Peter Warren Dease and Thomas Simpson

Peter Warren Dease and Thomas Simpson - 1836-1839

Thomas Simpson

Accomplishments:

the focus of the voyage was to complete the coastal survey of the area
Dease and Simpson journeyed from Fort Garry (now Winnipeg), reached the mouth of the Mackenzie and continued west along the coast past Return Reef until stopped by ice at Cape Simpson
there, Simpson set out on foot, reached Point Barrow and took possession of the country in the name of the King
the party reached the mouth of the Coppermine River the next spring after having wintered in Fort Confidence
at Turnagain Point they were again stopped by ice and Simpson once again set out on foot to explore the coast
the unfavourable ice conditions continued for Dease and the party was forced to return to Fort Confidence for the winter
in the spring, Dease and Simpson passed Chantrey Inlet and turned back shortly after passing Castor and Pollux River
on the return trip the party travelled along the south coast of King William Island as far as Cape John Herschel before re-crossing Simpson Strait
they crossed to the north shore at Cape Colborne and followed the Victoria Island shore of Dease Strait to beyond Cambridge and Wellington Bays, re-crossed to the mainland and made their way up the Coppermine River and back to Fort Confidence

Interesting Facts:

Simpson offered to conduct another party the next year, but approval was slow in reaching him so he decided to go to England himself
however, a few days after leaving the fort, Simpson was shot and killed in circumstances that remain mysterious

Information taken from Arctic Canada, Volume I, Third Edition, 1982