Description
Prophecy of the Swan covers twenty-nine years in the
history of the Peace River valley in northeastern British Columbia. A
vivid portrayal of life in some of the most isolated fur trade posts,
it describes the intense competition between the North West and the
Hudson's Bay companies, the individuals who were involved in
exploration and commerce, and, finally, the shocking 'massacre of
St. Johns.' It is unique in its integration of historic information
and archaeological discovery, as it combines information recovered from
many years of archaeological excavation with first-hand impressions of
day-to-day life drawn from the few existing journals kept by company
clerks.
Reviews
A model of cross-disciplinary scholarship, this study will be treasured by historians and archaeologists for its scope, its methodology, its attention to detail, and its recovery of a past now, alas, of very distant memory.
- B.M. Gough
The authors masterfully document their recovery efforts and present a reliable chronicle of the upper Peace River fur trade ... Students interested in Western Canadian, fur trade, and First Nations history will find much to admire in this book.
- John W. Heaton
Burley et al have produced a highly readable account of ... events, and an excellent introduction to histoprical archaeology in northern BC.
- Peter Whitridge