Return of the Rangers
excerpt from the historical novel Northwest Passage
by Kenneth Roberts
Kenneth Lewis Roberts (December 8, 1885
– July 21, 1957) was an American author
of historical novels. Roberts worked first as
a journalist, becoming nationally known
for his work with the Saturday Evening
Post from 1919 to 1928, and then as a
popular novelist. Born in Kennebunk,
Maine, Roberts specialized in Regionalist
historical fiction. He often wrote about his
native state and its terrain, also depicting
other upper New England states and
scenes. For example, the heroes of
Arundel and Rabble in Arms are from
Kennebunk (then called Arundel), while
Langdon Towne, the chief character of
Roberts's Northwest Passage, is depicted as
being from Kittery, Maine with friends in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Robert Rogers (November 7, 1731--May
18, 1795) was an American colonial
frontiersman. Rogers served in the
British army during both the French and
Indian War and the American
Revolution. During the French and
Indian War Rogers raised and
commanded the famous Rogers'
Rangers.
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic
Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via
waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago,
connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The various
islands of the archipelago are separated from one
another and the Canadian mainland by a series of
Arctic waterways collectively known as the Northwest
Passages or Northwestern Passages.
The Ammonoosuc River
1. Describe the general situation of
the men at the beginning of the
excerpt.
They are trying to reach help for the
men who are stranded without
food, but they themselves are also
starving and must go through the
inhospitable wilderness as they
try to return.
2. Name one of the two animals that
Langdon shoots for the men to
eat.
He shoots squirrels and a partridge.
3. What does Rogers do while Langdon and
Ogden hunt?
He burns down trees to use for a raft.
4. What physical obstacle
must they work to
overcome in this
portion of their
journey?
They must safely get over
a set of falls they are
approaching.
5. What is their biggest
personal difficulty in
trying to overcome
this obstacle?
They are all starving and
very weak.
The Lower Falls of the Ammonoosuc
6. What do the woodcutters do for Major Rogers
and his men?
The woodcutters give them some food and take
them back to the fort.
7. Who will lead the soldiers back to the mouth of
the Ammonoosuc?
Major Rogers will lead the soldiers back.
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“Even Rogers was supine for a time—
though not for long. He got to his knees. ‘This is
no place to stay,’ he said. ‘We can’t stay anywhere without a fire. We’d freeze. There’ll be
wood on the bank below the falls.’ He stood up,
swaying. ‘That’s where we go next,’ he said.
‘Come on.’ ”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“Rogers was covered with scars—red scars,
blue scars, white scars. Some were bullet
wounds, while others looked as though made by
the claws or teeth of animals.”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“‘We’ll have to eat,’ Rogers said. ‘If we don’t
get something in us we can’t stick on the raft.’
‘What raft?’ Ogden asked.
‘We’ll get a raft,’ Rogers said.
‘I don’t know how,’ Ogden said. ‘If I try to
swing a hatchet, I’ll cut off my legs.’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ Rogers said. ‘I’ll
get the raft if you’ll find the food.’ ”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“When we returned to the falls, all six trees
were down, and under each burned two fires, so
to separate them into proper lengths for a raft.
Rogers sat at the edge of the stream, his
forehead resting on his drawn-up knees, and
beside him lay Billy, asleep.”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“Those falls, I realized, hadn’t been out of his
mind all day. That was why he had insisted on
making the rope of hazel switches.”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“‘Who’s in command of this fort?’ Rogers
said.
‘We don’t know his name, Major,’ a soldier
said huskily. ‘We’re strangers here.’
‘Go get him,’ Rogers ordered.
Three Provincials jumped together for the
door at the end of the room, jostling and tripping in their haste.”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“Rogers rose wavering to his feet, then straightened
himself to his full height and seemed to fill the room. In a
strained, hoarse voice he said: ‘Today! Today! Now! Can’t
you realize there’s a hundred Rangers at the mouth of the
Ammonoosuc, starving! Get men and pay ’em! Get all the
settlers into the fort! Call ’em in! Drum ’em up! I’ll talk to
’em! Get started!’
Bellows stared at him wildly: rushed back to the door
and shouted a name, adding, at the top of his lungs,
‘Assembly! Assembly!’ ”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“‘No, we’ll see Lieutenant Stephens at
Crown Point afterwards,’ Rogers said. ‘Now get
me some beef—fat beef. I’m going back to
Ammonoosuc myself.’ ”
Understanding Character
What can the reader understand about the
character based on the passage?
“‘No, we’ll see Lieutenant Stephens at
Crown Point afterwards,’ Rogers said. ‘Now get
me some beef—fat beef. I’m going back to
Ammonoosuc myself.’ ”