A Perfect Eden

Encounters by Early Explorers of Vancouver Island

by Michael Layland
Publisher: TouchWood Editions

Book Description

In 1842, when explorer James Douglas encountered the rugged natural paradise that would become Vancouver Island, he described it as “a perfect Eden.” This book gathers the early recorded histories and personal accounts left by Chinese seafarers, Spanish and British naval officers, traders seeking sea otter pelts, colonial surveyors, as well as soldiers, settlers, and other adventurers, starting from many centuries ago up to 1858. Collected here in detail for the first time, these accounts create a multilayered tale of discovery and exploration.

Author Bio

Michael Layland has served as president of the Victoria Historical Society, the Friends of the BC Archives, and on the committee of the Historical Map Society of BC. He was trained as an officer and mapmaker in the Royal Engineers, and he lives in Victoria, BC.