Sir Alexander Mackenzie

Mackenzie, Sir Alexander (1764–1820), Canadian fur trader and explorer. Mackenzie was the first non-native to cross the northern part of North America to the Pacific. Born in Scotland, he emigrated to Canada; in 1789 he made an expedition down the Mackenzie River (named after him) to the Arctic Ocean. In 1793 Mackenzie crossed the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, becoming convinced that searching for a Northwest Passage to the Orient would be futile.