Travels in the Shining Island : the story of James Evans and the invention of the Cree syllabary alphabet

In 1842 at York Factory, the English-born missionary James Evans built a lightweight tin canoe that glittered and shone in the sunlight. Wherever he went, Native peoples called the canoe his "Shining Island" or "His Island of Light." **__Travels in the Shining Island__** chronicles important events in the life of the extraordinary Methodist missionary, James Evans (1801-1846). It was Evans who created a written alphabet in native languages that remains in use to the present time. Truly the first printer/publisher in the Canadian Northwest, his story is one of incredible courage, perseverance and unwavering faith. "Using clay, lead and hand-carved wood to make characters, and soot, oil and animal blood for ink, he created a unique literary tradition that has become a central part of Northern Aboriginal culture." - __Queen's Quarterly__ A Chronicle Of The Life Of Methodist Missionary James Evans (1801 1846), Who Created A Cree Alphabet Still In Use Today.