40 Years With an Eagle in His Breast

About the Book

I have many friends about the world to whom I write a yearly newsletter of my travels, varied occupations and small adventures. Many of these friends have been after me for years to write a book about it al. this is that book; from birth, November 23, 1919, in a storm on the Tasman Sea, until seriously crippled by Polio, in February, 1960, at Burns Lake, British Columbia.

We arrived in Vancouver, BC in 1920 and moved to Bunsen where my little sister was born. From there on we moved every year to two, from the Kispiox Valley in Northern BC to Carmel California and from Prince Rupert, BC to Edmonton, Alberta.

I was born afraid of everything, especially the dark, and was weak, sickly and clumsy, but a cheerful little boy. At puberty things changed; I became morose and quick tempered but my manual and mental abilities became high. I became ashamed of my timidity and fear of the dark. This fear was crippling me so I decided to do something about it. My cure was drastic but successful and I went on to cure other fears until I was no longer even afraid of fear itself.

Then I went to work on other things that I did not like about myself. It was a long, hard struggle that is still going on over 70 years later.

The itchy feet donated by my parents kept me on the move and trying new experiences from the time I left home to join the army in September 1939. Six years later after British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Britain, and Western Europe, I was discharged in Vancouver, BC. Unsettled and fed up with "civilization" and it's wars, I took a canoe up the Pacific Coast to Bella Coola and followed Alexander McKenzie's route across the continent to Montreal and on to New York.

Home again, I worked at many jobs: logger, rancher, carpenter, assistant Forest Ranger, etc. Then, fed up with the cold of northern BC, I moved to the South Pacific for five years. Again many jobs, many Unions and much travel; Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, in a small ketch.

Returned to Burns Lake, BC where I built a small house for a friend, then on to Kitimat to work on a tug-boat for the winter. In the spring, back to the Burns Lake area and bought a small ranch. Here I worked on the place in summer and in the bush in winter.

In February 1960, I left Burns Lake by plane on a stretcher.

A good illustrated book for those with itchy feet who lack the money, ability or nerve to scratch them.

Reader Comments

My dear Brother Pete:

I finally finished your book and what a book! Did you write it just for me, so that I would get to know the real Pete?... I spent my whole Christmas/New Year's break reading, carrying it everywhere I went, it was one big and heavy book (big fonts, I like it, no need to carry my spectacles) I couldn't put it down until I finished it and I knew it is good stuff when it awakened all my senses.

The Pete from the book: - the iron man, DON JUAN, forest ranger, sea-farer, farmer, logger, rancher, soldier (who wears a kilt and plays the bag pipes), adventurer, naturalist, miner, sportive, musical, creative, intelligent, funny, kind hearted, generous, witty, mischievous and I can't forget VERY GOOD LOOKING.

The senses I felt from the book: - the agony, cold, wet, muscle aches, sore mouth, pickled body, wind burns, frost-bite, sea-sick, illness, rough sun-tanned skin, broken bones, heat, humidity, the copulation, and AH, THE HOT BATH!!! As the Chinese would say, the 5 tastes are all there, sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and salty.

The Pete I met: - an old Scottish fella, rather opinionated, proud, a true gentleman and a great gardener...

Can't wait for part 2 of your book, are you working on it yet? Pronto, vite, vite...

A. W., Gloucester, Ontario

Pete: Dave and I are enjoying the detailed history.

Sincerely, D. and C. A., Canoe, British Columbia

Dear Pete:

You have always had a good capacity to make details interesting.

J.W., Victoria, British Columbia

Pete, I am enjoying your book and have just gotten to the war years and I find it very interesting.

C.S., Victoria British Columbia

You are a very decent man, Pete, a man whom I have admired greatly from the very first time you commenced coming to Mum and Dad's home, our entire family has always held a special place for you in our hearts.

G.A., Queensland, Australia

Very interesting reading, also the pictures and the way it is layed out.

J.H., Hagensbarg, British Columbia

Dear Pete:

Sure enjoying reading it and looking at the pictures -- takes you back to the good old days, eh!... A couple of people I know would enjoy having a copy of your book!

R.M., Smithers, British Columbia

Dear Pete:

I was so thrilled to get your book. It's the best XMas present ever. It came on Friday. So I haven't quite read it all yet, but I did stay up till 1 o'clock one night reading it -- I always go to bed at 9. So you see I really was enjoying it.

Thanks so much,

M.B., Calgary, Alberta

Dear Pete:

It brings back the war so clearly and Horsham and the flat. I just wish my ma was alive, she would have loved it. Thank you so much for the terrific book.

H.G., Canterbury, England

"Thank you for the book. I couldn't put it down long enough to get the map to follow your wanderings - now I'll have to get the maps out and go over it again!

"I found your triumphs and tribulations very interesting and most entertaining at times."

Betty, Smithers, British Columbia

"I have just finished reading your excellent book 40 YEARS WITH AN EAGLE IN HIS BREAST. I found your autobiography absolutely fascinating..."

"I think you have lived a most interesting, almost fabulous life which you narrate in such detail that it really becomes alive to the reader."

"I look forward to the sequel to 40 YEARS WITH AN EAGLE IN HIS BREAST"

George, Victoria, British Columbia

"Very pleasant reading. Pick up the book and relax."

Reader in New Zealand

About the Author

Born at sea in a storm to follow a lifetime of change and adventure. Landed first in New Zealand, crossed the Pacific as an infant, never lived more than seven years in one place on the West coast of North America from the Kispiox Valley in British Columbia to Carmel, California - went to war for six years as a piper and runner, including the D-Day assault on Normandy - crossed North America alone in a canoe from Pacific to Atlantic - worked at many, varied occupations - operated a small saw mill single handed - travelled and worked in the South Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands (in a 40' ketch) - started a small cattle ranch in north-central British Columbia.

A school drop-out who learned a useful amount of 15 languages, was capable and confident in numerous occupations (belonged to 8 unions), taught swimming and jiu-jitsu. He travelled hundreds of miles on foot, hundreds on skis and snowshoes, hundreds on horseback, thousands by canoe and thousands by sailboat.

All by the age of 40 when seriously crippled by Polio.