Scottish Doctor/Explorer John Rae was a 19th century explorer and medical doctor who is best known for his explorations of the Arctic. He was born in Orkney, Scotland in 1813 and worked as a surgeon in the Hudson's Bay Company from 1833 to 1854. He explored much of the Canadian Arctic, discovering the final link in the Northwest Passage. He also conducted extensive ethnographic research on the Inuit people, and was the first European to report on their culture and language. His surname is often abbreviated to 'Rae' in crosswords.