The distinguished historian Dr. Barry Gough discusses his new book The Elusive Mr. Pond: The Soldier, Fur Trader and Explorer who Opened the Northwest (Douglas & McIntyre, 2014), with Joseph Planta.

The Elusive Mr. Pond: The Soldier, Fur Trader and Explorer who Opened the Northwest by Barry Gough (Douglas & McIntyre, 2014). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Elusive Mr. Pond

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, at TheCommentary.ca.

The award-winning historian Dr. Barry Gough joins me now. He’s just published a new book, The Elusive Mr. Pond: The Soldier, Fur Trader and Explorer who Opened the Northwest. It’s a fascinating book about a name that North Americans will unlikely recognise, certainly not as well-known as say Sir Alexander Mackenzie. But it was Pond who had mentored Mackenzie, and who had mapped much of northwestern Canada before him. We learn in this book about Pond’s notable exploits, as well as why he’s been relatively unknown heretofore. He was a founding partner of the North West Company, as well had opened up the far distant Arctic watershed. Pond was also a complicated figure. He was temperamental, and implicated in two murders. Some of his memoirs survive, and I’ll ask Dr. Gough about the process of piecing together this life. Dr. Barry Gough is the author of many critically acclaimed books including Fortune’s a River, and Juan De Fuca’s Strait. He joins me from Victoria today. The book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Barry Gough; Dr. Gough, good morning.

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