Superior Illusions

John Abbott is a professor of history at Laurentian University’s Algoma University College. He is the co-author of The Border at Sault Ste Marie and The History of Fort St. Joseph.

On opening this curious little book, readers are introduced to Dugald
McLeod, and through him to the myriad social, economic, geographic, and
political elements that characterized the fur trade organized out of
Montreal some 200 years ago. The author uses a “poetic” mode of
address to relate the tale. This strategy succeeds thanks to Pope’s
knowledge of, and passion for, his subject. His ballad-like text is rich
with the history of the Scottish background to the Canadian fur trade
(and some of its principal characters) and, above all, with its
fascinating details: commercial, logistical, and geographic.

The author’s talent is complemented by that of the illustrator. The
harmonious outcome of this symbiotic relationship may be seen on pages
20 and 21, where Pope’s description of loading canoes at La Chine is
graphically conveyed by Broadfoot’s illustration on the opposite page.
Readers of this book will be captivated by its magic and momentum.