"CAESAR CASCABEL recounts the journey of the travelling circus of the Cascabel family, from Sacramento as far as European Russia, while passing by Canada, Alaska, the Strait of Behring and Siberia. The head of the Cascabel household had to start this perilous voyage after the money intended to pay the tickets of the boat, which was to take them along to France from New York, was stolen by thieves. So, Caesar crosses initially the vast forests of Canada. At the border of Alaska, they save the life of Mr Jean, a banished Russian aristocrat who had been just attacked by outlaws. They also make the acquaintance on this occasion of Kayette, a young Indian woman, who had also dashed for the noble Russian.
After having waited a few weeks that the Strait of Behring freezes, all the family finally thrustes upon the sea of ice but, in the medium of the crossing, the temperature of the air increases dangerously and the ice is parcelled out. The caravan of the Cascabels is detached soon from the ice-barrier on an iceberg and our heroes start to drift across the Arctic Ocean. When the Cascabels finally manage to reach the northern coast of Siberia, they are made prisoners by a local tribe who requires from them a ransom for their release that they cannot obviously provide. Next spring, César Cascabel, by using its gift of ventriloquy, frightens the chief of the tribe and manages to obtain his release. The Cascabel company, meanwhile, increased its numbers with two Russian sailors who were also prisoners. These sailors are in fact the two brigands who had attacked Mr Jean in the Canadian forest. They now envisage to rob Cascabel, with the assistance of accomplices, when the company is crossing the chain of the Ural. Meanwhile, Jean and Kayette fall in love and see with anxiety come the time of the separation."
Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar
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