection on human endurance, hope, and the spirit of exploration.