George 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."
- Lois Winslow-Spragge
"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."
- Anne Byers, Ottawa
Authors
- Bibliography, etc. Note
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 200) and index
- Control Number Identifier
- CaOOCEL
- Dewey Decimal Classification Number
- 551/.092
- Dewey Decimal Edition Number
- 20
- General Note
- Originally published: Toronto [Ont.] : Natural Heritage/Natural History, c1993 Issued as part of the desLibris books collection
- Geographic Area Code
- n-cn---
- ISBN
- 9781554882441 0920474616
- LCCN
- QE22.D28
- LCCN Item number
- W56 1993eb
- Modifying agency
- CaBNVSL
- Original cataloging agency
- CaBNVSL
- Physical Description | Extent
- 1 electronic text (208 p.)
- Published in
- Canada
- Publisher or Distributor Number
- CaOOCEL
- Rights
- Access restricted to authorized users and institutions
- System Control Number
- (CaBNVSL)thg00602995 (OCoLC)281674700 (CaOOCEL)410457
- System Details Note
- Mode of access: World Wide Web
- Transcribing agency
- CaBNVSL
Table of Contents
- Contents 6
- Foreword 7
- Editor's Introduction 8
- The "Little Doctor," George Mercer Dawson 10
- A Brief Biography 12
- George and His Grandfather 14
- Childhood Essays 20
- A Boyhood Diary 28
- A Voyage to Great Britain with Father 34
- Summers on the Lower St. Lawrence River 44
- A Voyage by Sail to Great Britain 50
- First Year at the Royal School of Mines, London, 1869-70 58
- Summer 1870, with Parents in Scotland 70
- Second Year at the Royal School of Mines, 1870-71 72
- A Summer of Field Work in the English Lake District 80
- Third Year at the Royal School of Mines, 1871-72 85
- Geologist/Naturalist on the British North American Boundary Commission 102
- Enduring Achievements with the Geological Survey of Canada 120
- Life and Exploration on the Western Frontier 123
- Pioneering Work in a New Land: Dawson and the Yukon 144
- Ethnological Endeavours 149
- Glimpses at George's Personal Life 153
- Anna: An Enduring Friend 156
- A Loyal Son and Sibling 170
- Contributions to Queen and Country: The Bering Sea Commission 176
- A Wide-Ranging Mind 183
- Selected Poems of George Mercer Dawson 186
- Science and Exploration in Canada 195
- The Lasting Legacy of George Mercer Dawson 198
- For Further Reading 201
- About the Author 202
- About the Editor 203
- Visual Credits 204
- Index 205
- A 205
- B 205
- C 205
- D 205
- E 206
- F 207
- G 207
- H 207
- I 207
- J 207
- K 207
- L 208
- M 208
- N 208
- O 208
- P 208
- R 208
- S 209
- T 209
- V 209
- W 209
- Y 209
- Z 209
