” Blackbirds tend to like Shiny Things” ~ The Bloody Raven
“A ‘Shiny Sail’ spotted on Ebay, +25% below the original issue price, cheap shipping, Arrrh! I hereby proclaim this coin under new management!” ~ Dramatic re-enactment of a successful pursuit by the Bloody Raven.
The Coin
David Thompson the Fur Trader, then Explorer
The Coin commemorates the Man who had spent a career exploring and charting in fine detail the great expanse of Western Canada. 28 years, and over 100,000 Kilometres traveled by foot, canoe and horseback, to accurately measure and meticulously document his exploration of Canada and not just the geography but on hundreds of pages documenting the various peoples and cultures where he went. Yet he accomplished his achievements with a bad leg and a blind right eye.
Born of a poor Welsh family in England of 1770, David Thompson was already fatherless when he was two years of age. At age 14, adept at Algebra, mathematics, geography, and Navigational astronomy, He was taken in by the Hudson’s Bay Company as an apprentice in the North American fur trade. So in 1784 he sailed on the HBC Prince Rupert to Churchill Manitoba and spent his early work as a Fur trader than a Surveyor.
In the winter of 1788 Thompson endured a broken leg in a fall and serious enough to be life threatening in the first months. It took over a year for him to recover but never fully and having a limp for the rest of his years.
In 1789 Thompson met HBC’s official Surveyor Philip Turnor and perhaps been inspired by his works. Thompson was invited by Turnor to study his Surveying data and notes of the Rich Athabasca fur bearing regions over the winter with selected colleges. Reinvigorated, Thompson resumed taking up Navigational measurements and proved to be a reliable surveyor and was charged to finding the shortest route to Athabasca country in 1792.
By 1797 unsatisfied with working in the Fur trade Thompson decided to work for the HBC’s rival, the North West Company. The choice allowed Thompson to pursue his passion but it cost him in his later years when the Hudson’s Bay Company bought up the North West Company when it became bankrupt in 1821.
The original map is preserved, stored and on display at the Ontario Archives [here](http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/thompson/big/big_44_thompson_map.aspx) where his centerpiece work still exists.
With the HBC refusing to fully compensate Thompson on his exhaustive works with the North West Company but only with a pension. Thompson’s notes were oft used by HBC’s affiliate, Arrowsmith of London, via the British foreign office in 1843 but the publisher neither returned the notes, no compensation, nor the credit and attributes rightfully due to him.
The British Foreign office secretary eventually paid him a mere 150 pounds after repeated protests and petitions by Thompson. Still publically obscure Thompson became destitute selling his possessions including his Instruments to support his family. He died February 10, 1857 and like many famous artists, his works were finally recognized as priceless and a significant part of Canadian history.
The ship? The HBC Prince Rupert
It’s not the ship portrayed on the coin. The sailing ship the HBC Prince Rupert III brought David Thompson to Churchill Manitoba of Pre-federated Canada. Details of the Vessel are vague except it was a Barque owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) seeing service between North America and England as a Trading Ship from 1769 to 1786. It is the third ship of a line of seven ships of that bear the name Prince Rupert beginning 1850 to 1891.
Due to copyright I can only provide a link to a Picture of the HBC Prince Rupert VII circa 1870. Indeed, a large ship with plenty of cargo space judging by this old photograph. Not a little ship like the' NonSuch' Ketch on a previous article I posted.
What was not mentioned on the COA or the carton.
Therefore, the British officer portrayed on the left side of the coin is none other than Captain George Vancouver. Then the figure next to him in the distinctive Woven Cedar bark hat can only be Chief Maquinna of the Nuu-chah-nuith (Mowachaht) people of Nootka Sound of whom Vancouver had established favorable relations with.
Totally different geography so I believe these were left by the artist and the mint for the holder of this coin to ‘Discover’ therefore I can leave to save this to another future post to feature and explore my HMS Discovery Coin at a later date.
Mystery Solved.
And a Beautiful coin.
I hope you enjoyed this very Sunday's feature
Thank you for stopping by my Pirate Blog today.
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain 
References
Sources
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“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”
