Alexander Mackenzie became the first person to cross the continent of North America north of Mexico in 1793. With a mix of wonderfully readable text, historical and contemporary photographs, maps and illustrations, author Derek Hayes offers fresh insight into what drove Mackenzie forward to undertake his dangerous quest for the Pacific Ocean, and how his daring secured Canada’s legacy. This book leaves no doubt in the reader’s mind about the scale of Mackenzie’s achievements. It is illustrated with stunning colour photographs of Mackenzie’s routes, including images of the places in the Arctic and Pacific Oceans he reached; archival photographs of the perilous rapids he traversed; and superb new material from the Hudson’s Bay Company archives and the National Archives of Canada, much never before published. First Crossing concludes with succinct accounts of the explorers who followed Mackenzie, including Sir John Franklin, to the Arctic Ocean; and David Thompson, Lewis and Clark, and Simon Fraser to the Pacific.