''César Cascabel'' is a novel written by
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the '' Voyages extra ...
in 1890. It is part of
Voyages Extraordinaires series (''The Extraordinary Voyages''). It was published in English in two-volume form, with subtitles "The Show on Ice" and "The Travelling Circus".
Plot summary
The story starts in
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
in 1867. The Cascabels are a French family of
circus artists who plan to return home after several years spent touring the United States. However, their savings are stolen, so the family cannot afford the ship fare. Instead, César Cascabel decides to travel overland, via
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U ...
and
Bering Straits, through
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part ...
and
Central Russia with their horse-drawn
carriage
A carriage is a private four-wheeled vehicle for people and is most commonly horse-drawn. Second-hand private carriages were common public transport, the equivalent of modern cars used as taxis. Carriage suspensions are by leather strapping ...
, the ''Belle-Roulotte'' (the Fair Rambler). They expect to encounter no dangers along their intended route.
On their way crossing the Alaskan border, with the help of native girl Kayette, they rescue a Russian political fugitive, count Narkine, whom they bring along so that he can see again his father in Russia. Count Narkine adopts Kayette as his daughter. While in
Sitka
russian: Ситка
, native_name_lang = tli
, settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough
, image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg
, image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984
, image_size ...
, the group witnesses the
transfer of Alaska to the United States.
On their way from
Port Clarence
Port Clarence is a small village now within the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated on the north bank of the River Tees, and hosts the northern end of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bri ...
the travellers unfortunately end up on a floating iceberg that drifts in
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans. It spans an area of approximately and is known as the coldest of all the oceans. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, a ...
to the
Lyakhovsky Islands
The Lyakhovsky Islands ( rus, Ляховские острова, r=Lyakhovskiye ostrova; sah, Ляхов арыылара) are the southernmost group of the New Siberian Islands in the Arctic seas of eastern Russia.
The islands are named in hono ...
. There they are captured by the natives. Other troubles, including political ones, occur but Cascabels manage to get through
the Urals
The Ural Mountains ( ; rus, Ура́льские го́ры, r=Uralskiye gory, p=ʊˈralʲskʲɪjə ˈɡorɨ; ba, Урал тауҙары) or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western ...
to
Perm and then, easily, to France.
An animated TV series inspired by the book was produced in 2001 in France.
Image:'César Cascabel' by George Roux 03.jpg, Map of route through Alaska
Image:'César Cascabel' by George Roux 39.jpg, Map of route through Russia
External links
Text of the novel in French* (the TV series)
1890 French novels
Novels by Jules Verne
Novels set in Alaska
Novels set in Russia
Novels set in the Arctic
Novels set in California
Mexico in fiction
Circus books
Novels set in British Columbia
Fiction set in 1867
New Siberian Islands
{{1890s-adventure-novel-stub