# Thomas Black — The Fur Country character guide > Thomas Black in The Fur Country by Jules Verne. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Black, poor Black, Mr. Black, Poor Mr. Black **First appearance:** 0004-part-i-iii-a-savant-thawed ## Snapshot A Greenwich astronomer so absorbed in the heavens that he barely lives on earth, traveling to the Arctic to observe a total solar eclipse. ## Who they are Black is a sagacious observer with inexhaustible patience, a specialist in luminous meteors who exists only for astronomy and can talk of nothing but stars. He endures a winter journey across Company territory purely to watch the moon blot out the sun, and his single-mindedness borders on the comic. His scientific mission gives the expedition a second, stranger purpose beyond furs and geography. ## Relationships ### [Captain Craventy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/characters/captain_craventy) _professional_ Craventy coordinates with Black on scientific matters, treating him as a valued specialist within the expedition. ### [Captain Craventy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/characters/captain_craventy) _professional_ Craventy coordinates with Black on scientific matters, treating him as a valued specialist within the expedition. ## In the story ### [A Savant Thawed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-iii-a-savant-thawed) Frozen astronomer revived at Fort Reliance; arrives to observe the solar eclipse. ### [A Factory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-iv-a-factory) The astronomer, focused solely on studying the moon's corona and prominences; impatient to cross the Arctic Circle and eager to begin his observations. ### [A Wapiti Duel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-vi-a-wapiti-duel) Shows indifference to hunting, focuses on astronomical observations for the upcoming eclipse. ### [VII: The Arctic Circle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-vii-the-arctic-circle) Absorbed in his own idea, never gets out of the sledge; shares a hut with Sergeant Long. ### [The Great Bear Lake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-viii-the-great-bear-lake) Remains at Fort Confidence to conduct astronomical observations rather than joining the lake crossing. ### [Along the Coast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xi-along-the-coast) Assists Hobson in taking accurate geographical observations to correct previous marine surveys. ### [XII: The Midnight Sun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xii-the-midnight-sun) Participates in the astronomical observation to determine the latitude and longitude of Cape Bathurst. ### [Fort Hope](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xiii-fort-hope) Mentioned as one of the occupants of the cabins in the fourth compartment of the house. ### [Some Excursions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xiv-some-excursions) Is present when the wolverene is brought to the fort, having never seen such an animal before. ### [The Approach of Winter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xvii-the-approach-of-winter) Remains indifferent to the winter beauty, absorbed in his astronomical studies; Hobson promises him fine cold nights for observation. ### [The Polar Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xviii-the-polar-night) Frets at the storm preventing observations, later attempts to observe stars but burns his hands on the cold instruments. ### [Mercury Freezes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xx-mercury-freezes) Indignantly defends the aurora against Mrs. Barnett's praise of the volcanic eruption; focused on the upcoming eclipse. ### [XXIII: The Eclipse of the 18th July 1860](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-i-xxiii-the-eclipse-of-the-18th-july-1860) The astronomer is in a feverish state of anxiety over the weather, fearing he will miss the eclipse; he explains to Mrs. Barnett the rarity of observing a total eclipse in high latitudes. ### [A Floating Fort](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-i-a-floating-fort) Furious and despairing over the missed eclipse due to the island's drift. ### [Where Are We?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-ii-where-are-we) Assists Hobson in taking solar altitudes with the sextant to determine longitude. ### [A Tour of the Island](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-iii-a-tour-of-the-island) Refuses to join the expedition, feeling betrayed by nature; he promises to monitor the northern latitudes during their absence. ### [The Winter Months](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xiv-the-winter-months) Remains crushed in spirit, refuses to observe auroral phenomena, and isolates himself in his room. ### [The Avalanche](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xvii-the-avalanche) Buried beneath the avalanche after transporting his instruments to the boat. ### [All at Work](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xviii-all-at-work) The astronomer is among the buried victims; his fate is uncertain as the digging continues. ### [XIX: Bering Sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xix-bering-sea) Was trapped in the house; his instruments and maps are recovered from the ruins, uninjured. ### [In the Offing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xx-in-the-offing) Remains gloomily indifferent to the island's disintegration. ### [The Four Following Days](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xxii-the-four-following-days) Sits apart from the others, gazing at the sea in an absent, indifferent manner. ### [On a Piece of Ice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xxiii-on-a-piece-of-ice) Emerges from silence to propose using compressed air to refreeze the ice, saving the group. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/chapters/part-ii-xxiv-conclusion) Regains his speech and proposes a meeting in thirty-six years for the next eclipse. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/characters/thomas_black - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fur_country_se/characters