"The Romance of the Canadian Pacific Railway" by R. G. MacBeth is a captivating exploration of one of Canada's most iconic transportation systems. The book delves into the historical significance of the railway, highlighting its role in connecting vast landscapes and fostering economic growth. MacBeth's vivid descriptions bring to life the breathtaking scenery encountered along the route, from majestic mountains to serene lakes. The narrative intertwines personal stories and broader histor...

"Policing the Plains" by R. G. MacBeth offers a compelling exploration of law enforcement in the Canadian West during the late 19th century. The book delves into the challenges faced by the North-West Mounted Police as they established order in a vast and often lawless territory. MacBeth, drawing from his own experiences, provides vivid accounts of the struggles against crime, the harsh realities of frontier life, and the cultural dynamics between settlers and Indigenous peoples. His narra...

A GREAT TRADITION II ENTER THE MOUNTED POLICE III MOBILIZING IV THE AMAZING MARCH V BUSINESS IN THE LAND OF INDIANS VI HANDLING AMERICAN INDIANS VII THE IRON HORSES VIII RIEL AGAIN IX RECONSTRUCTION X CHANGING SCENERY XI IN THE GOLD COUNTRY XII STIRRING DAYS ABROAD AND AT HOME XIII MODESTY AND EFFECTIVENESS XIV ON LAND AND SEA XV GLORY AND TRAGEDY IN THE NORTH XVI STRIKING INCIDENTS XVII THE GREAT WAR PERIOD 281 XVIII GREAT TRADITIONS UPHELD

First published in 1921. "A few years ago I was away north of Edmonton on the trail of Alexander Mackenzie, fur trader and explorer, who a century and a quarter before had made the amazing journey from the prairies over the mountains to the Pacific Coast. We looked with something like awe and wonder at the site of the old fort near the famous Peace River Crossing, from which, after wintering there in 1792, he had started out on that unprecedented expedition, and we followed up the majestic...

This file includes The Dawn of Canadian History, A Chronicle of Aboriginal Canada and The Mariner of Malo, a Chronicle of the Voyages of Jacque Cartier, both from Chronicles of Canada and both first published in 1914. According to Wikipedia: "Stephen Butler Leacock, FRSC (30 December 1869 – 28 March 1944) was an English-born Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist. In the early part of the 20th century he was the best-known humorist in the English-speaking world."

Like many other pioneering North West Mounted Police officers, Cecil Denny was a colourful, independent man with a career full of conquests and controversy. He and his comrades played key roles in the taming of Canada's wild and woolly west, and in this compilation of selected writings from his books The Law Marches West and The Riders of the Plains, we get that story straight from the horse's mouth. Denny relates the fascinating saga of the newly formed police force's 80...

In this clazzic peice, Manton Marble takes us on a trip through the Red River Valley in the mid nineteenth century. For Manton, this is a pleasure trip, and he shows us the joy of the country and the people of the valley as he accompanies a group of prospectors on the way to Frazer River in search of gold. Included are the sketches from the original serialization and a short background piece, "The People of the Red River."  

Bill Miner, the gentleman bandit, enjoyed more popularity in his day than Jesse James or Billy the Kid. He robbed stagecoaches and trains across California, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Washington State and British Columbia until just before the First World War, by which point the public actually wanted him to escape the police. Reporters visited him during his time in jail and dubbed him "Old Bill Miner." When he died in Georgia, where he had committed the state's first train robbery, loca...

On November 20th, 1903, the cowboy Tom Horn was hanged in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the murder of a fourteen-year-old boy. His trial was almost certainly influenced by sensationalistic “Yellow” journalism and the bitter cattle range wars of the day, and remains controversial even now. Horn had been many things – runaway farm boy, mule skinner, miner, rodeo champion, Pinkerton detective – but his greatest fame had been as a US Army scout and Indian interpreter in the Apache wars.In thi...

On November 20, 1820, Owen Chase was the First Mate of the Whale-Ship "Essex" when it was struck by an enraged Sperm Whale and sunk, stranding the crew in tiny whale-boats 2000 miles away from land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.Of the 21 men who entered the 3 flimsy whale-boats, only 8 ultimately survived to be rescued. A harrowing journey lasting 90 days awaited these crewmen, involving storms, shark-attacks, terrible privation, and in the last resort cannibalism.On h...

A Ride To Remember is a story to keep, from a time when horses carried us over mountain trails, there was no chopper, no I-phone, no GPS, no plastic wrap, but we had everything we needed. It was too good to be true. We were asked to come along on a wonderful horseback trip in the Rocky Mountains in 1947. We always intended to write about our adventure, now two of us who are left are doing just that. From the vantage point of more than 6 decades, we relive our journey through "A Ride To Rem...

Remarkable cattle drives, famous ranches and legendary characters are at the heart of Ken Mather's account of the early days of ranching in British Columbia. These are stories about drovers, ranchers, cowboys and "mud pups" (the remittance men of the ranching industry). You'll meet such people asthe flamboyant Harper brothers, drovers who went on to become the biggest landowners in BC, with interests in the Harper, Perry, Hat Creek and famous Gang ranchesJohnny Wils...