Egerton R. Young (1840–1909)

I'll have to agree with those who thought this compilation was a bit mediocre. It was. Granted, I see them more as told from the POV of someone explaining these stories to little children, but they just weren't my cuppa. What bothered me most, if these were, indeed, written for children, was the way in which the writer talked down to them, and the lack of reality along some lines was absurd. Still, many of the stories have a little basis in tangible Native American lore. I am just very sure that Native Americans wouldn't talk down to their own children this way.
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A book written by a religious man, I wasn't looking in the religion department of the book store when I found it. And really it was just a lucky find, as I now have two copies of this old book. Rev. Egerton spent many years travelling in the northern regions of Canada in this time before motorized travel. He travelled between communities establishing schools and teaching Christian religious beliefs which were welcomed by the Indians who were hungry for his teaching and keen to learn of a better life in what ever way. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the read. The desolate frozen land where surviving was a challenge throughout the year, and the story was very inspiring and educational to life in this remote part of the world and what the people were like. I found the book an inspiration for travel and not only me, but this book was mentioned by John Foster-Fraser as a book he read prior to doing his famous round the world bicycle expedition in which he left London in 1896 and returned two years later. J.F.F. was the overseas correspondent to the Times newspaper until about 1912. To read this book is an education about dog sleigh travel.… (més)