Two Knapsacks: A Novel of Canadian Summer Life

In Short

Written in 1892 by John Campbell under the pseudonym J. Cawdor Bell, Two Knapsacks: A Novel of Canadian Summer Life follows two friends—a spirited lawyer and a bookish schoolmaster—on a walking tour through Ontario’s Simcoe and Grey counties. What begins as a lighthearted trek filled with poetic recitations and botanical pursuits soon broadens into a lively portrait of late nineteenth-century Canadian frontier community. As the pair wander between farms, inns, and waterways, they encounter a colorful cross-section of locals, track down a fraudulent swindler, help solve a regional murder, and fall in love with two local women. It has lasted as a rich, authentic slice of early Canadian literature, balancing humorous backcountry realism with charming period romance.

The Story

The journey begins in high spirits as Eugene Coristine, a warm-hearted Toronto barrister, and Farquhar Wilkinson, a pedantic schoolmaster with a love for poetry and geology, set off across the Ontario countryside with knapsacks on their backs. Taking to foot, boat, and carriage through Kempenfeldt Bay, Barrie, and the surrounding rural townships, the pair anticipate little more than good views, fresh air, and intellectual companionship. However, their peaceful journey is continually interrupted by a succession of quirky locals and unusual encounters.

Early in their travels, they meet Mr. Rawdon, a pushy, unscrupulous self-proclaimed "working geologist" who roams the region hunting for grindstone quarries and making free with other people's property. Rawdon—who has stolen a dog named Muggins and passed it around—proves to be far more than an annoying fraud. As the travelers move deeper into the settlements along the Beaver River and surrounding hills, they discover that Rawdon leads a shadowy gang involved in local extortions and illegal dealings, casting a cloud over the tranquil countryside.

While staying in the hospitable settlement communities, the two friends become intimately woven into local social life. Coristine finds himself drawn to Miss Marjorie Carmichael, a young woman whose late father's estate requires legal assistance, while Wilkinson finds his Platonic ideals challenged by the charming women of the area. They make fast friends with local squires, clergymen, and farmers, participating in community gatherings, fishing trips, and lively theological debates.

The leisure of the summer takes a sharp turn when criminality erupts in the region. A detective named Nash arrives to track down Rawdon's gang, leading to tense standoffs, night watches around private homes, and an investigation into a murdered member of the network, Steven Nagle. Coristine, Wilkinson, and their new allies join local posses and farm hands to pursue the criminals across terrain lit by a devastating forest fire. In the chaos of the hunt, Coristine suffers a severe injury that leaves him bedridden and feverish at the estate of Bridesdale.

Coristine’s long, uncertain recovery brings the community together in watchful care. Delirious and weak, he is nursed back to health through the combined efforts of the local household, guided gently by the young girl Marjorie and her elder cousin, Miss Carmichael. The tender care transforms Coristine's affection into a lasting commitment. Upon his recovery, the threat of Rawdon's gang is thoroughly dismantled by the authorities, and the mysterious family legal affairs of Miss Carmichael are settled, revealing her as a woman of comfortable means.

The adventure concludes on a note of triumph and domestic harmony. Coristine marries Miss Carmichael, while Wilkinson also finds his match among their rural acquaintances. The original walking tour ends not merely with fond memories, but with permanent ties to the community. Years later, both men return to the Canadian countryside as prosperous fathers, laying their newborn children beside the very knapsacks that carried them into their new lives.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Coristine and Wilkinson embark on their excursion aboard a local schooner crossing Kempenfeldt Bay, trading lighthearted bickering and poetic quotes while admiring the lights of Barrie.

Meeting the grindstone man On the road to Peskiwanchow, the travelers meet Mr. Rawdon, an obnoxious "working geologist" obsessed with finding grindstone quarries, who introduces himself by boasting of his scientific insights while eyeing the local wealth.

Taking to the brush Recognizing Rawdon as a thief who stole a dog named Muggins, Coristine and Wilkinson duck over a ditch into the bushes to avoid sharing a wagon ride with the blowhard as he trudges up a hot hill.

Farming communities and fish catches The duo navigate regional hospitality, lodging with local farm families like the Hills and spending days fishing in wooden dug-outs, returning with catches of perch, chub, and ordinary suckers.

A night watch at the homestead As rumors of Rawdon's criminal gang spread, the travelers join local squires, veterans, and clergymen in holding armed perimeter guard around a country residence to deter arson and attack.

Inquests and explosive pursuits Following the discovery of a murdered gang member, a formal coroner's jury is assembled; the hunt for the culprits culminates in an underground vault explosion and a roaring forest fire along the lake shore.

Fever and nursing at Bridesdale Suffering from violent delirium after a severe injury during the pursuit, Coristine is brought back to sanity when little Marjorie and her cousin enter his sickroom to nurse him back to health.

Return to the road as family men Having survived the summer's trials and secured the hearts of their companions, Coristine and Wilkinson stride back onto the Bridesdale lawn with their knapsacks, embarking on happy, settled futures.

The People

• Eugene Coristine: A warm-hearted, quick-witted Toronto barrister from Osgood Hall. He seeks a refreshing summer walking tour, but his deep capacity for friendship and legal instincts draw him into local court cases, criminal hunts, and an earnest romance with Miss Carmichael.
• Farquhar Wilkinson: A pedantic, poetry-quoting schoolmaster from the Toronto schools. Though rigid in his educational authority and self-proclaimed Platonic ideals, his solemn demeanor continually gives way to genuine loyalty and affection for his travel companion and rural hosts.
• Mr. Rawdon (The "Grinstun" Man): A boastful, slippery swindler claiming to be a mineralogist hunting for profitable grindstones. He wants easy wealth and influence, but his petty thefts, shady deals with local outlaws, and arrogant demeanor bring the law down upon him.
• Miss Marjorie Carmichael: A gentle, well-read young woman living in the countryside. Reserved about her family's past, her growing affection for Coristine flowers as he helps research her lineage and as she nurses him through a life-threatening fever.
• Squire Carruthers: A hearty, authoritative local leader who speaks in rich Lowland Scotch. He manages community defense, provides generous hospitality to the pedestrians, and keeps order among the diverse personalities in the region.
• Mr. Bangs: A sharp, determined detective who coordinates with local settlers and foot guards to track down outlaws, process crime scenes, and secure high-profile prisoners.

In Its Own Voice

"You allow yourself too much latitude, sir, both in your actions and in your unjustifiable remarks," muttered the pedagogue, more slowly assuming the perpendicular.

— Wilkinson responds with dignified irritation after losing his footing on the deck of the schooner during a spat with Coristine.

"Now, Wilks, over this ditch, sharp, and into the brush, till this thief of the world goes by. We've deprived him of a ride, and that's one good thing done."

— Coristine urges his companion into hiding along the roadside to avoid the approaching, hot-tempered Mr. Rawdon.

"An' it 'ud be a grate 'anner for me, anyway, to be father to a foine, praper, illigant gintleman loike Mishter Wilkerson," put in the veteran, anxious to keep the peace.

— Mr. Terry, an old military man, steps in with genial Irish humor to defuse a tense moment between the schoolmaster and the older men.

What It's Really About

Beneath its narrative of summer travel and regional melodrama, Two Knapsacks explores the formation of early Canadian civic identity. The book examines how a young, disparate nation builds a cohesive community out of wildly varied elements. Through its portrait of Simcoe and Grey counties, the text contrasts urban academic knowledge with practical frontier survival, showing that true social harmony relies on mutual hospitality, shared legal order, and neighborly duty.

The novel also investigates the nature of justice and moral redemption. Conversations between lawmen, clergymen, and visitors ponder whether human and divine laws exist for retributive vengeance or for the benevolent protection of society. By placing educated city professionals side-by-side with frontier farmers, Irish veterans, French-Canadian boatmen, and Southern immigrants, the story argues that a healthy society is forged when diverse citizens unite against lawlessness to protect the home.

Why Read It Today

Two Knapsacks offers a rare, vibrant window into the vernacular and everyday culture of nineteenth-century rural Canada. Readers who enjoy local-color fiction, historical regionalism, and lighthearted period romance will find much to appreciate in its expansive cast and genuine warmth. The narrative captures the physical beauty of Ontario’s lakes and ridges alongside the unpretentious rhythms of farm life, church gatherings, and wilderness travel.

The book does present specific period challenges that require patience:

• Phonetic Dialects: The text relies heavily on rendered accents—including broad Lowland Scotch, Irish cadences, Cockney phrasing, Southern drawls, and local vernacular—which can take time to decode visually.
• 1890s Social Attitudes: Contemporary readers will notice casual nineteenth-century language and racial caricatures typical of period popular literature.
• Shifting Tones: The plot moves briskly between high-minded literary quotations, slapstick humor, procedural crime reporting, and sweet domestic melodrama.

For those willing to navigate its period conventions, the novel remains a charming, deeply grounded time capsule that captures the optimistic spirit of a country finding its voice.