Compare Port’s journey with Kit’s journey: For what is he searching? To what does Kit aspire? How are their respective journeys resolved?

Why does Tunner accompany Port and Kit, according to their various perspectives? That is, Tunner’s purpose on the trip is viewed differently by each character. How does his presence shape the narrative?

Though the native characters in the book are peripheral to the main characters, they do play significant parts in the development of the narrative. How are they described? What roles do they play? How might the narrative change if the author’s focus was solely on the Westerners, or more specifically, on the natives?