Crossing the White River

The Fort of Prince of Wales thrives on trade: here furs are exchanged for gunpowder, tobacco, and brandy. The wandering trader Patterson brings a fragment of rock with gold inclusions to the factor's chief Magnus Norton. He claims that a rich vein lies far in the tundra. Norton outfits a secret expedition, hoping to get rich. In fact, the squad is led by his deputy John Shaw — a cruel and arrogant man. Along with the Englishmen, guides from the Dene people set out, without whom survival in these lands is impossible. The further the travelers move away from the fort, the more noticeable the disunity becomes. Frost, hunger, and the harsh road do not bring the participants of the expedition closer together. The arrogance of the Europeans, greed, jealousy, and the struggle for power come to the surface, and each crossing becomes increasingly difficult.