I'm reading Ernie Lyall's autobiography right now and I've just got to tell you about this story. I never met Ernie but he was well known in the north. I did teach his son Pat. They lived at Spence Bay NWT and Pat attended school in Inuvik which was 1000 miles away from his home.
Ernie Lyall was born somewhere on the Labrador coast in 1910. He spent some of his growing up years at Port Burwell, Canada where his Dad worked for a Moravian mission. There was no school so his parents and a police officer taught him some very basic numbers and reading. Ernie went to a Moravian boarding school for two years and that was his education.
Ernie decided to go working for the Hudson Bay company as a fur trader. When he was 17 years old in 1927, he set off in the company ship not knowing where he would be placed.
This was the beginning of his 65 years in the arctic.
At that time the Hudson Bay ship, the Nascopie, took supplies and staff into the Arctic every summer. It would be the next summer before the ship came back. They picked Ernie up and put him at another post. He also got letters from home. So he got mail once a year. There was no radio contact as the Technology hadn't been developed. He became fluent in the Inuit language and many times was used as in interpreter for the police and government.
It was four years before he went south to visit his parents. It took him four months to travel to his parents home in Labrador.
The next summer he went back to the north and he loved the north so stayed there. He made many very long trips with dog teams. Many of these trips were incredibly tough.
He was moved many times from trading post to trading post.
He fell in love with and Inuit girl and he married Napisha and they had 8 children.
He said he wrote the book because there was so much bullshit out there that he wanted to correct it. He spent much time criticizing a well known Canadian author , Farley Mowat. Farley Mowat wrote several books on the arctic and usually only spent a short time in the north where he put together enough information to write a book. I've read ten of Mowat's books and liked them as Farley tells a good story.
Later in life Ernie was hired by the government for various jobs. One of his many jobs was Justice of the peace. He said that the first wedding he did that he was more nervous than the groom.
So Ernie has filled this book with many incredulous adventures during his 65 years in the Arctic. I loved all of his stories. His stories make you feel as if you were right there with him. They make sense to me as I was in the North.
That's a biography I would enjoy reading Red. What an amazing life that man must have led. Maybe you should write your own biography!
ReplyDeleteLiving in an isolated area you're it so mater what comes up you have to do it.
DeleteI'd like to read that. The technologies and conveniences of the past were so different to what we have now that I think anyone who lived 100 years ago was an adventurer
ReplyDeleteYes, he was born 111 years ago. thing have certainly changed.
DeleteThat sounds an interesting read, though not a life I would have wanted to live - not tough enough! It's rarely the case that the people who live the life also write the book.
ReplyDeleteYou make a point I hadn't thought of before. Usually somebody else writes the book.
DeleteThat sounds like a great book on the North! I’m with him on Farley Mowat!
ReplyDeleteFarley Mowat certainly made some enemies.
DeleteI would like to read more about this man and his adventures in the Arctic. What a life he had there.
ReplyDeleteThere's only the one book. I enjoyed it because I was familiar with many of the things he wrote about.
DeleteInteresting! I'm sure you identify with the book since you're so familiar with that area and the people and culture.
ReplyDeleteYes, the book makes very much sense to me.
DeleteI love his face in the last photograph - it has a lot to tell.
ReplyDeleteWhen you're in the north you're the only one so you have to be prepared to do everything.
DeleteWhat an interesting life! I have heard that about Mowat. Many aren't thrilled with the fiction he wrote, due to his inaccuracies.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind his fiction. It's the nonfiction where he plays fast and loose with the truth is the problem.
DeleteThe only Mowat book I have read is "Owls in the Family", a book for young people, one I loved, and shared with my students.
ReplyDeleteThis book seems perfect for you.
You should read the Dog Who Wouldn't Be as younger kids would have liked that story.
DeleteNow it's on my list of books to read. Thanks! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt makes a lot of sense to me as I new similar situations well.
DeleteWhat a fascinating book this must be. It must have been especially interesting for you since you lived in the North and taught his son. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteBeing somewhat familiar with the situation made it that much more interesting.
DeleteWouldn't want to live that life, but might want to read about it. For people's info., the book is on amazon.
ReplyDeleteYes, I saw that you can still get the book. People aren't living that life anymore.
DeleteQuite a life lived.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing that he told his story.
DeleteGod love a man with the perseverance wo endure this live.
ReplyDeleteTo him that was normal.
DeleteSounds really interesting. Thanks for the heads-up on this book.
ReplyDeleteIf you're interested in the North and the outdoors it's an interesting read.
DeleteWhen I lived in Midland Michigan, our bishop was Bill Gordon, an amazing man. He spent most of his career working in Alaska. He's gone from our world now, but there is a very interesting book about his life in the north, as well. https://www.amazon.com/An-Angel-on-His-Wing/dp/1532679475
ReplyDeletePS I was able to locate your suggestion and have just bought it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting Red! Stay warm, and thanks for the warmer weather!
ReplyDeleteYour enthusiasm for Ernie Lyall's writing comes across loud and clear. You have sometimes written about The North here in your blog and I have very much enjoyed those posts. Perhaps you can write more about teaching Inuit children and what the Inuits taught you.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good read. I'll have to see if I can find it.
ReplyDeleteWow! that sounds like an mazing book. Think, I will get it soon.
ReplyDeleteGosh... He was taught basic reading and math and was able to write a book. That is awesome! I did read Farley Mowat's Never Cry Wolf and loved it. I didn't like the movie as much as the book though.
ReplyDelete