Ungava

by R.M. Ballantyne

It is the mid-19th century. A group of trappers working in a North American fur-trader settlement are commissioned by the Hudson’s Bay Company to undertake the long and dangerous journey to the northern extremities of Hudson’s Bay to open a new trading post with the Eskimo. The Stanley family are amount the group healing for the frontier outpost.
For Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, their young daughter Eda, and the group of hearty trappers that accompany them, the weeks of perilous travel by canoe will only be the beginning of their adventures as they encounter dangerous bears, life-threatening snowstorms, hostile Indian tribes, and many other challenges — while constructing a trading post in the farthest reaches of the North American wilds...

R. M. Ballantyne (1825-1894) was a Scottish juvenile fiction writer. Born Robert Michael Ballantyne in Edinburgh, he was part of a famous family of printers and publishers. In 1848 he published his first book, Hudson's Bay: or, Life in the Wilds of North America. For some time he was employed by Messrs Constable, the publishers, but in 1856 he gave up business for the profession of literature, and began the series of adventure stories for the young with which his name is popularly associated. The Young Fur-Traders (1856), The Coral Island (1857), The World of Ice (1859), Ungava: A Tale of Eskimo Land (1857), The Dog Crusoe (1860), The Lighthouse (1865), Deep Down, a Tale of the Cornish Mines (1868), The Pirate City (1874), Erling the Bold (1869), The Settler and the Savage (1877), and other books, to the number of upwards of a hundred, followed in regular succession, his rule being in every case to write as far as possible from personal knowledge of the scenes he described.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Childrens, Adventure

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1857

About the author

R. M. Ballantyne was a Scottish writer of juvenile fiction.

Born Robert Michael Ballantyne in Edinburgh, he was part of a famous family of printers and publishers. At the age of 16 he went to Canada and where he served for six years with the Hudson's Bay Company. He returned to Scotland in 1847, and published his first book the following year, Hudson's Bay: or Life in the Wilds of North America. For some time he was employed by Messrs Constable, the publishers, but in 1856 he gave up business for literature, and began the series of adventure stories for the young with which his name is popularly associated.

Reviews

[Moira Mackinnon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was inspired, and very loosely based, on the life and family of my ancestor, Nicol Finlayson, who with his wife Betsy Kennedy, was the first fur trader to establish Fort Chimo in Ungava. R.M. Ballantyne married one of Nicol's nieces, and knew him during his own brief sojourn with the Hudson Bay Company. He sought Nicol, who was by then retired and living in Scotland, out when he needed ideas for another book.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fun read for me as I will be traveling to that area for a canoe trip this summer. Written in the 1850's it is of a style that was also fairly entertaining given the little I read from that era. Kind of what I think would be considered Young Adult literature today, but I'm not sure who the intended audience would have been back when it was written. Just a fun adventure taking place in a landscape not many people know much about - the Ungava Peninsula. I'm glad I read it and suspect anyone interested in wilderness travel in the far north would as well.

[Martin Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book and a fantastic story that I found really captivating. A tale of early settlers in the remote northern areas of Canada, with many unusual challenges. I enjoyed the fact that the writing style was so old 1780s I think, that I required a good dictionary to find in excess of a dozen words I had never came across. A fictional story based on factual experiences.

[Levi W. A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give it a 7 out of 10 🌟.

[Doug Frizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read with very real descriptions of the terrain from James Bay to Ungava. I started this book becuse I spent a summer in remote Ungava Bay as a surveyor. It was so many years ago that I am not sure if I was ever on the civilized loactions of this bay. Neither can I recall meeting any of the peoples there. (I later travelled extensively in the Artic and Labrador regions and did visit those peoples.)
Anyhow this book brought back the geography and the people.
I loved the story, too!!! Remember is was written a long time ago!!!

[Brian Blondahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good account of life in northern Quebec 200 years ago. I loved the vernacular of the day and the situations they got into. This not only shows the life of explorers,voyageurs,and both native groups Inuit (or Esquimaux as they were called then.) and the Indian rivals. but shows a lot of the culture of the Late 18th century.

[Marianne Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book to live in the past. I abhor fur trade, but this book set in the past, gives a view of the world of plenty and adventure as it was once.
Another book which I have read end to end unabridged several times over.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.