Living in the Alberni Valley from 1891 until 1954, George Hubert Bird earned his Indian name Tse-wees-tah (one man in a boat) for single-handedly bringing the steamer ship Lily from Victoria to Alberni for the British Columbia Paper Manufacturing Company. Also, according to Vancouver Island historian Jan Peterson, George Bird was the first person to ride a bicycle across Vancouver Island (in 13.75 hours). He contributed articles to the local newspaper and his book Tse-Ees-Tah (One Man in a Boat) is a collection of these articles written between 1941-1950.

BOOKS:

Alberni District Paul Bunyan Day: Souvenir Program (Printed by Nelson L. Ball, 1946).

Tse-Ees-Tah: (One Man in a Boat). Sketches. Alberni District Museum and Historical Society. Arrowsmith Press, 1971; Tse-Wees-Tah (One Man in a Boat). reprint, 1972.

[BCBW 2003] "Local History"