David Thompson
From Ffaith
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The man who measured Canada
Though actually born in London on April 30th 1770, David Thompson - perhaps arguably Canada's greatest explorer and geographer - was of Welsh parentage and spoke Welsh fluently. During his lifetime Thompson, who had left England for Canada aged 14, surveyed and mapped the vast unknown Canadian interior in precise and meticulous detail. 80,000 miles of wilderness was covered by Thompson on foot, sled, horseback and canoe yet he died a relative pauper in 1857. It was not until the 20th century that his importance as a geographer was recognized.
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