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Rainy Lakes to the headquarters of the "Northwesters" at Fort William, and from there all furs were carried to Montreal and to London.
What was this first shipment of merchandise from the State of Idaho? The "Narrative" of David Thompson tells us when it says, as of date May 17th, 1810 (at Bonners Ferry) : "We got the canoes repaired and in the afternoon with forty- six packs of furs and eight bags of Pemmican we went off for the Rocky Mountain defiles. Mr. James McMillan, one man and myself and sixteen horses went by land." At ninety pounds to the pack there were a little more than two tons of pelts, and "A long, long way to Tipperary" to travel with them.
But the more human part of this story remains to be told, namely, in brief summary the career of its hero. 10 The earliest mention of David Thompson is to be found in the records of The Parish of Saint John, The Evangelist, London, which contains the date of his birth, at Westminster, England, as April 30th, 1770. The same record shows the death of his father to have been on February 28th, 1772, when David was not quite two years old. The next mention of him appears at The Grey Coat School, Westminster (London), then a charity school for boys; its "principall designe to educate poor chil- dren in the principles of piety and virtue, and thereby lay a foundation for a sober and Christian life." The three following entries appear on the record books of this school : April 29th, 1777. "Abram Ackworth, Esq. was this day pleased to pre- sent David Thompson to be admitted into this Hospl on ye foundation, and ye Governors present being satisfy with ye child's settlement. Ordered that he be admitted on bringing in the usual necessities."
December 30th, 1783. "The Master also reports that ap- plication was made by the Secretary belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, to know, if this Charity could furnish them 4 boys against the month of May next, for their settlements in America."
10 The only complete life of David Thompson was published by the Champlain Society, Toronto, Canada, in 1916, entitled "David Thompson's Narrative" and edited by J. B. Tyrrell, whose research and personal courtesies are hereby acknowl- edged. T. C. E.
