Barclay Of The Mounted is the memoir of a young man who, looking for adventure and glory, joins the newly formed North-West Mounted Police. Henry Barclay, a native of Toronto travels west to “to keep the peace and maintain the right of all.” Barclay is an educated young man who quotes everything from Byron to The Bible, and from Shakespeare to Shelley. He sees the western frontier lacking only in culture and he is never without his copy of The Best Loved Poems of Our Time.

The Western Territories of Canada are vast and in his varied duties, Barclay encounters whiskey traders, native tribes, desperadoes, thieves, and murderers. In service of his country, Barclay meets historical figures from Canada’s past, such as Poundmaker, Sitting Bull, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, and George Dixon, the boxer. There are true figures from the Force as well, such as Sam Steele, James Walsh, and James Macleod. Barclay’s adventures are filled with humor and danger and are reminiscent of the pulp stories of the 1930s..

Though he is a peacekeeper in late-19th century Western Territories, Barclay seldom uses his gun, but, rather, in the traditional Canadian fashion, solves problems with wit and reason, for as he states at the end of an early adventure: “I had faced certain death twice in as many days, and neither time did I feel the need to draw my long-barrelled Deane-and-Adams revolver... ”. Barclay’s manner often comes off as slightly naive and a trifle arrogant, which is his charm. He thinks highly of his skills and ability, but more often than not, that is what gets him into trouble. Barclay either thinks he knows exactly what he is doing, or admits to being completely baffled, as he once proclaims: The ways of God and governments are beyond my understanding.”