22:33 Tears come, “The Kootenai saw our famished looks and asking no questions gave everyone a sufficiency to eat.” Brought tears to my eyes that won’t stop. My ancestry includes Natives, Scots & English, African and even French way back. But those sensible people of the forests lost so much for their compassion.
What this doc missed is Thompson and life partner had about 10 children and he didn't abandoned them and go back to Englan like many traders. anyone who enjoyed this should read about Peter Fiddler who was almost as prolific map maker but got little credit.
I am so excited to watch this program... Because I am part Kootney an Shuswap... Mostly Flathead an Umpqua from Oregon where I now live... I am loving this program ... Thank you I have spent a lot of time with my family there... I now live i
My family settled around The Dallas about 1870’s,the stories of the untamed Columbia were unbelievable. Rough country for sure,beautiful and unforgiving.
I met his great grandson when I was a young child. Our Kinsmen club in the small town of Rocky Mtn. House Alberta brought him out from Ontario to help celebrate our "David Thompson" days. Thompson died penniless and blind...a fact not well know. He was the greatest inland geographer the world has ever known. An almost unbelievable feat! What a man...
This is one of the best documentaries I've seen in a very long time I'm just glad I found it I would like to see more of this type of documentaries can't get enough of those old photos of the equipment the tribal people all that's just great
Brilliant, so well done ! Magnificent scenery and story telling ! The art work and research are 1st class !! I was born and raised near the HBC fort at Michipicoten, on Lake Superior, a place Thompson must have stopped at, it was established in around 1670 or so. Made my way west as an 18 year old, to live in BC, and have travelled many of the places he went. Kootenay Plains is on the South Sask river near where the highway crosses from Banff to Jasper. beautiful place where tribes met in summer to trade and hold sun dances. All through the Columbia valley down to Creston is such a beautiful place. I understand why he liked it so much.
Could not stop watching and learning. So inspiring. As someone who made my own Canoe at seventeen, and as an experienced skier with fifty years on the slopes, I was transfixed by this tale of courage and determination . Intrigued by the ways of the First Nations culture and impressed by the patient surveying skills of Thompson. Travelling as he did, over uncharted land and learning sufficient local language to get by ! He must have had great determination and patience! Maybe a manner that earned him friends along the way !
Hi i was born in 1941 in Northern Utah as a kid went out on camping adventures into Idaho it was wild grizzly bear mountain lion country rafting down Bear river we were mountain men haha all great kids stuff David Thompson was one brave pioneer tanks for the {posting............... Edwin John Thompson...
Can u image being 14 and learning all of this so fast , what drove him so hard , his bravery must have shown on his face and actions , his Indian peers must have been mesmerized by his person ,his communication must have been conveniencing, and commanding, a power beyond our imagination
@@GVH1305 I saw something about this at the voyageur museum at Samuel de Champlain Park near Mattawa ON. This is it from wiki. "Furs were put into standard weight bundles known as pieces (bales) of 90 pounds each. The standard load for a voyageur on a portage was two bundles, or 180 lb." These men were short, just over 5', and weighed slightly more than 100 pounds. One voyageur explained why they ran with their loads. "We run because it is too painful to walk." I'm sure that Thompson lifted a finger but you're right in that he wouldn't have carried any bundles.
@@romrom331 My father was born in 1883 on a farm in northern Italy and left home to work when he was 14. That was normal everywhere in Europe and America & Canada at that time.
@@romrom331 haha 14 back then was like 30 now. Remember we’re always told when you have kids you have to let children be children. What we have today is the result of letting children be children. Perpetual adolescence.
@@rosolenn My French Cdn. grandfather has my body type: big shoulder, strong back, short legs, and strong.....and a sense of humour. Hudsons' Bay would have hired us both immediately.
My 5th great grandfather was even more underrated, at least Canadians know whom David Thompson was. www.biographi.ca/en/bio/fidler_peter_6E.html Oh, I just got to 14:45 where they mentioned his name, cool..lol I
I read a book what was the compiled histories of people who had been abducted or adopted by the natives. In one account, they saw a hole in a tree several feet above the snow but there were no animal foot prints around. The writer, writing in the 1800's, nonchalantly mentions that female bears hibernated in trees (because all the trees are big enough for that, right?), and hollowed out a hole in the tree to sleep in so that when their baby bears were born, they would be safe. I can't imagine British Colombia being just covered with huge trees like the great Red Woods of Southern California. I think it would have been amazing. In another documentary I saw, they said there were so many fish in the oceans that you could fish with a bucket. Even "Little House on the Prairie" books talk about how much game there was. Life was hard, I'm sure, but it must have been amazing to see it all. Or .... if you were wanted by the law, you could just disappear into the wilderness never to be seen again.
@@brianronne2060 Captured by the Indians: 15 Firsthand Accounts: www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486249018/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
What a life Mr. Thompson lived. An adventurous man who accomplished so much in his lifetime. Earning his living in the fur trade made it possible for him to explore uncharted territory that in his time was nothing short of amazing.
David Thompson also was exploited by Hudson Bay Company despite being a great asset for them, and died penniless as a clerk, while others made a fortune on his maps.
@@jockkinne2768 but it’s OK now. My name is in the record books for all eternity and even though our Supreme Court now say that corporations are people I don’t see any of their names written down here! He who laughs last laughs hardest! Thank you, very little. David T.
Amazing documentary about an amazing explorer! David Thompson - one of my heros. intelligent, kind, respectful, adventurous, studious, brave. Read Jack Nesbitt's books - they are quite the story and well written. Thanks for sharing and posting this wonderful program!!
I've been blessed to have horsebacked on overnight, off trail adventures, in the Black Hills, the Badlands and the northern Cascades. Horsebacking into the Canadian Rockies, going in for weeks (or forever!) at a time, is my ULTIMATE bucket list goal. That's where my heaven is. The only thing that would make it better would be to have my love (D) and my kids out there enjoying it with me!
I've canoed some of the upper North Saskatchewan R. from Nordegg crossing to Rocky (Mountain House). It is good. That old river still flows, as it has for millenia, out from under the glaciers and ice fields. We had the privilege of meeting Bill Mason on the other side of the mountain, though we didn't know who he was at the time. Even so, I was at the time impressed that I had crossed the path of a true gentleman ... one of the great men.
No way, you met Bill Mason. I enjoyed his books, films, and art. Ive only gotten as far as N. Idaho and Montana. I wish I’d watched this video earlier so I could know more about what I was looking at. Someday want to see Canadian Rockies and the rivers Bill Mason writes about.
People like Thomson lived in a time when there was so much out there to discover, and the allure must have been so intoxicating. I try to imagine what kinds of skills that a person would need to make their way through such unforgiving territory. Not to mention the character of such an incredible individual. A lot of people today have little idea how difficult it really was to get out into the wilderness, blaze trails, make maps and somehow survive all of the dangers. I have a huge amount of respect for such a person that would take on such an endeavor, and with gear that seems so primitive by today’s standards. Not to mention the importance of being able to depend upon the person next to you as well. People think of taming the wilderness as something so distant from what it actually was. Like back then you just chopped down trees and shot everything that moved and you were good. We used to romanticize people like Thomson.
Same here. I grew up in Spokane, and only ever heard of Lewis and Clark. In school, everyone has to take a Pacific Northwest History class, and not a single mention of Thompson, who is the premier European explorer of the area. Not surprised, USA education system being what it is..
I live in North Dakota and buy a place called verendrye there is a David Thompson memorial it's near the mouse River and it's a very beautiful place.to see
WoW ~ What an incredible Yoyageur David Thompson was. I never realized before who he was despite all my readings of early travelers, traders and explorers. VERY well done with great watercolor illustrations. ~ Good watching, informative and entertaining. Cheers!
Yeah, this is an awesome documentary. I learned a lot. I was born in Thompson Manitoba and now live along the Columbia River. David Thompson sounds like a man most anyone would want to hang out with. Unless they're pussies. Lol.
The French voyageurs had already established well travelled routes from eastern Canada to the Athabascan region. Alexander Mackenzie had already made his way from Athabasca to the Pacific in 1793 and is another great story
It was the Iroquois actually. All of those dudes hopped on an Iroquois back like a backpack. And then when David Thompson got to the Rocky mountains he also got those same Iroquois who had been there for a few years already to show him what BC was about cuz they knew already. The Waniandys of Kahnawake were first.
When Lewis and Clark used your map for The Corp of Discovery, be assured of this great man David Thompsons accomplishments!! What an INNOVATOR OF THE NORTH AMERICAN FRONTIER!!!
That was a fantastic film, I have acquired a 1938 copy of "The Native Tribes of British Columbia" authored by Alice Ravenhill. It is so nice to gain further knowledge of the Pacific Region and why we could use additional documentaries of these prehistoric and primitive people to further define how, when and where they migrated from? Excellent representation of David Thompson!
Primitive? O. K. They didn’t have electronic distractions and “modern day conveniences “, however they didn’t pollute the atmosphere, the oceans, or the earth with plastics and other harmful chemicals. With all of our “ progress & advances” we are on the verge of ending our civilization. How primitive is that?
Was just having a rest stop at a spot located on the North Saskatchewan River, just west of Rocky Mountain House. Amazing to think that some of that history happened right around where I’m sitting, well over 200 years ago. Well, time to get back on the trail myself. Cheers everyone.
I go to Rocky Mountain House almost every weekend. 😁. It is still very wild and the North Saskatchewan River is mighty as ever. Great to learn more about this beautiful country I live in. Thanks 🙏 for this great video.
Some journeys overlooked as when he traveled through British Columbia and first saw the Kootenay Columbia at present day Castlegar. There is a statue there marking his presence.
I just started reading the book "Epic Wanderer" about the life of Thompson when I got the TH-cam recommendation. What a coincidence. I'm still going to read the book, though.
@@romrom331 I bought the book at a yard sale. How would google know that? Not that I'm doubting that Google is using algorithms to track my buying habits but I think yard sales are beyond even their reach....I hope. The book was excellent. I recommend it. I just checked and it's available online at Project Gutenberg, free as it is no longer under copyright.
What a great history. Thanks to my old classmate Jim Zimmer. Since I was secretly allowed to graduate high school without taking Pacific Northwest History,, I have tried to study this subject on my own. I feel obliged since Mr Longshore made me promise to do this in 1976.
Ouch! I live along the Highway named after David Thompson. And west of Rocky Mountain House to the Saskatchewan River Crossing is called David Thompson Country . I had to laugh when someone asked if Highway 11 West from Red Deer was paved. Oh dear, maybe an American.
Big Thanks I have not ever heard about David Thomas at 12 years old in learning about surveying then from the Cred also. I really enjoyed this video. Why doesn't anyone today don't mention Thomas & his most I think important information, because it's not just surveying of work he did. Thank you again ☺️
Now you know so much about David Thomas....When will you learn about David Thompson? The great explorer and cartographer who has the mighty Thompson River as his namesake.
Awesome story. Native americans are amazing and this intermingling of the old world and new explains complexities of the situation that go beyond simply labeling one the oppressor and the other defenseless oppressed children utterly incapable of the challenges facing them. So patronizing. The event that made me believe in ghosts happened very close to the part of the story in which much of this story takea place. By kalispell montana i saw a huge native man in early 19th century clothing. He even had a large dog resembling a shepherd or husky. He looked at me as if i were the ghost and i thought he was a robber or drunk who wandered in however impossible that would have been in the winter
10:00 I'm enjoying the Scots fiddle music... One doesn't often hear something like a Strathspey/Reel in a TV show unless it is in a show specifically about Scotland. 👍
David thompson. One of my biggest heros. He learned languages by simply starting with english words starting with A and finding translations then as many B words then C words...lol
Wow, thank you for watching! We're thrilled that you continue to find it enjoyable and informative. We put a lot of time and effort into our programming, and it's wonderful to hear that it's resonating with viewers like you.
Her name was Charlotte Small. She was the Metis daughter of North West Company partner Patrick Small and an unnamed Cree woman. Her father ran a fur trade post up in the English River system. They were married at Ile a la Cross (Saskatchewan) in 1799 and would have 13 children. Moreover when other fur traders and explorers were abandoning their Metis wives when they retired back east, David & Charlotte stayed married. Their home, the Bethune-Thompson House, in Williamstown (Ontario) still stands and can be visited by appointment. As a side note, Indigenous and Metis wives were particularly valuable to fur traders for linguistic and wood craft skills.
Excellent production. I grew up near Red Deer, Alberta, known as "David Thompson Country". I very much enjoyed this documentary of David Thompson, whom we learned about in grade school (and promptly forgot) along with other explorers like Peter Findlay and Alexander Mackenzie. Very interesting and well produced, thank you.
What a fascinating documentary Thompsons life's work. None of us here imagine how difficult life was back then. What was amazing to me, how much distance he covered on foot or by water. Clearly journey into British Columbia was a pond land that was untouched by man. You got to wonder what that must have been like for all those involved.. I just can't help to wonder about his trek and all the new things he saw and heard. Did he see or hear anything he could not explain? Did any of his native guides talk to David about the boss of the mountains and forest. I just wondering if any of his writes site a creature or creatures he couldn't explain.
I did some research on David Thompson. He did encounter very large tracks in the snow that he couldn't explain. The stride was massive for human feet. He did record his finds deep in side British Columbia.
A amazing man of describable,strength, knowledge and ability to adjust to conditions,natives and to learn languages. I just wish it would have mentioned his wife and children when they said, he retired from the trade or what happened to them.
I know what happened to them.... He was my great ^5 grandfather. He married Charlotte Small, and they went back to the settled area in modern eastern Canada (Toronto area) to live. He didn't get much money for his maps, a fact that he never got over. He was shunned by the high society that previously lauded him, and it was because of the racially mixed marriage. They all knew that the explorers all had native women.... But the other explorers never brought them back to civilization. David was honorable enough that he didn't care about that. He lived in relative poverty the rest of his life.
I'm a Kinbasket family member, part of the Shuswap, the mis-prenounced of D. Thompson as Swupean,.. (LOL) we're at the head waters of the Columbia River, which was also called the St Rio, by the Spaniards,.. But the interior tribes also limited the Kootenay access inward of the Columbia Plateau, like the Paigans won't accept the Kootenay through Howse pass, the Kootenay lake is a marker not an owned territory, there is a painted Pictographs, warning at the south of Fairmont Hot Springs, which are being continued destroyed, by the Kootenay, it's not a spirit trail,.. lol ..markers of pictograph were used a lot,.. but yes, Kootenay lake is a marker,... same with the Kootenay river, only to allow the Kooteni people to fish and hunt, it was there their territory and all the tribes knew that,.. the world between non First People and First people are different,... the understanding(s) are totally different The Kooteni people were pushed out of their traditional lands in Montana area,. pushed westward,.. there are hunts of understanding not shared with Sama (Whites) people! a total mis understanding can be hinted , even in this video 35:54 when he (Tony Incashola, from Kalispel) explains about the Salish stock, and doesn't mention the Kooteni . There were difference between the tribes, and why nobody wanted the trades happen in certain areas,.. last twenty years of map making,..they didn't mention the lying deceit they done to Thompson when he tried to get paid for his map making
David Thompson was a giant in the historical narrative of the European exploration of North America, and yet the number of Canadians or Americans for that matter who even know who he was let alone what his contributed to our present day society was is so incredibly small as to be insignificant. This is a story shows how diverse cultures can come together to forge a better future for all. This is a lesson that we can still all benefit from.
Thompson bought an estate from one of my 4 g grandmothers, Veronique Bethune, after her husband died. It was 3000 acres, and had a nice house, and located at Williamstown, just west of Montreal. So he did make a decent amount from the fur trade. Sadly he later made some bad business decisions, and that resulted in poverty. Incidentally Veronique's sister Marguerite was the wife of Dr. John McLauglin, chief factor of Fort Vancouver.
Very enlightening! Had Canada become the economic, political, military, and cultural force that their southern neighbors later became, David Thompson would be an immense historical figure rather than an obscure one. His achievements are objectively monumental. History, alas, is not objective. Never has been. One has to wonder if it ever could be.
The Upper Midwest of the US, my homeland, shares a great deal of this history with Canada. To blanket label fur traders with statements labeling them as heroes or villains is both short sighted and irrelevant. Before you get high and mighty talking about blood on people's hands, consider where you get your wares and food sometime.....
Can you imagine saying..."Oh, let's take a canoe trip....from Montreal QC to Rocky Mountain House, AB." Some 4000 km. This man was crazy focused and driven.
And that is Wholly sad, we’re so fucking busy with our worthless Pursuits all working slaves for the dollar driven competition laden, stressed out existence
22:33 Tears come, “The Kootenai saw our famished looks and asking no questions gave everyone a sufficiency to eat.” Brought tears to my eyes that won’t stop. My ancestry includes Natives, Scots & English, African and even French way back. But those sensible people of the forests lost so much for their compassion.
Yes very poignant. They saved their lives, no questions. Kind like you.
What this doc missed is Thompson and life partner had about 10 children and he didn't abandoned them and go back to Englan like many traders. anyone who enjoyed this should read about Peter Fiddler who was almost as prolific map maker but got little credit.
I noticed at want point it said he wasn’t worried about them but then later abandoned pushing ahead because he was worried about them! 😂🤦
Thanks for the info,
The David Thompson
@MurrayReid
You're mistaken. It was inferred at the least, though there was at least one statement about them being together.
Peter Fiddler was the first European to climb a mountain in the Canadian Rockies
Thunder Mountain in 1792
@@bartjenkins5036 his wife was First Nations, as we know say in Canada.
I am so excited to watch this program... Because I am part Kootney an Shuswap...
Mostly Flathead an Umpqua from Oregon where I now live...
I am loving this program ... Thank you
I have spent a lot of time with my family there... I now live i
Flathead or Crow?
My family settled around The Dallas about 1870’s,the stories of the untamed Columbia were unbelievable. Rough country for sure,beautiful and unforgiving.
DALLES.
I met his great grandson when I was a young child. Our Kinsmen club in the small town of Rocky Mtn. House Alberta brought him out from Ontario to help celebrate our "David Thompson" days.
Thompson died penniless and blind...a fact not well know.
He was the greatest inland geographer the world has ever known. An almost unbelievable feat! What a man...
This is where my heart lives. Wonderful documentary.
@Pete it means he think's this land is his
This is one of the best documentaries I've seen in a very long time I'm just glad I found it I would like to see more of this type of documentaries can't get enough of those old photos of the equipment the tribal people all that's just great
Brilliant, so well done ! Magnificent scenery and story telling ! The art work and research are 1st class !!
I was born and raised near the HBC fort at Michipicoten, on Lake Superior, a place Thompson must have stopped at, it was established in around 1670 or so.
Made my way west as an 18 year old, to live in BC, and have travelled many of the places he went. Kootenay Plains is on the South Sask river near where the highway crosses from Banff to Jasper. beautiful place where tribes met in summer to trade and hold sun dances.
All through the Columbia valley down to Creston is such a beautiful place.
I understand why he liked it so much.
The book Sources from the river is a book written about him, by Jack Nisbet
Could not stop watching and learning. So inspiring. As someone who made my own Canoe at seventeen, and as an experienced skier with fifty years on the slopes, I was transfixed by this tale of courage and determination . Intrigued by the ways of the First Nations culture and impressed by the patient surveying skills of Thompson. Travelling as he did, over uncharted land and learning sufficient local language to get by ! He must have had great determination and patience! Maybe a manner that earned him friends along the way !
Me too
Thanks for talking about yourself. Not.
Hi i was born in 1941 in Northern Utah as a kid went out on camping adventures into Idaho it was wild grizzly bear mountain lion country rafting down Bear river we were mountain men haha all great kids stuff David Thompson was one brave pioneer tanks for the {posting............... Edwin John Thompson...
Did you ever hear of skinwalkers
Can u image being 14 and learning all of this so fast , what drove him so hard , his bravery must have shown on his face and actions , his Indian peers must have been mesmerized by his person ,his communication must have been conveniencing, and commanding, a power beyond our imagination
True but you have to keep in mind that 14 back then was like being 21 now.
@@GVH1305 I saw something about this at the voyageur museum at Samuel de Champlain Park near Mattawa ON. This is it from wiki. "Furs were put into standard weight bundles known as pieces (bales) of 90 pounds each. The standard load for a voyageur on a portage was two bundles, or 180 lb." These men were short, just over 5', and weighed slightly more than 100 pounds. One voyageur explained why they ran with their loads. "We run because it is too painful to walk." I'm sure that Thompson lifted a finger but you're right in that he wouldn't have carried any bundles.
@@romrom331 My father was born in 1883 on a farm in northern Italy and left home to work when he was 14. That was normal everywhere in Europe and America & Canada at that time.
@@romrom331 haha 14 back then was like 30 now. Remember we’re always told when you have kids you have to let children be children. What we have today is the result of letting children be children. Perpetual adolescence.
@@rosolenn My French Cdn. grandfather has my body type: big shoulder, strong back, short legs, and strong.....and a sense of humour. Hudsons' Bay would have hired us both immediately.
Beautiful ❤️ music to this Excellent video! Thanks
David Thompson, the most underrated explorer in North American history.
My 5th great grandfather was even more underrated, at least Canadians know whom David Thompson was.
www.biographi.ca/en/bio/fidler_peter_6E.html
Oh, I just got to 14:45 where they mentioned his name, cool..lol I
WeLikeItLikeThis very cool stuff, have you any relics?
That's right cousin! Peter Fidler is the underrated one, along with Philip Turnor.
He did get a Canadian postage stamp. And I am his namesake !
Wow, did not know that story, thanks
Imagine seeing that country in it's raw unspoiled form! Damn, it's beautiful now but back then...man it must have smelled so good and been soo quiet!
All the film is from presemt day. It looks and smells exactly same.. Western Canada has changed little
I read a book what was the compiled histories of people who had been abducted or adopted by the natives. In one account, they saw a hole in a tree several feet above the snow but there were no animal foot prints around. The writer, writing in the 1800's, nonchalantly mentions that female bears hibernated in trees (because all the trees are big enough for that, right?), and hollowed out a hole in the tree to sleep in so that when their baby bears were born, they would be safe. I can't imagine British Colombia being just covered with huge trees like the great Red Woods of Southern California. I think it would have been amazing. In another documentary I saw, they said there were so many fish in the oceans that you could fish with a bucket. Even "Little House on the Prairie" books talk about how much game there was. Life was hard, I'm sure, but it must have been amazing to see it all. Or .... if you were wanted by the law, you could just disappear into the wilderness never to be seen again.
@@UnderAlog572 Correct. This is something the masses don't fully understand because they rarely if ever get out.
Trevor Stolz what’s the name of that book? Sounds really interesting
@@brianronne2060 Captured by the Indians: 15 Firsthand Accounts:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486249018/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This guy deserves more recognition.
this white man did enough damage!
This man was a genius, he should get a lot more recognition in history books.
My family ventured into the wilds of The northwest in the 1870’s winding up in Murray, Idaho. Been here ever since.
What a life Mr. Thompson lived. An adventurous man who accomplished so much in his lifetime. Earning his living in the fur trade made it possible for him to explore uncharted territory that in his time was nothing short of amazing.
David Thompson also was exploited by Hudson Bay Company despite being a great asset for them, and died penniless
as a clerk, while others made a fortune on his maps.
@@jockkinne2768 but it’s OK now. My name is in the record books for all eternity and even though our Supreme Court now say that corporations are people I don’t see any of their names written down here! He who laughs last laughs hardest!
Thank you, very little. David T.
I was and still am amazing.
Aye, and I Cannot die!
David
Amazing documentary about an amazing explorer! David Thompson - one of my heros. intelligent, kind, respectful, adventurous, studious, brave. Read Jack Nesbitt's books - they are quite the story and well written. Thanks for sharing and posting this wonderful program!!
I've been blessed to have horsebacked on overnight, off trail adventures, in the Black Hills, the Badlands and the northern Cascades. Horsebacking into the Canadian Rockies, going in for weeks (or forever!) at a time, is my ULTIMATE bucket list goal. That's where my heaven is. The only thing that would make it better would be to have my love (D) and my kids out there enjoying it with me!
It all sounds so great until reality sets in... Winter, starvation, hostile tribes, disease etc etc etc...
Thanks for talking about yourself. Not.
What an amazing story. It held me Spellbound throughout. Bravo and kudos to the makers of this documentary
I live in Rocky Mountain House and have toured the trading post, was very cool to see this documentary
David Thompson shows us that Indigenous people and Europeans can learn from, and support each other.
I've canoed some of the upper North Saskatchewan R. from Nordegg crossing to Rocky (Mountain House). It is good. That old river still flows, as it has for millenia, out from under the glaciers and ice fields. We had the privilege of meeting Bill Mason on the other side of the mountain, though we didn't know who he was at the time. Even so, I was at the time impressed that I had crossed the path of a true gentleman ... one of the great men.
Google earth surprised me the other day: Lake Manitoba is gone!
No way, you met Bill Mason. I enjoyed his books, films, and art. Ive only gotten as far as N. Idaho and Montana. I wish I’d watched this video earlier so I could know more about what I was looking at. Someday want to see Canadian Rockies and the rivers Bill Mason writes about.
People like Thomson lived in a time when there was so much out there to discover, and the allure must have been so intoxicating. I try to imagine what kinds of skills that a person would need to make their way through such unforgiving territory. Not to mention the character of such an incredible individual. A lot of people today have little idea how difficult it really was to get out into the wilderness, blaze trails, make maps and somehow survive all of the dangers. I have a huge amount of respect for such a person that would take on such an endeavor, and with gear that seems so primitive by today’s standards. Not to mention the importance of being able to depend upon the person next to you as well. People think of taming the wilderness as something so distant from what it actually was. Like back then you just chopped down trees and shot everything that moved and you were good. We used to romanticize people like Thomson.
Thank you for your kind words,
The David Thompson
An open mind helps ...
... Tremendously
Thompson
MANY evil vile people had a lot of skills they used to endure harsh environments.
Performing impressive feats has nothing to do with good character.
fantastic documentary- the landscapes, the paintings, the canoes- wow! Phenomenal story too. Thank you for posting this
They were before Lewis Clark.
You’re welcome,
The David Thompsom
@@donjarrett9485Lewis and Clark used my maps for their explorations. You’re welcome, The David Thompson
Thank you for your comments. I have had many wonderful lifetimes since my reported death. David Thompson, Highlander.
Really enjoyed this. Growing up in the US I'd never heard of Thompson until today.
Aaron Preacher 99)]
Don't you know? Only USA history matters. No one else has a history. MAGA!
@@yaddahaysmarmalite4059 Ah*Mer*kah!!!
Same here. I grew up in Spokane, and only ever heard of Lewis and Clark. In school, everyone has to take a Pacific Northwest History class, and not a single mention of Thompson, who is the premier European explorer of the area. Not surprised, USA education system being what it is..
I live in North Dakota and buy a place called verendrye there is a David Thompson memorial it's near the mouse River and it's a very beautiful place.to see
WoW ~ What an incredible Yoyageur David Thompson was. I never realized before who he was despite all my readings of early travelers, traders and explorers. VERY well done with great watercolor illustrations. ~ Good watching, informative and entertaining. Cheers!
Yeah, this is an awesome documentary.
I learned a lot.
I was born in Thompson Manitoba and now live along the Columbia River. David Thompson sounds like a man most anyone would want to hang out with. Unless they're pussies. Lol.
I enjoyed this program very much. Thank you.
The French voyageurs had already established well travelled routes from eastern Canada to the Athabascan region. Alexander Mackenzie had already made his way from Athabasca to the Pacific in 1793 and is another great story
It was the Iroquois actually. All of those dudes hopped on an Iroquois back like a backpack. And then when David Thompson got to the Rocky mountains he also got those same Iroquois who had been there for a few years already to show him what BC was about cuz they knew already. The Waniandys of Kahnawake were first.
@@GoodBaleadaMusic you have any books I can read about them? I would love to support
I conquer with the accolades already given for this video. Thank you for its production and for posting it here!
Are you sure about that ????
conquer : overcome and take control of (a place or people) by military force.
concur : be of the same opinion; agree.
N.W. Ranger "concur" means to agree... just saying 🛶
Vocab lerning
When Lewis and Clark used your map for The Corp of Discovery, be assured of this great man David Thompsons accomplishments!! What an INNOVATOR OF THE NORTH AMERICAN FRONTIER!!!
What magnificent documentary. Thank you for uploading it.
That was a fantastic film, I have acquired a 1938 copy of "The Native Tribes of British Columbia" authored by Alice Ravenhill. It is so nice to gain further knowledge of the Pacific Region and why we could use additional documentaries of these prehistoric and primitive people to further define how, when and where they migrated from? Excellent representation of David Thompson!
Primitive? Not in my opinion. Different, eco-sustainable, but not primitive.
Primitive? O. K. They didn’t have electronic distractions and “modern day conveniences “, however they didn’t pollute the atmosphere, the oceans, or the earth with plastics and other harmful chemicals. With all of our “ progress & advances” we are on the verge of ending our civilization. How primitive is that?
Was just having a rest stop at a spot located on the North Saskatchewan River, just west of Rocky Mountain House. Amazing to think that some of that history happened right around where I’m sitting, well over 200 years ago. Well, time to get back on the trail myself. Cheers everyone.
Stan Rogers
Northwest Passage
More than one driver's favorites.
th-cam.com/video/TVY8LoM47xI/w-d-xo.html
I go to Rocky Mountain House almost every weekend. 😁. It is still very wild and the North Saskatchewan River is mighty as ever. Great to learn more about this beautiful country I live in. Thanks 🙏 for this great video.
Very enjoyable video to watch. Thanks all for making it available!
Some journeys overlooked as when he traveled through British Columbia and first saw the Kootenay Columbia at present day Castlegar. There is a statue there marking his presence.
There is a statue of him in Invermere, too.
I just started reading the book "Epic Wanderer" about the life of Thompson when I got the TH-cam recommendation. What a coincidence. I'm still going to read the book, though.
Not a coincidence my friend, google is spying on you
How was the book?
@@romrom331
I bought the book at a yard sale. How would google know that? Not that I'm doubting that Google is using algorithms to track my buying habits but I think yard sales are beyond even their reach....I hope.
The book was excellent. I recommend it. I just checked and it's available online at Project Gutenberg, free as it is no longer under copyright.
I have traveled along the path.....Down the Kootenai. Where it travels from B.C.. I live on a mountain above.
These documentaries are so much better like this with no acting/scenes
This is a great history lesson, I loved it.
You’re welcome,
The David Thompson
This story had me on the edge of my seat all the way thru. Very interesting and educational
Thanks for watching!
What a wonderfully well-done, produced and informative documentary. Thank you.
What a great history. Thanks to my old classmate Jim Zimmer. Since I was secretly allowed to graduate high school without taking Pacific Northwest History,, I have tried to study this subject on my own. I feel obliged since Mr Longshore made me promise to do this in 1976.
Hey, Hunt is a family name for me, yet I don’t know anyone passed the family member that gave it to me. ♥️ Is Hunt your last name?
I am in awe -- history is a hobby, and I never even HEARD of this guy!
Yeah, it's sad that David Thompson is soo underrated.
He deserves much more recognition.
Ouch!
I live along the Highway named after David Thompson. And west of Rocky Mountain House to the Saskatchewan River Crossing is called David Thompson Country .
I had to laugh when someone asked if Highway 11 West from Red Deer was paved.
Oh dear, maybe an American.
Thanks. A documentary almost as beautiful as the country he charted. Beautiful. Informative. Well done.
Excellent vid. Thanks much for the efforts in making it available.. d:^)
Geez I get froze just walking to the mail box! Those people were a total different breed of human
Very nicely done, a breath of fresh air from our rich cultural heritage!!! Love these documentaries!!!👍😀
Big Thanks I have not ever heard about David Thomas at 12 years old in learning about surveying then from the Cred also. I really enjoyed this video. Why doesn't anyone today don't mention Thomas & his most I think important information, because it's not just surveying of work he did. Thank you again ☺️
Now you know so much about David Thomas....When will you learn about David Thompson? The great explorer and cartographer who has the mighty Thompson River as his namesake.
Awesome story. Native americans are amazing and this intermingling of the old world and new explains complexities of the situation that go beyond simply labeling one the oppressor and the other defenseless oppressed children utterly incapable of the challenges facing them. So patronizing.
The event that made me believe in ghosts happened very close to the part of the story in which much of this story takea place. By kalispell montana i saw a huge native man in early 19th century clothing. He even had a large dog resembling a shepherd or husky. He looked at me as if i were the ghost and i thought he was a robber or drunk who wandered in however impossible that would have been in the winter
A great thanks to everyone involved in this production you made it possible for me to live up to my motto learn something new every day
10:00 I'm enjoying the Scots fiddle music... One doesn't often hear something like a Strathspey/Reel in a TV show unless it is in a show specifically about Scotland. 👍
Och aye the noo Jimmy
Check out Ray Mears "Northern Wilderness " for a wonderful tribute to David Thompson .
th-cam.com/video/uJC4YZfJLXA/w-d-xo.html
Thanks VP.....I just checked it out...fantastic series!
@@Svernon2k41 appreciate your help
This needs to be made into a movie about David Thompson wow !
Yes, and William Bartram the naturalist from the 1700's who explored and researched the SE portion of the US.
David Thompson or his real name Dafydd ap Thomas a great explorer from a proud Welsh family to one of the greatest nations on earth.
@Daver G he had a wife and three kids
David thompson. One of my biggest heros. He learned languages by simply starting with english words starting with A and finding translations then as many B words then C words...lol
...... and the F-word???
@@chrisnielsen1767 "Boom Boom" in any man's language
I’ve watched this entire video at least 4 times and it’s still good.
I concur
Wow, thank you for watching! We're thrilled that you continue to find it enjoyable and informative. We put a lot of time and effort into our programming, and it's wonderful to hear that it's resonating with viewers like you.
his wife was [pretty amazing also she traveled with 3 kids along his side ,well done , id say and love to see a movie one day on there life
namasteme : That would be so awesome!!
A feminist never would have done it.
@@canadiankewldude or, A feminist might have led the expedition.
@@eddypetch led the expedition into the ground? probably start wars with the natives over their treatment of women? yeah
Her name was Charlotte Small. She was the Metis daughter of North West Company partner Patrick Small and an unnamed Cree woman. Her father ran a fur trade post up in the English River system. They were married at Ile a la Cross (Saskatchewan) in 1799 and would have 13 children. Moreover when other fur traders and explorers were abandoning their Metis wives when they retired back east, David & Charlotte stayed married. Their home, the Bethune-Thompson House, in Williamstown (Ontario) still stands and can be visited by appointment. As a side note, Indigenous and Metis wives were particularly valuable to fur traders for linguistic and wood craft skills.
Excellent production. I grew up near Red Deer, Alberta, known as "David Thompson Country".
I very much enjoyed this documentary of David Thompson, whom we learned about in grade school (and promptly forgot) along with other explorers like Peter Findlay and Alexander Mackenzie.
Very interesting and well produced, thank you.
And 1978 my family got travel here, beautiful.
Great documentary! Thanks a lot for uploading this!
What a fascinating documentary Thompsons life's work. None of us here imagine how difficult life was back then. What was amazing to me, how much distance he covered on foot or by water. Clearly journey into British Columbia was a pond land that was untouched by man. You got to wonder what that must have been like for all those involved.. I just can't help to wonder about his trek and all the new things he saw and heard. Did he see or hear anything he could not explain? Did any of his native guides talk to David about the boss of the mountains and forest. I just wondering if any of his writes site a creature or creatures he couldn't explain.
@Shawn Warn your are fucking moron. Please go fuck your self.
I did some research on David Thompson. He did encounter very large tracks in the snow that he couldn't explain. The stride was massive for human feet. He did record his finds deep in side British Columbia.
A amazing man of describable,strength, knowledge and ability to adjust to conditions,natives and to learn languages.
I just wish it would have mentioned his wife and children when they said, he retired from the trade or what happened to them.
I know what happened to them.... He was my great ^5 grandfather. He married Charlotte Small, and they went back to the settled area in modern eastern Canada (Toronto area) to live. He didn't get much money for his maps, a fact that he never got over. He was shunned by the high society that previously lauded him, and it was because of the racially mixed marriage. They all knew that the explorers all had native women.... But the other explorers never brought them back to civilization. David was honorable enough that he didn't care about that. He lived in relative poverty the rest of his life.
Interesting documentary and some impressive cinematography! Thanks for posting.
I'm a Kinbasket family member, part of the Shuswap, the mis-prenounced of D. Thompson as Swupean,.. (LOL) we're at the head waters of the Columbia River, which was also called the St Rio, by the Spaniards,.. But the interior tribes also limited the Kootenay access inward of the Columbia Plateau, like the Paigans won't accept the Kootenay through Howse pass, the Kootenay lake is a marker not an owned territory, there is a painted Pictographs, warning at the south of Fairmont Hot Springs, which are being continued destroyed, by the Kootenay, it's not a spirit trail,.. lol ..markers of pictograph were used a lot,.. but yes, Kootenay lake is a marker,... same with the Kootenay river, only to allow the Kooteni people to fish and hunt, it was there their territory and all the tribes knew that,.. the world between non First People and First people are different,... the understanding(s) are totally different The Kooteni people were pushed out of their traditional lands in Montana area,. pushed westward,.. there are hunts of understanding not shared with Sama (Whites) people! a total mis understanding can be hinted , even in this video 35:54 when he (Tony Incashola, from Kalispel) explains about the Salish stock, and doesn't mention the Kooteni . There were difference between the tribes, and why nobody wanted the trades happen in certain areas,.. last twenty years of map making,..they didn't mention the lying deceit they done to Thompson when he tried to get paid for his map making
David Thompson was a giant in the historical narrative of the European exploration of North America, and yet the number of Canadians or Americans for that matter who even know who he was let alone what his contributed to our present day society was is so incredibly small as to be insignificant. This is a story shows how diverse cultures can come together to forge a better future for all. This is a lesson that we can still all benefit from.
Magnificent program, lovely and educational. Thanks for sharing it.
Some Humans are exceptional and ahead of their 'time'...Thompson was one such Human.
Great doc, thanks for sharing, and greets from the Netherlands!
Fascinating! Well done video, thank you.
KSPS, you Rock, Jim and Co. Jim T., former student assistant, 2005-06, now retired in Mexico.
Excellent and valuable video production. thank you
I surveyed the rockies and foothills in alberta for 30 yrs. Hard work with great reward!!!
Very good documentary, very informative and I enjoyed it very much..
Thank you..
This type of frontier history is fascinating
Great documentary on the history of my home area.
Great story, thanks for posting!
Excellent. Fasinating. Packed with great illustrations
Thompson bought an estate from one of my 4 g grandmothers, Veronique Bethune, after her husband died. It was 3000 acres, and had a nice house, and located at Williamstown, just west of Montreal. So he did make a decent amount from the fur trade. Sadly he later made some bad business decisions, and that resulted in poverty.
Incidentally Veronique's sister Marguerite was the wife of Dr. John McLauglin, chief factor of Fort Vancouver.
Shut up
Greg b : you are very rude!!😯
@@patrooney2283 GREG b did not mean that 'shut up' insultingly, he meant it like - WOW !! and COOL !!
@Milton Hackett Try looking up Norman Bethune if you find this interesting. A hint: had a great PR agent, named Mao Tze Tung.
Greg b @
WTH...Amazing explorers,just incredible,tuff people.Love it !!
Wow I had never heard of this man and his exploits truly incredible.
Amazing. Thank you
Very enlightening! Had Canada become the economic, political, military, and cultural force that their southern neighbors later became, David Thompson would be an immense historical figure rather than an obscure one. His achievements are objectively monumental. History, alas, is not objective. Never has been. One has to wonder if it ever could be.
I must have listened to this 10 times. It's so well done
truly amazing. Thank you.
he was an amazing person.
The Upper Midwest of the US, my homeland, shares a great deal of this history with Canada. To blanket label fur traders with statements labeling them as heroes or villains is both short sighted and irrelevant. Before you get high and mighty talking about blood on people's hands, consider where you get your wares and food sometime.....
My best friend and best man was related to Thompson. RIP Kevin .
No doubt..you miss him, terribly.
Wow, this was great! Very enjoyable.
i love this documentary, excellent
Very well done, thank you
David Thompson was not only s prolific explorer and mapmaker, but also once scored 73 points in an NBA game
Can you imagine saying..."Oh, let's take a canoe trip....from Montreal QC to Rocky Mountain House, AB." Some 4000 km. This man was crazy focused and driven.
A credit to his country. Very good video. Thanks.
This is phenomenal!!!
I can't believe I've never heard of this brilliant gentleman
That was very interesting , I really enjoyed it . Thanks for sharing this .
He saw more of our continent than North Americans do today, even with cars. Brave, brilliant and inspiring.
And that is Wholly sad, we’re so fucking busy with our worthless Pursuits all working slaves for the dollar driven competition laden, stressed out existence