Life in the early days in Canada is vividly described by Harry Lott, a 24 year old engineer who arrived in Montreal in 1907 with £10 in his pocket. He worked on construction of bridges, dams, transmission lines and early reinforced concrete buildings in five Provinces before returning to England in 1914 to join up for WWI.

Fascinating stories of life in Montreal and Winnipeg and two years in construction camps in the backwoods include canoeing expeditions and moose hunts and are interspersed with historical background and engineering details.