"Sound Heritage presents the first-hand stories of the people who has the courage, the dreams — and the just plain stubbornness —to settle the Canadian frontier when it was still a wild country. These people talk candidly — with both feeling and humour — about the tragedy, the comedy, the good times and the tough times. Their authentic voices reveal what life was really like in those early days. These recollection of B.C.'s old-timers include tales about carefree remittance men, eccentric upper-crust Britons, persecuted and desperate immigrants — all with their own dreams of freedom and a better life. Beginning with legends and true stories of the native people, as well as the sagas of early missionaries, the book goes on to the lives and times of settlers on the frontier. There are stories about the early days of ranching, clearing land, pulling stumps, brushes with bears and cougars, prospecting, planting orchards, packing in supplies — the struggle to survive. Those who became loggers, miners and fishermen recall the dangerous conditions and high feelings that led them to organize unions, and the economic depression that led to hunger marches and some bloody labour riots. There are also the hair-raising adventures of the steam railroaders, boatmen and bush pilots who braved the elements to get people, mail and supplies into every remote part of a rugged land. The 70 black-and-white historical photographs also provide intriguing glimpses of the spirit of those times."-- front flyleaf.