"On the morrow the horizon was covered with clouds- a thick and impenetrable curtain between earth and sky, which unhappily extended as far as the Rocky Mountains. It was a fatality!"

This quote from Jules Verne's novel talks to the concept of fate and the power of nature. The horizon is described as being covered with clouds, developing a thick and impenetrable drape between the earth and sky. This drape of clouds extends as far as the Rocky Mountains, creating a sense of inevitability and despair. Making use of the word "casualty" implies that this is an inescapable occasion, and that the characters in the novel are powerless to stop it. This quote speaks to the idea that nature is unforeseeable and unmanageable, and that often we should accept the important things that run out our control. It likewise speaks with the concept that fate is an effective force, which sometimes we should accept the things that are suggested to be.