Mohawks on the Nile
Natives Among the Canadian Voyageurs in Egypt, 1884-1885
- Publisher
- Dundurn Press
- Initial publish date
- Aug 2009
- Category
- Native American, General, General
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781550028676
- Publish Date
- Aug 2009
- List Price
- $40.00
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781770705937
- Publish Date
- Aug 2009
- List Price
- $10.99
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Where to buy it
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age: 15
- Grade: 10
Description
Mohawks on the Nile explores the absorbing history of sixty Aboriginal men who left their occupations in the Ottawa River timber industry to participate in a military expedition on the Nile River in 1884-1885. Chosen becuase of their outstanding skills as boatmen and river pilots, they formed part of the Canadian Voyageur Contingent, which transported British troops on a fleet of whaleboats through the Nile’s treacherous cataracts in the hard campaigning of the Sudan War. Their objective was to reach Khartoum, capital of the Egyptian province of Sudan. Their mission was to save its governor general, Major-General Charles Gordon, besieged by Muslim forces inspired by the call to liberate Sudan from foreign control by Muhammad Ahmad, better known to his followers as the "the Mahdi."
In addition to Carl Benn’s historical exploration of this remarkable subject, this book includes the memoirs of two Mohawk veterans of the campaign, Louis Jackson and James Deer, who recorded the details of their adventures upon returning to Canada in 1885. It also presents readers with additional period documents, maps, historical images, and other materials to enhance appreciation of this unusual story, including an annotated roll of the Mohawks who won praise for the exceptional quality of their work in this legendary campaign in the chronicle of Britain’s expansion into Africa.
About the author
Carl Benn is a professor of history at Ryerson University in Toronto. His books include Mohawks on the Nile: Natives among the Canadian Voyagers in Egypt, 1884–85, The War of 1812, and The Iroquois in the War of 1812.
Editorial Reviews
This fascinating history is rather like a box of bits your old uncle has brought down from the back of his closet... A student of the British Imperial efforts in Africa, or of Canada's First Nations history will appreciate this book.
Record, The
Carl Benn has focused on the approximately 60 Mohawks in the contingent, confirming their value to the British expedition to save General Gordon and enriching our understanding of Canada's First Nations in the late 19th century.
Literary Review of Canada
Librarian Reviews
Mohawks on the Nile: Natives Among the Canadian Voyageurs in Egypt, 1884-1885
This intriguing book describes the contribution and skills of First Nations [among others] men from Canada to a military rescue operation in Egypt, led by General Wolseley. The Imperial government needed skilled voyageurs to guide whaleboats of troops and supplies up the Nile then through the treacherous cataracts to Egypt’s “rebellious” province, Sudan. Khartoum was the destination. There Major-General Gordon had become hostage as a result of a siege on the city by Muslim nationalists. Wolseley had witnessed the abilities of First Nations voyageurs in the Red River Uprising. Included are summaries of the roles and occupations of Iroquois women and men from the 1700s and memoirs of two Mohawk voyageurs in the expedition, Louis Jackson and James Deer.Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. Canadian Aboriginal Books for Schools. 2012-2013.
Other titles by
A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812
John Norton - Teyoninhokarawen
A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812
John Norton - Teyoninhokarawen
Carl Benn's Stories of Canada's Past 2-Book Bundle
Mohawks on the Nile / Historic Fort York
Native Memoirs from the War of 1812
Black Hawk and William Apess
The War of 1812
Iroquois in the War of 1812
