The Travels, Explorations and Surveys of Peter Fidler

Peter Fidler aiding Philip Turnor
Since an early introduction to David Thompson, the exploration of western Canada suddenly became of interest. The next surveyor of interest was Peter Fidler, an employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and trained or, as some speculate, reintroduced into the craft of astronomical surveying by the Hudson Bay Company’s chief surveyor, Philip Turnor. Like Thompson, Fidler’s explorations, surveys and travels have been placed within a contemporary geographic information system and as a result, distance traveled by Fidler can be measured.
From the data captured thus far from Fidler’s movements between 1789 and 1822; the years spent while engaged in the fur trade with the Hudson’s Bay Company, the following distances have been determined . Only kilometers have been captured and listed are the watersheds that Fidler traveled through.
Distances Traveled by Peter Fidler 1789-1822
Year | Distance Traveled (km) | Watersheds Traveled |
---|---|---|
1789 | 2042 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan River and Lake Winnipeg |
1790 | 1090 | Saskatchewan and Churchill River |
1791 | 3743 | Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1792 | 5197 | Hayes, Nelson, Churchill, Saskatchewan River and Lake Athabasca, Great Slave Lake, Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1793 | 4501 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan,Churchill, Seal River and Hudson Bay, Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1795 | 1142 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan, Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1796 | 1326 | Saskatchewan, Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1797 | 3019 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1799 | 1627 | Churchill, Nelson, Saskatchewan River and Lake Athabasca Watersheds |
1800 | 2460 | Churchil, Saskatchewan River and Lake Athabasca Watersheds |
1801 | 3835 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1802 | 4467 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan, Churchill River and Lake Winnipeg and Athabasca Watersheds |
1803 | 2648 | Saskatchewan, Churchill River and Lake Athabasca Watersheds |
1804 | 2648 | Saskatchewan, Churchill River and Lake Athabasca Watersheds |
1805 | 2648 | Saskatchewan, Churchill River and Lake Athabasca Watersheds |
1806 | 3516 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan,Churchill, Reindeer River, Lake Winnipeg, Lake Athabasca Watersheds |
1807 | 4212 | Hayes, Nelson, Saskatchewan,Churchill, Reindeer River, Lake Winnipeg, Lake Athabasca Watersheds |
1808 | 4665 | Hayes, Nelson, Red, Churchill and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1809 | 2785 | Churchill and Reindeer River Watersheds |
1810 | 3149 | Nelson, Churchill and Reindeer River Watersheds |
1811 | 1766 | Churchill River Watersheds |
1812 | 2025 | Hayes, Nelson Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1815 | 3305 | Hayes, Nelson Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1816 | 2818 | Hayes, Nelson Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1817 | 3194 | Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1818 | 2841 | Red, Winnipeg, Albany River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1819 | 653 | Red River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1820 | 3069 | Hayes, Nelson River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
1821 | 445 | Saskatchewan River and Lake Winnipeg Watersheds |
Total Km traveled in the Fur Trade | 80,838 |