Blake's Burden

by Harold Bindloss

It was a fine morning and Mrs. Keith sat with a companion, enjoying the sunshine, near the end of Dufferin Avenue, which skirts the elevated ground above the city of Quebec. Behind her rose the Heights of Abraham where the dying Wolfe wrested Canada from France; in front, churches, banks, offices and dwellings, curiously combining the old and the very new, rose tier on tier to the great red _Frontenac_ hotel, at which she was staying. It is a picturesque city that climbs back from its noble river; supreme, perhaps, in its situation among Canadian towns, and still retaining something of the exotic stamp set upon it by its first builders whose art was learned in the France of long ago.

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Harold Edward Bindloss (1866 - December 30, 1945) was an English novelist who wrote many adventure novels set in western Canada.

Bindloss was born in Liverpool in 1866. According to his New York Times obituary:

Mr Bindloss was more than 30 years old before he began writing. Previously he had roamed the world, farming in Canada and working in southern climes as a cargo heaver, a planter, and at other jobs.

Broken by malaria he returned to England forty-five years ago and took up office work. But he lost his job when his health broke down and turned to writing in which he found his true vocation. He published some forty novels between the years 1902 and 1943. Many of his books had their locale in Canada. (New York Times, January 2, 1946)

He returned to London. In 1898, he published his first book, a non-fiction account based on his travels in Africa, called In the Niger Country. This was followed by dozens of novels.

Reviews

[Larry Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard Blake, generally known as Dick, was brought up by his uncle, Col. Challoner, to be a soldier. Everyone in the Challoner family were destined to "serve" in the military. That's what Challoners did. But when the book begins, Dick is mucking about in western Canada. He's become a wanderer, seeking adventure. Eventually, we learn that Dick and his cousin, Bertram Challoner, were involved in some military incident in India. Some kind of improper order was given and the blame for it fell on Dick's shoulders, although a few people aren't sure it shouldn't have devolved onto his cousin's shoulders. Whatever, that appears to be "Blake's Burden", that he was declared to have engaged in an act of cowardice in a military affair, and that he is forever to be considered an outcast in "proper society".

Dick gets involved with a guy named Cyrus Harding. Harding thinks there is a kind of sap in northern trees that will make an exceptional shellac. He, Blake, and another guy go off in search. They almost die of starvation and exposure to the severe winter weather, but eventually do make it back to civilization. They didn't find the resin they sought, but did think they might have found oil.

Well, things go on back and forth. Sometimes, Dick finds himself in proper company, and in such cases, finds himself in company with Millicent Graham, who is the companion to a rich widow, Margaret Keith. They rub shoulders with Dick's uncle and some others. It all ends ok in the end, and of course, Dick gets the lovely Millicent, who has always known deep inside that he is brave and noble...or something. Some of this is a bit silly, but overall, it was a fun yarn.