0:00:00 > 0:00:00- *
0:00:00 > 0:00:04- Intrepid Welsh people have - explored the world for centuries.
0:00:04 > 0:00:09- Many have chronicled their stories - in words, pictures and maps.
0:00:09 > 0:00:14- I'm researching their testimony - and following in their footsteps...
0:00:15 > 0:00:18- ..to the world's - most interesting places.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20- They explored remote areas...
0:00:20 > 0:00:24- ..not knowing - who or what they'd encounter.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28- I'll be tracing the history - of an eminent cartographer...
0:00:28 > 0:00:31- ..known worldwide - by the moniker Stargazer.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- This is the story of a man - who walked thousands of miles...
0:00:42 > 0:00:46- ..making maps that were integral - to America and Canada's history.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50- He was 'the greatest - land geographer who ever lived.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:53- The first to map the - largest river in the American west.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- He wrote about Native Americans.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58- He was a Welshman, - though few remember that.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- I want to find out - if he could speak Welsh.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09- In the year 1777...
0:01:09 > 0:01:13- ..a young David Thompson attended - this school in Westminster.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- It was called - Grey Coat School back then...
0:01:17 > 0:01:19- ..though it wasn't a girls' school.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23- It was a charitable school for - the area's disadvantaged children.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27- But Thompson wasn't really - David's surname either.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29- His family was ap Thomas.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33- Seven years later, - the Welshman set sail for Canada...
0:01:33 > 0:01:37- ..to a land where - the white man had never ventured.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43- At the tender age of 14, - David excelled at mathematics.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47- He studied navigation - and was a proficient carpenter.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52- His skills won him an apprenticeship - with the Hudson's Bay Company...
0:01:52 > 0:01:56- ..which imported fur from North - America for the millinery trade.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01- In 1784, David set sail - aboard the Prince Rupert...
0:02:01 > 0:02:05- ..from London to Hudson Bay, to - a barren region of northern Canada.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10- Crossing the Atlantic took three - months. He was a long way from home.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13- A year would pass - before the ships returned.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17- I bid a long and sad goodbye...
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- ..to my noble, my sacred country, - an exile for ever.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27- Thompson worked for the - Hudson's Bay Company for 13 years.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- He was a clever boy - and learnt quickly.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32- But life was hard.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35- A serious accident changed his life.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38- When he was 18, he broke his leg.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40- He was bed bound for months.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43- But he used the time - to study the work of a surveyor...
0:02:44 > 0:02:47- ..and a new science in cartography, - astrology...
0:02:47 > 0:02:50- ..in order to pinpoint - exact locations.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54- That data, along with detailed - descriptions of the landscape...
0:02:54 > 0:02:56- ..enabled him to draw maps.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01- He saw there was much more to life - than selling fur.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06- He left the Hudson's Bay Co for its - competitor, the North West Company.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10- It was a more modern firm - which allowed the Welshman...
0:03:10 > 0:03:14- ..to explore - new territories and map them.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- The fur traders - were embroiled in the battle...
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- ..over the control of North America.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25- A battle between a fledgling USA, - Spain and British Canada.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30- David Thompson was sent to - the south, to the Missouri River...
0:03:30 > 0:03:33- ..to try and gain - the monopoly there.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38- They'd heard a representative - from Spain was already there...
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- ..working with a tribe of Mandans.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43- But this man was no Spaniard.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48- Thompson's journey to - North America didn't begin here...
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- ..but this is where - I must start my journey.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54- Something remarkable - happened here...
0:03:55 > 0:03:59- ..in a Native American settlement - high up the Missouri River.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02- A little over 200 years ago...
0:04:02 > 0:04:07- ..few white people had ventured, let - alone reached, as far west as this.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- But in 1798, - within six months of each other...
0:04:10 > 0:04:13- ..two Welshmen - had reached these parts.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- Potentially two Welsh speakers.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18- Both had risked untold dangers.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- They had mapped large swathes - of the river and land...
0:04:22 > 0:04:24- ..for the very first time.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28- David Thompson was one, - John Evans was the other.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31- His mission - was to find Welsh-speaking Indians.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36- This major coincidence evoked - much foolhardiness and courage.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40- It was one of the most adventurous - periods in American history.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45- John Evans came here, having been - prompted by Iolo Morgannwg et al.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- He was - trying to find the Madogwys...
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- ..a tribe of fair-skinned - Native Americans...
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- ..who, according to them, - spoke a similar language to Welsh.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00- It would prove that Madog and fellow - sailors had sailed to America.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05- But John Evans had also ended up - working for the Spanish government.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09- His aim was to map a route - from the Missouri to the Pacific.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11- He traded with local people.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- David Thompson was here representing - the North West Company.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19- They had missed each other - by six months.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- In 1796, only a handful of - white people had ever been here...
0:05:24 > 0:05:26- ..two of whom were Welshmen.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32- In order to reach the Mandan camp...
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- ..David ap Thomas - walked for 33 days...
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- ..in temperatures - 37 degrees below freezing.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42- He failed to find a guide, - not because of the weather...
0:05:42 > 0:05:45- ..but because of the threat - from the Sioux.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51- In the end, - they reached the Missouri...
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- ..and were - warmly welcomed by the Mandans.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- I was warmly greeted by Cory - Spotted Bear, himself a Mandan...
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- ..who's trying to safeguard - the language and culture.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- So this is where they lived.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07- This is the lodge here.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10- Ma-ah goh-tee - in the Mandan language.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15- David Thompson and John Evans - would've lived in lodges like these.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20- They would've met the same people - and witnessed the same rituals...
0:06:20 > 0:06:24- ..for a brief period before - smallpox wiped out the Mandans.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- Two intrepid explorers, not knowing - they were fellow Welshmen.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35- The Mandans were here - for 300 years...
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- ..before the white man arrived.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- For what is left - of the tribe today...
0:06:42 > 0:06:46- ..it must be a bittersweet memory - but also an inspiration.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51- Both sexes - have a character of being kind...
0:06:51 > 0:06:53- ..in the intercourse - with each other.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58- In our ambles through the villages, - everything was orderly.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00- No scolding, no loud talking.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03- What about us Welsh people?
0:07:03 > 0:07:07- Looking around - and seeing the houses and boats...
0:07:07 > 0:07:11- ..and a few old tales, you can - understand how places like this...
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- ..had fuelled the myth about Madog.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19- Hearing about the Mandans' cultured, - friendly and peaceful nature...
0:07:19 > 0:07:21- ..it's nice - being associated with them.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- From the outset, - Thompson had a keen interest...
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- ..in the lives, language and - customs of the Native Americans.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31- Here in Dakota...
0:07:32 > 0:07:34- ..he recorded 375 Mandan words...
0:07:34 > 0:07:36- ..and described the village.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- Throughout his life, his interest - set him apart from other explorers.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45- He was one of the first - to record Mandan customs...
0:07:45 > 0:07:49- ..and give an account - of their way of life.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52- They were farmers - rather than nomadic hunters.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59- Things changed in 1947, exactly - 150 years after Thompson's visit...
0:07:59 > 0:08:04- ..when the villages of three - Native American tribes were sunk.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- It was a large-scale Tryweryn.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- 1,700 people, including Mandans, - had to leave their homes.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- Edwin Benson remembers.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- We've lost a way of life...
0:08:18 > 0:08:20- ..a culture and our old customs.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23- We were heart-broken.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27- We had to leave the old river, - our homes and the community.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34- Edwin Benson is unique. He's the - only first-language Mandan speaker.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39- In those days, many people - spoke the Mandan language.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41- I don't remember learning it.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- I was brought up with it. - It's my mother tongue.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48- He, like other children - of the tribe...
0:08:48 > 0:08:53- ..attended an English-medium school - and was scolded for speaking Mandan.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58- Like many minority languages, - few families sustained the language.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06- Nowadays, there are no - first-language Mandan speakers left.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10- I talk a little to Cory - but no-one else.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- It makes me feel lonely - and very sad.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- The language - has all but disappeared...
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- ..despite Cory - and others' efforts to learn it.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- But it is - a minority's second language.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31- The deterioration happened - when white settlers arrived...
0:09:31 > 0:09:35- ..including the two Welshmen, - John Evans and David Thompson.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50- The journey to the Mandan village - was part of the epic adventure...
0:09:50 > 0:09:52- ..that David Thompson led.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57- The extreme weather, - the dangers and even the politics...
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- ..would've prepared him - for what was to come.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- He travelled 4,000 miles in all.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08- But that was nothing compared to the - adventures that were ahead of him.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11- On the journey - to the Mandan village...
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- ..David Thompson had noted - the bend in the Missouri...
0:10:15 > 0:10:17- ..and later mapped it.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21- Another river - would soon come to rule his life.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27- He spent most of the next 15 years - in the Canadian Rockies.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30- I too - am leaving Dakota and heading north.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32- I'm going by plane and car...
0:10:33 > 0:10:36- ..while David Thompson - went by foot and horseback...
0:10:37 > 0:10:39- ..and along the rivers in a canoe.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45- When the fur trade - was at its peak...
0:10:46 > 0:10:50- ..it was a challenge to get the furs - from the hunting area to the sea...
0:10:50 > 0:10:52- ..to export them.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55- A huge market - was developing in China...
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- ..so a route to the Pacific - was vital.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00- There were none in the 18th century.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03- The giant Rocky Mountains - were in the way.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10- Thompson was tasked with - mapping a route over the Rockies...
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- ..from the fur centre - to the uncharted Pacific.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24- I've come to Alberta in Canada, - another of Thompson's provinces.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27- The one thing - that connects this area...
0:11:27 > 0:11:30- ..with the Mandan region is oil.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- Crude is the new fur, - as someone once said.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- For the traders of Alberta - and north Dakota...
0:11:37 > 0:11:39- ..like it was in Thompson's day...
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- ..the difficulty - was transporting fur to the sea.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- Similarly, there was a price to pay - for development and progress.
0:11:51 > 0:11:51- .
0:11:52 > 0:11:52- Subtitles
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:11:56 > 0:12:00- Present-day Alberta, Canada. David - Thompson was 29 when he came here.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05- He made a name for himself as an - explorer, cartographer and trader.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- His business...
0:12:07 > 0:12:11- ..meant travelling hundreds of miles - to collect fur from native tribes.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15- He travelled through unpopulated - areas inhabited by wild animals...
0:12:16 > 0:12:19- ..from dangerous bears - to large herds of bison.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- His fellow travellers - were white explorers...
0:12:25 > 0:12:27- ..and Native American tribes.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31- In September 1798, as he - was on his way to collect fur...
0:12:31 > 0:12:36- ..Thompson stopped at a trading post - on the territory of the Cree tribe.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- There he met a 13-year-old girl - called Charlotte.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45- He was only there a day but he knew - he'd made an impression on her.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48- She certainly - made an impression on him.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- Six months later he returned.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55- Within three weeks, he writes - a stark entry in his journal.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- "Today I married Charlotte Small."
0:12:58 > 0:13:01- He'd found his lifelong partner.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05- She spoke Cree and understood - the lives of Native Americans.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14- Rocky Mountain House is a model - of one of the main trading posts...
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- ..of the North West Company - 200 years ago.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21- From here they controlled the trade - over a vast distance.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24- It was central - in David Thompson's life too.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29- Historians of Thompson's era - are besotted with the place...
0:13:29 > 0:13:33- ..because so much evidence exists - about what went on here.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- He set out on many of his travels - from here...
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- ..including his trips - over the Rockies 50 miles away.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- Fur was the main industry.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48- They bought hide from local native - tribes and exported them to Europe.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50- The aim of heading west...
0:13:50 > 0:13:54- ..was to find more tribes - and more fur to purchase.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58- They were battling with other firms, - the Spanish and the Americans...
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- ..for control of the land - and the trade.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04- Mapping the area - was an integral part of that.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- Thompson was a natural cartographer.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- He recorded - every detail in his notebook.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- Distances, climate, wildlife...
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- ..heights of mountains and so on.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19- When he travelled by canoe, - he lent over the side...
0:14:20 > 0:14:22- ..to measure - the depth of the rivers.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27- In search of more fur, he ventured - to places unexplored by white men.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- His maps are vital to us today - but hide was his bread and butter.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- Right, what can I do for you today?
0:14:34 > 0:14:40- This is what a shop would've looked - like in one of the trading posts.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- You can see - how it would've operated.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47- On this side are all the things - the tribes would need.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51- The necklace, the bells, the fabrics - and, of course, metal goods...
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- ..including animal traps.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- On the other side is the fur.
0:14:57 > 0:15:03- This is the most precious - of all the hides - beaver skins.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07- This dictated the market price - for all the fur.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- It was used to make these.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13- You can see - how they would've traded.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18- All the First Nation tribes - wanted guns...
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- ..so that they - could defend themselves...
0:15:21 > 0:15:25- ..fight against other tribes - and to be better huntsmen.
0:15:25 > 0:15:31- This is an early example - of a trading post 200 years ago...
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- ..with goods exchanged - over the counter.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39- The remnants of the trading posts - are of great interest to many...
0:15:39 > 0:15:44- ..including archaeologists who - have been digging to find out more.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48- Site warden Greg Joyce - described everyday life here.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52- These are the ruins - of the original fort.
0:15:52 > 0:15:57- Thompson and his family would come - here more or less every winter...
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- ..for a good 10 years.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- It was here that Charlotte - and the children lived.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06- Their first child was born here.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11- This wasn't the ideal place - to give birth, or the safest.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- It was a competitive business.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- The post was situated here as it - was a convenient spot to bring fur.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- The North West Company wasn't - the only firm to have a post here.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26- You can see remnants of the Hudson's - Bay Company's trading post...
0:16:27 > 0:16:29- ..a stone's throw away.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- There would've been - much bartering...
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- ..when the hunters - arrived with their skins.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40- Thompson often refers to the - hardship of Native American females.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- Life was far from easy - for his own wife Charlotte.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45- They spent long spells apart.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50- When she travelled with him, she - risked famine and untold dangers.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- It's here that they want to erect - a memorial for Charlotte Small...
0:16:56 > 0:17:00- ..as she was also an important - figure in Canada's history.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02- She accompanied Thompson...
0:17:02 > 0:17:06- ..on many of his travels - on this side of the Rockies.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08- Since her mother was a Cree...
0:17:08 > 0:17:12- ..her knowledge of the native - customs and the geography...
0:17:12 > 0:17:15- ..was invaluable to Thompson.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19- My lovely wife is of the blood - of these people, the Cree...
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- ..which gives me a great advantage.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- It's believed - that Charlotte herself...
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- ..had travelled 27,000 miles - in her lifetime.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- The women were important.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- They sewed the essential moccasins, - cooked and raised the family.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40- They also made traders - look less threatening to natives.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44- As Charlotte was half Cree, - Thompson faced fewer threats...
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- ..than other explorers.
0:17:47 > 0:17:53- This is the type of tepee they - would've used outside the fort...
0:17:53 > 0:17:56- ..because few people - lived inside the fort.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01- This was the kind of tent they - took with them on their travels.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05- If we go inside, we'll see - what kind of bed they slept in too.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09- This is a bison hide.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- It's huge and it's soft, - surprisingly soft.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14- They say it's very warm.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- Underneath - are twigs and a wooden frame.
0:18:18 > 0:18:24- During the depths of winter, when - there was too much snow to clear...
0:18:24 > 0:18:28- ..they had to lay these frames on - the snow and sleep on top of them.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31- But I'm told they're comfortable.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- Now it's time - to embark on the epic journey.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43- In 1807, 12 members of the Kootenai - tribe visited Rocky Mountain House.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48- They told Thompson about their side - of the Rockies in the west.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- It was an opportunity for Thompson - to acquire more fur...
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- ..and navigate - his away over the mountains.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- The Welshman accompanied - the Kootenai to the Rockies.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01- It was a dangerous mission.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- They had to cross - the territory of the Peigans...
0:19:04 > 0:19:09- ..who tried to prevent the Kootenai - from trading with the white man.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18- Visible rocks are a sign...
0:19:19 > 0:19:21- ..that the river isn't overflowing.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- But at least you can imagine - how swollen it must've been...
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- ..after the snow - had melted on the mountains.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- This is the northern branch - of the Saskatchewan.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- David Thompson would've canoed up - here on his way to the mountains.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39- It was here in Kootenai territory - that he would stay.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- It was one of the last places - to see animals like the buffalo...
0:19:43 > 0:19:45- ..so there was food here.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48- He camped here - and prepared for the journey ahead.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- Thompson's English journals - are full of stories...
0:19:54 > 0:19:58- ..about food shortages - and harsh climates for hunting.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03- He talks of meeting a group - of natives who bring them beef.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07- We were hungry - and sat up part of the night...
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- ..roasting and eating...
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- ..as it was a long month - since we had a good meal.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- But a shortage of food - wasn't his biggest problem.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21- Fur was scarce - on the eastern side of the Rockies.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- The white man - had been too greedy and overhunted.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29- So he had to meet new tribes - and find a fresh supply of fur.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- He had no choice - but to cross the Rockies.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40- If places like Rocky Mountain House - have changed beyond recognition...
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- ..at last I'm getting a sense...
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- ..of how what it would've looked - in David Thompson's day.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49- They say it has remained unchanged.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53- It's changed very little since - before the arrival of the white man.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- Behind me - is the important Howse Pass...
0:21:02 > 0:21:05- ..where David Thompson crossed - the Rockies for the first time.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11- He, along with his family - and a group of men back in 1807...
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- ..were among - the first white people to cross.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- For centuries, the First Nation - indigenous tribes...
0:21:20 > 0:21:24- ..had been using the pass - to cross the mountains.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28- They'd go to the western side - and come here to hunt...
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- ..before going back - to the Columbia Valley.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- In 1807, they - showed David Thompson the trail.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39- This region - became an important crossing point.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- But you can see - from the wetlands and mountains...
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- ..how difficult it would've been - to cross these peaks.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- Often it would've been easier - to cross in snow.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- Thompson - tried to establish trade links...
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- ..with the Kootenai and Flatheads - in the west.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- He transported the fur back over - the Rockies for about three years.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- Much to the displeasure of - the Rocky Mountain House Peigans.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11- They didn't want other tribes to - acquire weapons from selling fur.
0:22:11 > 0:22:16- They threatened to attack and make - it dangerous to cross Howse Pass.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21- In 1811, David Thompson - had to venture 200 miles north...
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- ..and cut through - a completely new pass.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- He was going to try and solve - the big mystery.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38- How to transport the fur - to the Pacific...
0:22:39 > 0:22:42- ..without having to carry them - across the continent...
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- ..to the Atlantic ports.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51- Other explorers had talked of a - large river leading to the Pacific.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53- They'd found its estuary...
0:22:53 > 0:22:55- ..and called it the Columbia.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00- Its size suggested its source - came from deep within the mountains.
0:23:00 > 0:23:05- Thompson had heard about the river - and needed to locate its source.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09- He'd then have a way of carrying - the fur through the Rockies...
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- ..and out to sea.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- I'm following his journey - across the Rockies...
0:23:22 > 0:23:23- .. to the Pacific.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- Rocky Mountain House to the pass - is 400 miles.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- From the comfort of a car, - it's hard to imagine...
0:23:31 > 0:23:35- ..how arduous Thompson's journey - would've been when food was scarce.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38- "Hunger is an excellent source," - said Thompson...
0:23:39 > 0:23:43- ..after being forced to eat the meat - of a horse that had long died.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45- They all became gravely ill.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56- This statue's unique - as it's the only one...
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- ..of David Thompson.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01- After decades of being ignored...
0:24:01 > 0:24:05- ..he's a hero on both sides of - the border - in America and Canada.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- This memorial shows the Welshman - holding his vital weapon.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- His sextant, - which was a new device in his day.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19- He'd use it to gaze at the stars - and work out his exact location...
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- ..by noting the position of the moon - in relation to the stars.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30- He was a master of many trades - and a new kind of explorer.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33- He studied things - in a scientific context.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37- He began to show man's intervention - on the wild terrain.
0:24:38 > 0:24:38- .
0:24:40 > 0:24:40- Subtitles
0:24:40 > 0:24:42- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:24:44 > 0:24:49- David Thompson crossed the Rockies - to Invermere in British Columbia...
0:24:49 > 0:24:52- ..to find more fur - and trade with native tribes.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57- But not at any cost.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- He swore he'd never - supply alcohol to the tribes...
0:25:01 > 0:25:06- ..although the fur trade used it as - a bribe to keep the natives sweet.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11- When the Indian comes to trade his - furs, strong grog is given to him.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- Sometimes for two or three days - are all drunk...
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- ..and become - the most degraded of human beings.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- On his first journey - across the pass...
0:25:20 > 0:25:24- ..the North West Co had given - David Thompson two casks of brandy.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29- He tied them to a clumsy horse, - knowing it'd rub against rocks...
0:25:29 > 0:25:33- ..and break the casks into pieces.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37- Thompson wrote to his bosses - to tell them what had happened...
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- ..and added that it would happen - to every other cask.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47- It was here in Invermere - that he established a trading post.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52- Karen Smith informed me of - Thompson's time with the Kootenai.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55- If it hadn't been - for the native tribes...
0:25:55 > 0:25:58- ..the white men - would never have survived.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02- Their guns didn't work - and they didn't know how to hunt...
0:26:02 > 0:26:04- ..in unfamiliar territory.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07- They almost died of starvation.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- I think I'm in the right place.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- Yes, you've found us on both maps.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16- Yes, this is the old map - and it says North West Company.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18- In the winter of 1808-09...
0:26:19 > 0:26:23- ..the fur supply had exceeded - Thompson's expectations.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28- Beaver, bear and goat fur - totalling a cost of over 5,000.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- The Welshman had proved to superiors - that it was worth coming here.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- It was even more of a reason - to find a passage to the sea.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49- This river - became the main waterway...
0:26:50 > 0:26:54- ..for transporting fur 700 miles - over the mountains to the Pacific.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57- This is - the source of the Columbia River.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03- Thompson had spotted it sooner, - not realising it was the Columbia...
0:27:03 > 0:27:07- ..as it appeared - to be going in the wrong direction.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10- By 1810, Thompson had seen enough...
0:27:10 > 0:27:14- ..to declare that this was - the great river of the west.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18- But to prove that, he'd - have to follow it to the open sea...
0:27:18 > 0:27:20- ..and map it accordingly.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24- His greatest journey - was about to begin.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33- I'm leaving the Rockies now - and driving towards the border...
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- ..between America and Canada.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- I'm retracing - David Thompson's journey.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43- I'm leaving the Columbia River - in order to re-join it further down.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53- The shape of the Columbia - explains why Thompson was confused.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56- The bend makes it appear - to be going northwards...
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- ..instead of going westwards - to the Pacific.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- There's a fair few miles - between here...
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- ..and the source - of the Columbia River.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10- But those miles held the key - to Thompson's early journeys...
0:28:11 > 0:28:13- ..as well as - the epic journey itself.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17- Instead of following the Columbia - for hundreds of miles...
0:28:18 > 0:28:21- ..he could cross - this portion of land...
0:28:22 > 0:28:24- ..reach the Kootenay River...
0:28:24 > 0:28:27- ..to re-join the Columbia - much further down.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- The Kootenay River - became a direct route...
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- ..and a convenient way - of transporting goods.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37- It was effectively a shortcut.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46- I've crossed the border - and am now back in the US...
0:28:47 > 0:28:50- ..on the outskirts - of Bonners Ferry in Washington.
0:28:56 > 0:29:02- It was here that David Thompson's - Native American friend had a camp.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06- He was a chief called Ugly Head - on account of his hair.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09- He imparted - much information to Thompson...
0:29:09 > 0:29:12- ..regarding the shape - of the mountains...
0:29:12 > 0:29:15- ..how the rivers flowed - and where the trails were.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18- That information was essential.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22- Without the aid and knowledge - of the native Indians...
0:29:22 > 0:29:24- ..Thompson - wouldn't have got very far.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27- He acknowledged that too.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31- During his journey, he recorded - their traditions and customs.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36- Two centuries later, those notes - are an important contribution...
0:29:36 > 0:29:39- ..in keeping - the tribes' history alive.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54- Among the natives, the snaring - of hares and trapping of martins...
0:29:54 > 0:29:58- ..are the business of the women - and become their property for trade.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06- Lake Pend Oreille at the foothills - of the Rockies was significant.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11- Thompson made notes - about the lives of the natives here.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16- Thompson came here - in October 1809 from that direction.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20- He established a trading post - on the shore around the far corner.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23- It was called Kullyspell House.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27- When he rowed across in his canoe, - he would've landed right here.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32- Houses were normally named after - the tribes he was dealing with...
0:30:32 > 0:30:36- ..but many different tribes - came to trade there...
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- ..so David Thompson - became familiar with a vast area.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42- He was able to create - trade networks.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54- Thompson made an effort - to learn local languages...
0:30:54 > 0:30:58- ..knowing it would strengthen - his relationship with the natives.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03- He recorded the vocabulary - of various dialects...
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- ..which is of interest - to Jack Nisbet...
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- ..who's written books - about David Thompson.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13- When Thompson was here - on Lake Pend Oreille...
0:31:13 > 0:31:17- ..with the Kullyspell people, - he kept this amazing word list.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22- The first word list of Salish, an - interior Salish language to English.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27- And they look different than - the ones American people write down.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32- Thompson obviously heard languages - other than English.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- I asked a question that had been - on my mind from the start.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40- Did he speak Welsh? It might've been - the language of the home in London.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44- Do his notes - on the sound of these languages...
0:31:44 > 0:31:46- ..suggest he knew a little Welsh?
0:31:46 > 0:31:49- I see him - with these constructions...
0:31:50 > 0:31:53- ..that don't sound like - English-sounding things.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58- That could be a ch-t - if that is a 'ch' sound.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00- That sound is in Salish language.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05- That's the sounds the elders make - that I can't imitate.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09- How is he different - to other fur men...
0:32:09 > 0:32:11- ..and other adventurers of the time?
0:32:12 > 0:32:16- When you think of Meriwether Lewis - who keeps word lists...
0:32:16 > 0:32:20- ..they're very simple and short - - they look like American English.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- These have - all these letter combinations...
0:32:24 > 0:32:26- ..and he's underlining things...
0:32:26 > 0:32:28- ..and adding diacritical marks...
0:32:29 > 0:32:33- ..that make me think he is hearing - more than Meriwether Lewis heard.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37- This suggests that he was familiar - with the sound of Welsh.
0:32:37 > 0:32:42- Bigsby, an author from Thompson's - time, who had met him, said...
0:32:42 > 0:32:44- .."His speech - betrayed the Welshman...
0:32:44 > 0:32:47- "..although he left - his native hills when very young."
0:32:47 > 0:32:52- But how did Thompson regard himself? - One thing stands out.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56- In 1851, many years - after his expeditions...
0:32:56 > 0:32:58- ..he filled in the Census...
0:32:59 > 0:33:02- ..and noted his birthplace - Wales.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06- There's a record - of his christening at Westminster.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- But his mother, like many mothers...
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- ..went back to her own family - to give birth to her son.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16- It's quite possible - she lived in the Swansea area.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19- I'm right to call him a Welshman...
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- ..and I strongly suspect - he was familiar with Welsh.
0:33:23 > 0:33:28- Jack has shown me David Thompson's - personal handwritten letters...
0:33:28 > 0:33:33- ..which are different from - the things he wrote in his journal.
0:33:33 > 0:33:38- He complains about the lack - of support in these regions...
0:33:38 > 0:33:40- ..and the shortage of men and so on.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43- He writes - that he's fed up of being here.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46- There are also personal accounts.
0:33:46 > 0:33:51- In one letter, he asks a friend - to look after his love child.
0:33:51 > 0:33:56- It was obviously a child by another - native woman, not Charlotte.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00- Unlike other fur traders, - he doesn't just leave the child...
0:34:00 > 0:34:02- ..he offers to pay for his care.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- Another side to the man - surfaces here.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10- Like his co-workers, - he had extramarital affairs.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15- But at least he was a man who - looked after the women and children.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21- Thompson was married - to Charlotte for 58 years.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24- It was no marriage of convenience...
0:34:24 > 0:34:27- ..just to have a useful - Native American wife.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31- Once the pair retired, - they had a church wedding...
0:34:31 > 0:34:35- ..and a church christening - for their children.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45- This building - was typical of a trading post.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47- They were made of solid wood.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52- There would've been room for storage - as well as living quarters.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56- David Thompson was responsible - for some of the carpentry.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01- He made the doors and furniture - and was a talented carpenter.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04- He made sure he had a desk - on which he could write.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11- Thompson was staying - among the Spokane tribe.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14- He was the first white man - to describe them.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17- His comments about this territory - are very useful.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20- It was a hard place to get to...
0:35:20 > 0:35:24- ..but once here, he could travel - down the Columbia to the Pacific.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31- Thompson - was in unfamiliar territory.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36- A year earlier, he'd sent a worker - here to establish a trading post...
0:35:36 > 0:35:39- ..somewhere in this field.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41- This was Spokane House.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48- It was one in a network of - trading posts built by Thompson...
0:35:49 > 0:35:53- ..that served the natives - of the Columbia district.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55- This is where he went.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59- The Skeechoo - is the Kullyspell name for Spokane.
0:36:00 > 0:36:06- Spokane House is here, so he takes - an overland route to the Colville.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09- It allowed him time - to get his business in order...
0:36:09 > 0:36:11- ..and prepare for the big voyage.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16- He rode on horseback along one of - the routes of the native Indians...
0:36:17 > 0:36:21- ..over this range, - over the mountain and around it...
0:36:21 > 0:36:23- ..to the Ithkoyape falls.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- Thousands of natives - congregated there...
0:36:30 > 0:36:35- ..to fish for salmon - as they were heading upriver...
0:36:35 > 0:36:37- ..while he was on his way down.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49- Thompson and his team would've - come this way on horseback...
0:36:49 > 0:36:55- ..following the trails of the - Spokane, of which there were many.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59- According to Jack, only 2,000 - live on the reservation nowadays...
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- ..with only a handful - speaking the language.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06- Almost all the languages - Thompson refers to...
0:37:06 > 0:37:08- ..are in danger of dying out.
0:37:10 > 0:37:10- .
0:37:13 > 0:37:13- Subtitles
0:37:13 > 0:37:15- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:37:15 > 0:37:20- I'm retracing David Thompson's - journey along the Columbia River...
0:37:20 > 0:37:24- ..with Jack Nisbet, an expert - on the cartographer from Wales.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26- We're on the riverbank...
0:37:27 > 0:37:29- ..as this region is now a dam.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32- Beneath the lake - are an island and waterfalls.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40- Kettle Falls was an important place - for the native tribes.
0:37:42 > 0:37:47- Each spring, when Hayes Island gets - exposed, people usually go out...
0:37:48 > 0:37:50- ..and set up tepees on it.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54- When the salmon started to run, - which was when Thompson came...
0:37:54 > 0:37:58- ..they will bring salmon upstream - and have a cookout...
0:37:58 > 0:38:03- ..which tribal people and locals - come to - it's quite an event.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07- They celebrate - the fact they've survived.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- They remember that much of their - heritage is underneath the dam.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16- Like the Mandans, they've lost - their livelihood and their food.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28- The Ithkoyape falls - are under 90 feet of water.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- It was here - that the native tribes congregated.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35- They caught as many - as 2,000 fish in one day.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40- One man had a specific job to do - on the banks of the falls.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44- He had to count the number of fish - that went upstream...
0:38:44 > 0:38:47- ..to ensure there were enough - for tribes further up...
0:38:47 > 0:38:51- ..and that the fish could procreate, - ensuring food for all.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58- Here you can see remnants...
0:38:58 > 0:39:03- ..of where the natives sharpened - their spears and pokers...
0:39:03 > 0:39:05- ..ready for fishing.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07- This was solid stone.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11- It was - very important stone for them.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15- This used to be on the riverbank - which is now under the dam.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20- It was debatable whether or not - they would move the stone to here.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- In some places, - the tribes decided...
0:39:23 > 0:39:26- ..to leave - their treasures underwater.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30- They believed that one day the world - would turn upside down...
0:39:31 > 0:39:35- ..and the people who followed - a righteous path would be on top.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39- The natives - shared beliefs like those.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41- The world belonged to everyone...
0:39:41 > 0:39:46- ..everyone had a place in it - and man was at one with nature.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51- When the white man came, the natives - didn't understand land ownership.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55- It was as foreign to them - as owning a portion of the sky.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59- Thompson - paved the way for the white man...
0:39:59 > 0:40:02- ..but he'd be horrified - with the consequences.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08- For Thompson, this was - the beginning of the journey's end.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12- He went back a few miles to fetch - cedar wood to build a new canoe.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16- He hired a couple of local Indians - to interpret for him.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19- He and his team - then sailed downriver.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23- The first white people - to venture from here to the sea.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27- He set out downstream.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31- In a journal entry - dated 3 July 1811, he simply says...
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- We set off on a voyage - down the Columbia River...
0:40:35 > 0:40:39- ..to explore this river - in order to open out a passage...
0:40:40 > 0:40:44- ..for the interior trade - with the Pacific Ocean.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48- The river flowed quickly as the snow - melted after a harsh winter.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51- They were travelling - at such a speed...
0:40:51 > 0:40:56- ..that he could only record the bare - facts rather than detailed notes.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59- High rocks on the right, - steep rocks on the left.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- The strength of the eddies - and small whirlpools...
0:41:02 > 0:41:05- ..continually toss the canoe - from side to side...
0:41:05 > 0:41:07- ..and the compass - was always vibrating.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12- I hope by the mercy of heaven to - take them much better on my return.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15- The Columbia is a mammoth river...
0:41:15 > 0:41:19- ..crossing one state in Canada - and seven American states.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24- David Thompson navigated his way - down it in a simple canoe.
0:41:24 > 0:41:29- Beyond the ferry are today's - Native American reservations.
0:41:29 > 0:41:34- As they travelled down the river, - Thompson came across new tribes...
0:41:34 > 0:41:37- ..who had never - set eyes on white people before.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42- An old man approached Thompson and - felt his legs to check he was human.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45- For Thompson, it was imperative...
0:41:45 > 0:41:48- ..that he was on good terms - with the tribes.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51- He smoked with chiefs, - his crew joined in the dancing.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54- They were blessed.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59- Although they could sneak down the - river quietly and face no danger...
0:41:59 > 0:42:04- ..they would soon have to return, - and that's when they needed friends.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12- He believed he had to live - and travel with the natives...
0:42:12 > 0:42:16- ..in order to collect details - about their lives and customs.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20- He was worried they would be - corrupted by the white man.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25- He respected the natives as people - and appreciated their culture.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31- By the end of the first afternoon, - Thompson and his crew...
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- ..arrived here, - 70 miles from where they set out...
0:42:35 > 0:42:38- ..where the Spokane River - joins the Columbia.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43- By the end of the day, they'd travel - another 20 miles to the west.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48- Thompson noticed the change - in terrain as they went along.
0:42:48 > 0:42:53- Before it was a lake, there were - fields leading down to the river.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- He claimed - it was ideal for sheep farming.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03- The 14 hydroelectric dams - on the Columbia produce electricity.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07- Though it's one of America's - most industrial rivers...
0:43:08 > 0:43:12- ..it creates fertile valleys that - are home to orchards and vineyards.
0:43:21 > 0:43:26- This stretch of river has remained - unchanged since Thompson's day.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30- For hundreds of miles - further along the river...
0:43:30 > 0:43:32- ..the dams have altered its shape.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36- Having been carried along - by a strong current...
0:43:36 > 0:43:42- ..Thompson landed here and was - greeted by the Skummooin Indians.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46- It was here that he witnessed - an old man with white hair...
0:43:47 > 0:43:50- ..running after horses - and almost catching them.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53- He wore - a kettle handle on his head...
0:43:53 > 0:43:57- ..but apart from that, - he was completely naked.
0:43:57 > 0:44:02- He ran like the wind. Just be - thankful I'm not doing the same!
0:44:05 > 0:44:08- The pioneering leg of the journey - was almost over.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13- Thompson's ability to engage - with the tribes had been crucial.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20- This place is very significant.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25- This is the confluence of the - Snake River and the Columbia River.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28- Thompson planted a pole - somewhere here...
0:44:28 > 0:44:32- ..claiming it as a trading post - for trade with Great Britain.
0:44:32 > 0:44:37- More importantly, having reached - here, he knew he'd succeeded.
0:44:37 > 0:44:41- People before him had followed - the Columbia downriver from here.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44- He knew that his life work - was now complete.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48- There were dangers ahead of him - but he was going to reach the sea.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52- He'd found a new passage - over the Rockies to the sea...
0:44:52 > 0:44:54- ..for the fur trade.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01- He reached the sea on 15 July, - bringing an end to his epic journey.
0:45:01 > 0:45:06- He went back upriver to collect - more details for mapping purposes.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09- For 40 years, fur was - transported down the Columbia...
0:45:09 > 0:45:12- ..thanks to the efforts - of a Welshman.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15- A year after reaching - Columbia's estuary...
0:45:15 > 0:45:18- ..Thompson gave up his adventures.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20- He moved the family to Montreal...
0:45:20 > 0:45:25- ..and walked down an urban street - for the first time in 27 years.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27- He was father to five children.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31- Two of them died - within months of reaching Montreal.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34- Charlotte bore him - another eight children there.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37- There were 13 in all.
0:45:37 > 0:45:43- Thompson managed to explore and map - 1.5 million square miles...
0:45:44 > 0:45:48- ..from Montreal in the east - to Portland in the west.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51- From the Atlantic to the Pacific.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55- He left a legacy of large maps - and over 100 notebooks.
0:45:57 > 0:46:01- He was a wealthy man on retirement - but was plagued with misfortune.
0:46:01 > 0:46:05- He said he'd traded successfully - with the natives for years.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07- Men who stuck to their word.
0:46:07 > 0:46:12- But on dealing with the white man, - he was cheated time and time again.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15- He wasn't paid correctly - for his cartography.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17- He was destitute by 1845.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21- He and Charlotte had to - go and live with their daughter.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25- Five years later he lost his sight.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27- He died in 1857...
0:46:27 > 0:46:30- ..and was buried - without as much as a headstone.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33- Charlotte died the same year.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38- The greatest land geographer - who ever lived died a pauper.
0:46:41 > 0:46:46- It's time for me to bid farewell - to my version of a canoe and horse.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50- On tracing his footsteps over vast - swathes of western North America...
0:46:50 > 0:46:54- ..it's clear David Thompson - wasn't just an adventurer.
0:46:54 > 0:46:56- He was much more than that.
0:46:56 > 0:47:01- Natives of the Snake River - referred to him as Koo-Koo-Sint...
0:47:01 > 0:47:03- ..which means Stargazer.
0:47:04 > 0:47:08- He had to be a businessman - but he was a cartographer at heart.
0:47:08 > 0:47:10- He did much more than mapping land.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14- He mapped populations - and their way of life.
0:47:14 > 0:47:19- The irony is that he helped open - up the west to the white man...
0:47:19 > 0:47:23- ..and facilitate the process - of destroying some of the things...
0:47:24 > 0:47:26- ..he respected the most.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29- Conversely, - through his maps and books...
0:47:29 > 0:47:32- ..he's kept that history alive...
0:47:32 > 0:47:36- ..and left much more of a legacy - than your average explorer.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08- S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.
0:48:08 > 0:48:08- .