|
Grey Owl's strange quest 1936 documentary
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
The publisher feels that a short foreword is necessary in
offering this book to the public.
It should be explained that the author is a halfbreed
Indian, whose name has recently become known throughout the
English-speaking world. His father was a Scot, his mother an Apache
Indian of New Mexico, and he was born somewhere near the Rio Grande
forty odd years ago. Grey Owl is the translation of his Red Indian name,
given to him when he became a blood brother of the Ojibways, and his
proper legal style. He trekked, in his early twenties, into Canada and
followed the life of a bush Indian, trapping, fire-ranging and guiding.
During the Great War, he enlisted in the 13th Montreal Battalion, became
a sniper and saw service in France. On his return he took up his old
life as a trapper, but presently found his chief interest in the
preservation of the beaver, which was on the verge of extinction, and
his efforts in that direction have been recognized by the Canadian
Government. He tried his hand at writing an article on Canadian Wild
Life, and his letters to his publisher, from time to time, were so
original, so full of the local colour of his surroundings, that, in
1929, the suggestion was made that he should write this book.
Difficulties have been many, both for author and publisher. The book was
written in many camps, often the author was a hundred miles from the
nearest post office and frequently weather conditions made any journey
impossible. His MS., by no means always easy to follow, was further
complicated by the fact that it had been typewritten by a
French-Canadian who knew little English.
Among the pile of letters and MS. which, in the course of
time, accumulated at the publishers, were several rough but
extraordinarily vivid sketches drawn by the author in pencil on pages
torn from an exercise book; one of these is reproduced here and others
appear as the end papers of this book.
At Grey Owl’s own request, and because the publisher felt
very strongly that much of the value of his work lies in its
individuality, the editing of his MS. has been reduced to a minimum and
alterations have only been made to clear possible ambiguities or where a
phrase would have read too strangely. This will explain to any reader
who may find the author’s language anywhere unnatural that the fault
does not lie with Grey Owl.
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter I. The Vanguard
Chapter II. The Land of Shadows
Chapter III. The Trail
Chapter IV. The Still-Hunt
Chapter V. On Being Lost
Chapter VI. The Fall of the Leaf
Chapter VII. The Tale of the Beaver People
Chapter VIII. The Altar of Mammon
Chapter IX. The House of McGinnis
Chapter X. The Trail of Two Sunsets
Epilogue |
