Orkney and the Nor' Wast

Class 7 began their Exploration and Emigration topic by finding out about the Hudson Bay Company in Stromness. The street walk helped everyone understand that some features of Stromness had remained unchanged since the time of John Rae.

At the museum the class were allowed to look at some of the artefacts brought back from Canada many years ago. The class were allowed to handle snowshoes, model kayaks and a the tip of a spear used for hunting seals and walrus from a kayak. Gloves had to be worn to protect the objects which are very old and fragile.




Also at the museum was a replica of the inflatable Halkett cloth boat John Rae used in his explorations in northern Canada...

..and a copy of the drawings he made which explain the correct way to construct an igloo.

The class also visited Login's well where the HBC ships took on board fresh water before the long trip across the ocean, and the gun, which was fired to let everyone know when ships were returning from the Nor' Wast.