Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-pfhbr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-13T16:06:34.194Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Richard Cyriax's note concerning Thomas Simpson's claim of having discovered the Northwest Passage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

William Barr
William Barr
Affiliation:
Arctic Institute of North America, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In 1957 the well-known Arctic historian Richard Cyriax sent a copy of some of his notes to the Hudson's Bay Company Archives. These notes, which are reproduced here in full, concerned the claim by Thomas Simpson to have discovered the Northwest Passage on an expedition from 1837 to 1839. The reasons for Simpson's belief that he had achieved this long-sought-after accomplishment are investigated, and the conclusion is arrived at that, despite his honest belief to have done so, Simpson did not, in fact, complete the Northwest Passage, as that term is normally understood.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 36 , Issue 197 , April 2000 , pp. 113 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beechey, F.W. 1831. Narrative of a voyage to the Pacific and Beering's Strait, to co-operate with the polar expeditions: performed in His Majesty's Ship Blossom, under the command of Captain F.W. Beechey…in the years 1825, 26, 27, 28. London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley.Google Scholar
Cyriax, R.J. 1957. Letter to A. Johnson, 16 October 1957. Hudson's Bay Company Archives RG20/4/279.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1823. Narrative of a journey to the shores of the polar sea, in the years 1819, 20, 21 and 22. London: John Murray.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1828. Narrative of a second expedition to the shores of the polar sea in the years 1825, 1826 and 1827. London: John Murray.Google Scholar
Parry, W.E. 1824. Journal of a second voyage for the discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific; performed in the years 1821–22–23, in His Majesty's Ships Fury and Hecla, under the orders of Captain William Edward Parry. London: John Murray.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rae, J. 1850. Narrative of an expedition to the shores of the Arctic Sea in 1846 and 1847. London: T. & W. Boone.Google Scholar
Ross, J. 1835. Narrative of a second voyage in search of a Northwest Passage, and of a residence in the Arctic regions during the years 1829, 1830, 1831,1832, 1833. London: A. W. Webster.Google Scholar
Simpson, A. 1843. Memoir of Thomas Simpson, A.M. by his brother Alexr. Simpson. In: Simpson, T.Narrative of the discoveries on the north coast of America effected by the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company during the years 1836–39. London: Richard Bentley: vii–xix.Google Scholar
Simpson, A. 1845. The life and travels of Thomas Simpson the Arctic discoverer. London: Richard Bentley.Google Scholar
Simpson, T. 1843. Narrative of the discoveries on the north coast of America effected by the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company during the years 1836–39. London: Richard Bentley.Google Scholar