William Epps Cormack was born in St. John's on May 5, 1796. He set out from Random Bar (now known as Milton) on September 5, 1822 with a reluctant Micmac guide, Joseph Sylvestor, to try to establish friendly contact with the vanishing Beothucks in the unexplored interior of Newfoundland. He failed in his mission, due in large measure to the manoverings of his complaining Micmac companion, but he did become the first known white man to walk across the Island of Newfoundland.