Across The Land A Canadian Journey Of Discovery

The reader is taken on a fascinating cross-Canada journey, visiting the people, geography, history and idiosyncrasies of this great country. The author acts as your travelling companion and tour guide. Buckle up your seat belt and prepare for a fun-filled trip. You will visit all of the major traveler's destinations, but also many out-of-the-way, special corners of the nation. You will learn many interesting vignettes of Canadian history and pick up local folklore and anecdotes along the way. At the end, you'll want to head out yourself to see first-hand some new parts of Canada that intrigue you. There are 14 maps to help you follow the route of the journey. In the appendices are 'top-ten' lists and a trivia quiz to remind you of the trip and to recall the experiences.

This Canadian classic, by one of the country's beloved authors, is a personal journey through time and space to the heart of family and the soul of the Canadian experience. Drifting Home is an account of a journey by Pierre Berton and his family as they raft down the Yukon River from Lake Bennett, British Columbia, to Dawson in the Yukon Territory. It is a meditation on family and childhood and the small moments from which memories are drawn. It is also a tribute by a son to his father. During the Klondike summer of 1898, Francis George Berton paddled the waters of this historic river. Berton was one of the pioneering adventurers who sought his fortune in the goldfields of the north. When the gold rush ended and the crowds left, he stayed on in Dawson City, Yukon, as government mining recorder, married and started a family. It was there, in Canada's most famous ghost town, that Pierre Berton spent his vividly remembered childhood. Through a unique blending of nostalgia, his deep love of the land and his unrivalled knowledge of the history and the area, Pierre Berton has created this magical tale.

Delve into the narrative of Stephen Butler Leacock's exploration of the Canadian West in 'My Discovery of the West. A Discussion of East and West in Canada'. Through vivid chapters, Leacock unveils the significance of Saskatchewan's wheat fields and encounters the wilderness of Eldorado. From the intriguing concept of social credit to the majestic landscapes of British Columbia, Leacock's journey offers profound insights into the provinces, dominion, railway challenges, immigration, and the dreams that shape this evolving nation.

Spurred on by reports of gold in the Cariboo, adventurers from all over the world descended on British Columbia in the mid-1800s. Among them were ambitious easterners who accepted the challenge of the shorter but more arduous overland route across the prairies and the Rockies. One such man determined to find his fortune in the West was Thomas McMicking -- destined to lead the largest and best organized group of 'Overlanders' into British Columbia. His record of their epic journey is a valuable historical document that possesses the universal appeal of an adventure story. McMicking presents a vivid image of the hardships of the overland route, the dangers, both real and imagined -- like the apparently threatening Plains Indians who turned out to be 'our best friends' -- facts about important officials and settlements, and scientific observations of the physical environment. But this is also a very human document that describes a journey of self- discovery revealing a sensitive man's encounter with a bountiful and beautiful yet hostile and alien land.

Imagine taking on the challenge of a cross-Canada canoe adventure: to live outdoors for months at a time, to embark on your destination knowing you have 8,515 kilometres ahead of you to paddle. Canoe for Change is the story of husband-and-wife team Glenn Green and Carol VandenEngel who took on this gift and privilege to see Canada from thousand-year-old water trails and form connections to nature that many have lost. Traversing through oceans, rivers, lakes and creeks, the couple completed a three-year paddle across Canada from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Manoeuvring tidal currents, high winds and waves, pulling their canoe over the Rocky Mountains, paddling through badlands, seeing wolves and bears on remote shorelines, they experienced Canada's natural beauty from the water's edge. Along the way, they found perseverance, companionship and self-discovery. In exploring this great land full of amazing diversity, one of their most remarkable memories is of the friendliness, kindness and generosity bestowed upon them by their fellow Canadians. Listen to the sound the paddle makes as it dips into the water and taste true freedom...after all, it is not a race but a retirement cruise. Outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers will find fascination and inspiration in Canoe for Change, while travellers and paddlers looking for a new way to see Canada will find helpful information about routes, equipment and logistics.

This anthology is an entry point into the beginnings of a literate response to the awe and wonder inspired by an unfolding geography.