After reading the chapter encounter with nature the question arises. What is nature and why did American historical figures such as poets and writers devote much of their time to writing about nature. Well, the answer is quite simple. Nature is part of us and part of history. This cannot be avoided. After reading this nature causes many natural disasters such as snow and freezing temperatures. Many classic stories are about the cold of winter and survival. Moby Dick is about the captain's goal to find the great white whale. Nature is a beautiful thing but it can also be devastating. Natural disasters such as those in the ocean can be deadly. Tidal waves are just one example of what the ocean can do. These massive waves can crash into entire cities, destroying everything in their path. Sea creatures such as whales and sharks can be deadly. Even though there is a low chance of being killed by one, things can still happen. Creatures such as the whales depicted in Moby Dick can be an enjoyable but also deadly sight. In the book, the ship's captain lost his leg in a previous encounter with a whale. When the crew set off in pursuit of Moby Dick, it broke apart and billowed huge waves toward the boat and attacked. He destroyed the ship. The panicked crew was scattered around the boat. In the end, nature took over because Moby Dick scared the crew. But it was humans who had the last laugh when they killed the gigantic whale. Frosty and cold winters are another force of nature. In Indian times and before the advent of modern housing, people had to survive in the cold. Often people lived on top of mountains or by a river. When winter hit the hardest, it was difficult to live. These people used techniques such as making fire, eating wild fruits and killing animals to survive. As in the classic story Rain of Gold, gold was exchanged for food and clothing. It was one of the only ways to harvest food in bad weather. Water was easy to find by almost everyone in the mountains, making it commercial. Everyone was eager to get gold. Mother nature dumped piles of snow on the mountains, making trading in goods a necessity. Snow is a beautiful thing, but when Mother Nature unleashes her full power, it can be deadly..