Kinda liked it. Kinda didn't. Liked how this 1854 book felt like a Jules Verne novel especially with the reoccurring clues of an ancient lost race (possibly Norsemen?) in North America. On the fence about the overriding theme of Manifest Destiny. It was interesting to read about it from a 19th century perspective, but at times it felt like propaganda. Could've majorly done without the sanctimonious depictions of Native Americans. As a whole, the Indians in this book were described as "savages" and are all feared to be cannibalistic. One of the main characters is a chief named Whirlwind who is lost with the rest of this group of white pioneers. He is considered a "civilized" Indian because he turns out to invaluable to their survival, and he calls the white trapper in the group his "brother." From the author's perspective, Whirlwind is better than the rest of the Indians, but still not good enough to court a white woman.

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