Scotlands History\|Scots and Canada

Dr John Rae

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The Orcadian Dr John Rae found the Northwest Passage and uncovered the fate of the lost Franklin Expedition.

John Rae was born at his family home, Hall o’ Clestrian, in Orphir, Orkney in 1813.

Although his family was not wealthy, they enjoyed a level of privilege as John's father was an agent at the Stromness offices of Hudson’s Bay Company. As a boy, John listened to sailors' stories of the New World. He wanted to explore the new wild land for himself.

Rae chose to go to medical school. When he graduated, he took a position as ship’s surgeon on a vessel headed for Canada. He then took a temporary summer position at Moose Factory, staying on as station surgeon for the next 10 years.

Rae treated both Europeans and the Natives in nearby villages, and the only way to reach many of his patients was to travel by snowshoe.

A photograph of a silver medal awarded to Dr John Rae for his arctic discoveries from 1818-55. Image courtesy of National Museums Scotland.

Unlike many post employees, John Rae deliberately made friends with the First Nations peoples he encountered. He learned Native survival skills that later saved his life.

The winters at Moose Factory were particularly harsh and unforgiving. Temperatures fell as low as -40 degrees Celsius, and the icy winter winds could freeze you in seconds. Winter conditions were unpredictable and treacherous. A metre of snow could fall in a single night, and travel was slow, exhausting and very dangerous. 

By the time he left Moose Factory, Dr John Rae had grown close to the peoples of the First Nations. The Orcadian had learned Native skills that allowed him to survive the unforgiving Canadian wilderness.

Rae had become an accomplished woodsman, capable of travelling light and fast, without being weighed down with supplies and men. He set out to map the northern coastline and to discover the elusive Northwest Passage.

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