Born in Orkney, John Rae (1813–1893) trained as a surgeon and was an employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company until the age of 44. Travelling in small groups, and using Inuit techniques, he explored substantial sections of the north coast of North America. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Rae was awarded the Founder’s Gold Medal for his explorations and received several honorary degrees. William Barr is Professor Emeritus of Geography, University of Saskatchewan, and a research associate with the Arctic Institute of North America. He has researched the history of exploration of the polar regions for over 40 years. He has published 23 books, including edited translations from French, German, and Russian. He lives in Calgary, Alberta. He is a Senior Research Associate with the Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary.