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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... passed away . Their places were taken by others who accomplished great feats travelling over the continent into unknown tracts of land . Then , with white settlement advancing , there came the first geologists , mapmakers , missionaries ...
... light in the night time to warn vessels going up or down the River to Reef clear - soon after passing this we entered St Peters Lake , which is merely an expansion of the NO ORDINARY MAN / 13 George and His Grandfather.
... passed another great Raft - hence the appearance of the [ Houses ] all around us looked very queer . The country all around is very low and level , so that we could see nothing of the land at all , nothing but the Tops of the Trees here ...
... passed Cacouna at 1/2 past 7 saw Marquis house and beach . kept up in sight of St David all day gradually gaining passed her at nine . water phosporessant . weather very fine . July 9th . Sunday . had service on board this morning ...
... passed the bell boy this morning , not long before breakfast , and when we came up from breakfast we were entering the Mercy , 29 in passing up we had a very good view of both banks , we got to Liverpool about 7 o'clock and drove to the ...
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 |