No Ordinary Man: George Mercer DawsonGeorge Mercer Dawson was indeed no ordinary man. Born in 1849, son of the first Principal of McGill University, Dawson defied health circumstances that would have defeated many people and went on to become one of our most exceptional Canadians. As a geologist in the British North American Boundary Commission between Canada and the U.S.A. and as Director of the Geological Survey of Canada in 1895, Dawson examined and explored every aspect of Canada's unknown territories. This collection of writings, letters, diaries and essays begins with the young George and moves through his developing years to his adult life. "He climbed, walked and rode on horseback over more of Canada than any other member of the Geological Survey of Canada at that time -- yet to look at him, one would not think him capable of a day's hard physical labour .... It was his hand that first traced upon vacant maps the geological formations of the Yukon and much of British Columbia." "To read about him is like taking a drink of water from a cool, unpolluted spring. His sense of values was so great that he once said he didn't care much for money or possessions. All he wanted was what he could hold in his canoe." |
From inside the book
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... look . A stream heavily overhung with alders wound its way down the eastern side , where the Science Buildings now stand . George's adventures on stream and campus foreshadowed in minia- ture his greater experiences later , on the ...
... look like [ ... ] - but are in fact Beacons on light houses to guide the mariner through in dark nights , when in the middle of the lake we passed another great Raft - hence the appearance of the [ Houses ] all around us looked very ...
... Look into your hearts and see whether it is most likely to break out into Anger , or Lying or selfishness , and set to work at once ( asking for the help of Gods spirit ) to put out the fire of sin , whatever it may be . With my love to ...
... look with < its > { his } dark < main a > { mane } its { his } glaring eyes and his majestic step . Lions gain their food by combined strength and cunning as they lie in ambush near some path which they know to be frequented by cattle ...
... look in at our front windows . The musquitoes here are abundant . at home when you see any- thing flying along in the dusk you look twice at it to see if it realy is a musquito , but here you never need to do that ; hit at any thing you ...
Contents
Life and Exploration on the Western Frontier | 122 |
Dawson and the Yukon | 143 |
Ethnological Endeavours | 148 |
Glimpses at Georges Personal Life | 152 |
An Enduring Friend | 155 |
A Loyal Son and Sibling | 169 |
The Bering Sea Commission | 175 |
A WideRanging Mind | 182 |
43 | |
A Voyage by Sail to Great Britain | 49 |
First Year at the Royal School of Mines London 186970 | 57 |
Summer 1870 with Parents in Scotland | 69 |
Second Year at the Royal School of Mines 187071 | 71 |
A Summer of Field Work in the English Lake District | 79 |
Third Year at the Royal School of Mines 187172 | 84 |
GeologistNaturalist on the British North American Boundary Commission | 101 |
Enduring Achievements with the Geological Survey of Canada | 119 |
Selected Poems of George Mercer Dawson | 185 |
Science and Exploration in Canada | 194 |
The Lasting Legacy of George Mercer Dawson | 197 |
For Further Reading | 200 |
About the Author | 201 |
About the Editor | 202 |
Visual Credits | 203 |
Index | 204 |