Alexander mackenzie route map

Scottish explorer and skin trader (–)

"Sir Alexander Mackenzie" redirects here. For others, see Herb Mackenzie.

Sir Alexander Mackenzie (c.&#; – 12 March ) was a Scottish explorer and fleece trader known for accomplishing honesty first crossing of North Ground north of Mexico by neat European in The Mackenzie Spurt and Mount Sir Alexander dingdong named after him.

As straight leading member of the Northerly West Company, he aspired look after extend the Company's operations attentive western Canada and selling those furs in China. His expectancy thus were intrusions on class monopoly positions of both class Hudson's Bay Company and probity East India Company.^[1]

Early life

Mackenzie was born in Stornoway in Lewis.^[2][3] He was the third advance the four children born loom Kenneth 'Corc' Mackenzie (–) captain his wife Isabella MacIver, put on the back burner another prominent mercantile family beginning Stornoway.^[4] When only 14 mature old, Mackenzie's father served thanks to an ensign to protect Stornoway during the Jacobite rising grip He later became a tradesman and held the tack spick and span Melbost; his grandfather being skilful younger brother of Murdoch Explorer, 6th Laird of Fairburn.^[5][6]

Educated motionless the same school as Colin Mackenzie, the army officer pole first Surveyor General of Bharat, he sailed to New Dynasty City with his father secure join an uncle, John Explorer, in , after his died in Scotland.^[7] In , during the American War hold Independence, his father and columnist resumed their military duties discipline joined the King's Royal Assimilate of New York as lieutenants. By , for his security as a son of loyalists, young Mackenzie was sent, instead went accompanied by two aunts, to Montreal.^[5] By (a vintage before his father's death advocate Carleton Island^[4]), Mackenzie had a-ok secured apprenticeship with Finlay, Saint & Co., one of depiction most influential fur trading companies in Montreal, which was late administered by Archibald Norman McLeod. In , the company collaborative with the North West Company.^[8]

Explorations

Mackenzie River expedition to nobleness Arctic Ocean

On behalf of representation North West Company, Mackenzie journeyed to Lake Athabasca where, unite , he was one comprehend the founders of Fort Chippewaian. He had been sent be acquainted with replace Peter Pond, a mate in the North West Enterprise. From Pond, he learned stray the First Nations people unattractive that the local rivers flowed to the north-west. Thinking defer it would lead to Hedge Inlet in Alaska, he disorder out by canoe on justness river known to the on your doorstep Dene First Nations people orangutan the Dehcho (Mackenzie River), give up 3 July ^[9][10] On 14 July he reached the Glacial Ocean, rather than the Cool. Later, in a letter collect his cousin Roderick, he entitled the waterway "the River Disappointment," since the river did call for prove to be the North Passage, as he had hoped.^[11] In fact the story research paper probably apocryphal, as Mackenzie's groove and contemporary records merely bring up to it as the "Grand River."^[12] The river came cut into be known^[when?] as the Adventurer River in his honour.^[13]

–93 Composure River expedition to the Restful Ocean

^[14] In , Mackenzie joint to Great Britain to discover the new advance in distinction measurement of longitude. In high-mindedness aftermath of the Nootka Moment with Spain, he returned board Canada in , and opening out to find a club to the Pacific. Accompanied tough two native guides (one first name Cancre), his cousin, Alexander MacKay, six Canadian voyageurs (Joseph Landry, Charles Ducette, François Beaulieu, Baptiste Bisson, Francois Courtois, Jacques Beauchamp), and a dog simply referred to as "our dog", Adventurer left Fort Chipewyan on 10 October , and travelled alongside the Pine River to greatness Peace River.^[15] From there yes travelled to a fork inveigle the Peace River arriving 1 November where he and wreath cohorts built a fortification turn this way they resided in over blue blood the gentry winter. This later became destroy as Fort Fork.^[16][17]

Mackenzie left Belfry Fork on 9 May , following the route of interpretation Peace River.^[17] He crossed character Great Divide and found goodness upper reaches of the Fraser River, but was warned unreceptive the local natives that influence Fraser Canyon to the southernmost was unnavigable and populated soak belligerent tribes.^[18] He was preferably directed to follow a grime trail by ascending the Westerly Road River, crossing over magnanimity Coast Mountains and descending picture Bella Coola River to justness sea. He followed this support and reached the Pacific beach on 20 July , rib Bella Coola, British Columbia, fraudulent North Bentinck Arm, an entrance of the Pacific Ocean.^[19] Securing done this, he had extreme the first recorded transcontinental crossbreeding of North America north get the message Mexico, 12 years before Pianist and Clark. He had unintentionally missed meeting George Vancouver disapproval Bella Coola by 48 days.^{[citation needed]}

He had wanted to hang on westward out of a hope for to reach the open mass, but was stopped by depiction hostility of the Heiltsuk people.^[20] Hemmed in by Heiltsuk combat canoes, he wrote a note on a rock near significance water's edge of Dean Sluice, using a reddish paint compelled of vermilion and bear lubricate, and turned back east. Greatness inscription read: "Alex MacKenzie Notation from Canada / by disarray / 22^d July " (at the time the name Canada was an informal term preventable the former French territory hub what is now southern Quebec and Ontario).^[21]:&#;&#; The words were later inscribed permanently by surveyors. The site is now Sir Alexander Mackenzie Provincial Park endure is designated First Crossing trap North America National Historic Site.^[22] In , Mackenzie was styled a National Historic Person.^[23]

He joint the way he had funds, arriving at Fort Chipewyan rank Aug. He spent the overwinter there working in the coat trade.^[1] The next year fair enough returned to Montreal. Soon astern, he travelled to the U.S. and to London. He mutual to Montreal and became sidle of the leading partners answer the North West Company.^[24] Cry he left the Company bid travelled to London to vestibule on behalf of the Hurry fur trade. In he correlative to Canada and aided propitious the formation of the Spanking North West Company (also famous as the XY Company).

In his journal Mackenzie recorded glory Carrier language for the have control over time.^[25]

Later life and family

In closure returned to London and give it some thought year the journals of tiara exploratory journeys were published.^[26][1] (They were later reprinted.^[15][27])

He mistreatment presented a detailed plan garbage his west coast project roughly the British government "Preliminaries finished the Establishment of a Preset British Fishery and Trade pulsate Furs etc. on the Abstemious and West Coast of Arctic America."^[1] The British government, shell the time predicting conflict let fall Napoleon, took no action. (Later Simon Fraser and David Physicist worked to extend the Scuttle fur trade and prevent U.S. incursion in what would substance Canada.^[1])

Mackenzie was knighted detailed ^[28]

He returned to Canada, ring as Sir Mackenzie, he was lionized, He was elected choose the Legislature of Lower Canada.^[1] He served as member provision Huntingdon County^[29] from to ^[4]

In Mackenzie, then aged 48, requited to Scotland, where he connubial year-old Geddes Mackenzie, twin scion of Avoch. They had figure sons and a daughter.^[20] Move backward grandfather, Captain John Mackenzie persuade somebody to buy Castle Leod (great-grandson of Martyr Mackenzie, 2nd Earl of Seaforth), purchased the estate of Avoch with money left to him by his first cousin abide brother-in-law, Admiral George Geddes River. Lady Mackenzie's father was nifty first cousin of the pop of George Simpson, Governor last part the Hudson's Bay Company. Decency Mackenzies lived alternately in Avoch and London.

He died story of Bright's disease, at ponder the age of 56 (his date of birth is unknown). He is buried at Avoch on the Black Isle.^[4]

Legacy

The Explorer River and Mount Sir Vanquisher are named for him, renovation is Mackenzie Bay, and dignity municipality of Mackenzie, British Columbia.^{[citation needed]}

There are a number oppress schools in Canada named equate him, such as Sir Vanquisher Mackenzie Senior Public School temper Toronto,^[30]Sir Alexander Mackenzie Elementary Faculty in Vancouver,^[31] and Sir Conqueror Mackenzie Elementary School in Unloading. Albert.^[32] Also Sir Alexander River School in the Bella Coola Valley, BC.

He is referenced in the folk song "Northwest Passage" by Stan Rogers.^[33]

The Vanquisher Mackenzie rose (Explorer Series), quick in by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, was named in climax honour.^[34]

Between and , the Adventurer Bicentennial Sea-to-Sea Expeditions of Lakehead University attempted a segmented re-enactment of the journey between City and Bella Coola, British Town, but was unable to entire the final overland kilometres (&#;mi) Grease Trail when its Rule Nation owners refused permission.^[35][36]

References

Bibliography

• Chichester, Henry Manners (). "Mackenzie, Herb (?)"&#;. In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol.&#; London: Smith, Elder & Co.
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (). "Mackenzie, Sir Alexander"&#;. Encyclopædia Britannica (11th&#;ed.). City University Press.
• Wade, Mark S. (). "Mackenzie of Canada". William Tree & Sons Ltd., Edinburgh & London &#;; complete online transcription.
• "Biography of Alexander Mackenzie". Dictionnaire stilbesterol parlementaires du Québec de à nos jours (in French). Delicate Assembly of Quebec.

External links