Selkirk, Thomas Douglas, 5th earl of, 1771-1820, Scottish philanthropist, founder of the Red River Settlement. Emigration to America seemed to him the best solution for the poverty of his countrymen, especially the Highlanders who had been evicted from their small holdings. He obtained land on Prince Edward Island and supervised (1803) the founding of a successful settlement there. In 1811 he acquired a large tract in Rupert's Land from the Hudson's Bay Company, in which he had bought a controlling interest, and established the Red River Settlement. The planting (1812-16) of this colony led to bloodshed between the settlers and the North West Company, a rival of the Hudson's Bay Company. After Selkirk's return to Upper Canada, lawsuits were brought against him by the North West Company, and he was forced to pay damages. Having sacrificed his health and most of his fortune to his philanthropic enterprises, he returned home in 1818 and died in France two years later. He wrote Observations on the Present State of the Highlands of Scotland (1805) and A Sketch of the British Fur Trade in North America (1816).

Selkirk, Alexander, 1676-1721, Scottish sailor whose adventures suggested to Daniel Defoe the story of Robinson Crusoe (1719). In 1704, as a sailing master, Selkirk quarreled with the captain of his ship in the Juan Fernández islands and asked to be put ashore. He remained on Más a Tierra Island for four years and four months before he was rescued (Feb., 1709) by an English privateer.

Selkirk Mountains, rugged range of the Rocky Mts., SE British Columbia, Canada, near the Alta. border and extending northwest c.200 mi (320 km) from the U.S. border. Mt. Sir Sanford (11,590 ft/3,533 m) is the highest peak. The range is almost encircled by the Columbia River which loops around the northern edge.

Selkirk, town (1991 pop. 9,815), SE Man., Canada, on the Red River. Just S of Lake Winnipeg, it is a port for products from N Manitoba. There are steel mills, foundries, and shipyards in the town. It is named for the 5th earl of Selkirk, who established (1812) the Red River Settlement in the region.

Selkirk, former county, Scotland: see Selkirkshire.

Mountain range, southeastern British Columbia, Canada, and northern Idaho and Montana, U.S. The Selkirks extend some 200 mi (320 km) and in many places rise abruptly more than 8,000 ft (2,400 m). The highest summit is Mount Sir Sanford at 11,555 ft (3,522 m). Crossed by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the range contains parts of Glacier and Mount Revelstoke national parks.

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