Samuel Hearne was a British explorer and fur trader, notable for being the first European to journey overland across northern Canada to reach the Arctic Ocean. Born in London in February 1745, Hearne began his career by joining the British Royal Navy at the age of 11, serving under Captain Samuel Hood during the Seven Years' War. After the war, in 1766, he joined the Hudson's Bay Company and soon became involved in exploration and fur trading. Hearne is best known for his three significant expeditions undertaken between 1769 and 1772, aimed at finding a rumored copper mine. His first two attempts failed due to the harsh environment and challenges in surviving the barren northern landscape. However, on his third attempt, guided by the Chipewyan leader Matonabbee, he successfully navigated the difficult terrain and reached the Coppermine River, where he became the first European to reach the Arctic Ocean by an overland route in July 1771. During this journey, Hearne witnessed the massacre at Bloody Falls, where his Indigenous companions attacked and killed a group of Inuit. This event deeply affected Hearne, and he later documented it in his writings. Although the primary goal of finding substantial copper deposits was not fully realized, Hearne's expedition provided valuable geographic and ethnographic information. In 1774, Hearne established Cumberland House, the first permanent inland trading post in present-day Saskatchewan, marking a significant expansion of the Hudson's Bay Company's fur trade network. He later became the governor of Fort Prince of Wales, where in 1782, he surrendered to a French force led by the comte de La Pérouse without a fight, recognizing the futility of resistance. Hearne returned to England in 1787 and spent his later years documenting his experiences. His detailed account, "A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean," was published in 1795, three years after his death. His work was later validated by other explorers, including Sir John Franklin, who confirmed the site of the Bloody Falls massacre. Hearne's contributions to exploration were recognized in various ways, including schools named in his honor in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, and Toronto, Ontario.

Samuel Hearne - Wikipedia