No, not the
heroes in my books.
These are real heroes that I came upon as I researched two novels.
William Francis Butler and William Henry Brewer -- the first Irish-born, the
second American -- were as dissimilar as any two men could be. Yet there were
things they had in common, some trivial, some more important: they share the
same first name, both died in 1910, both showed compassion for the animals that
pulled or carried them on their treks -- Butler for sled dogs and horses,
Brewer for mules -- in an age where service animals were often treated brutally
by their masters. And both had work -- albeit very different -- to do and did
it courageously despite undergoing terrible physical hardships.
William Francis Butler October 31, 1838 – June 7, 1910)
Though Irish and Catholic, he is best known as a British Army officer, writer,
and adventurer.
His exciting life in the army brought him to western Canada several times, one
of his missions for the Canadian government to report on the state of the fur
trade, the Indians and to investigate the need for troops in the west. Largely
due to his report, the Canadian government formed the North West Mounted
Police, which evolved into the RCMP.
Army commissions took him all over the world to posts in places such as India,
Canada, West Africa, South Africa, Sudan... He rose to the rank of Lieutenant
General, opposed the Boer war, for which he was criticized, even branded a
maverick by the War Office, supported Home Rule for Ireland.
In 1872 Butler published "The Great Lone Land" the story of his four
thousand mile journey through the Canadian west, an epic adventure that details
the undertaking in such a way that reveals as much about his humanity and
integrity as it does about the beauty and dangers of the land he traverses.
William Henry Brewer September 14, 1828 -- November 2, 1910
American scientist, botanist, teacher, born New York, attended Yale, then
studied natural science, organic chemistry, and chemistry in Europe. During the
years 1860-1864, Brewer was the chief botanist of the California Geological
Survey, a comprehensive survey of the geology of California and the Pacific
Coast. His journals and letters from that time were published 1930 as Up and
Down California in 1860-1864.
He and his stalwart party zigzagged through California, charting many
previously unexplored areas, veering from blistering desert heat to bitter high
mountain cold. These often punishing treks, from
Mount Brewer, in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, is named after him.
His recommendations about Alaska led to its purchase by the United States in
1867.
Brewer was known for his extensive work in public service.
– Cat
Did you ever read the memoirs Of a person who’s long dead, Survived
famine, flood, and major wars And now is messing with your head?