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he was easily discouraged。 Niverville； he said； was ill； the
Indians were at war among themselves； some of them were plotting
what Saint…Pierre calls 〃treason〃 to the French and their
〃perfidy〃 surpassed anything in his lifelong experience。 The
hostile influence of the English he thought all…pervasive。
Obviously these are excuses。 He did not like the task and he
turned back。 As it was； he tells a dramatic story of how Indians
crowded into Fort La Reine in a threatening manner and how he
saved the fort and himself only by rushing to the magazine with a
lighted torch； knocking open a barrel of powder； and threatening
to blow up everything and everybody if the savages did not
withdraw at once。 He was eager to leave the country。 In 1752 he
handed over the command to St。 Luc de la Come and； in August of
that year； having experienced 〃much wretchedness〃 on his
journeys； he was safely back in Montreal。 The founding of Fort La
Jonquiere was； no doubt； a great feat。 Where the fort stood we do
not know。 It may have been on the North Saskatchewan； near
Edmonton； or on the south branch of the river near Calgary。 In
any case it was a far…flung outpost of France。
The English had always been more prosaic than the French。 The
traders on Hudson Bay worked； indeed； under a monopoly not less
rigorous than that which Canada imposed。 Without doubt； many an
Englishman on the Bay was haunted by the hope and desire to reach
the Western Sea。 But the servants of the Company knew that to buy
and sell at a profit was their chief aim。 They had been on the
whole content to wait for trade to come to them。 By 1740 the
Indians； who made the long journey to the Bay by the intricate
waters which carried to the sea the flood of the Saskatchewan and
Lake Winnipeg； were showing to the English articles supplied by
the French at points far inland。 It thus became evident that the
French were tapping the traffic in furs near its source and
cutting off the stream which had long flowed to Hudson Bay。
In June； 1754； Anthony Hendry； a young man in the service of the
Company； left York factory on Hudson Bay to find out what the
French were doing。 We have a slight but carefully written diary
of Hendry's journey。 He does not fail to note that in the summer
weather life was made almost intolerable by the 〃musketoos。〃
Traveling by canoe he reached the Saskatchewan River and tells
how； on the 22d of July； he came to 〃a French house。〃 It was Fort
Paskoya。 When Hendry paddled up to the river bank two Frenchmen
met him and 〃in a very genteel manner〃 invited him into their
house。 With all courtesy they asked him； he says； if he had any
letter from his master and where and on what design he was going
inland。 His answer was that he had been sent 〃to view the
Country〃 and that he intended to return to Hudson Bay in the
spring。 The Frenchmen were sorry that their own master； who was
apparently the well…known Canadian leader； St。 Luc de la Corne；
the successor of Saint…Pierre； had gone to Montreal with furs；
and added their regrets that they must detain Hendry until this
leader's return。 At this Hendry's Indians grunted and said that
the French dared not do so。 Next day Hendry took breakfast and
dinner at the fort； gave 〃two feet of tobacco〃 （at that time it
was sold in long coils） to his hosts； and in return received some
moose flesh。 The confidence of his Indian guides that the French
would not dare to detain him was justified。 Next day Hendry
paddled on up the river and advanced more than twenty miles；
camping at night by 〃the largest Birch trees I have yet seen。〃
Hendry wished to see the country thoroughly and to come into
touch with the natives。 The best way to do this and to obtain
food was to leave the river and go boldly overland。 He
accordingly left his canoes behind and advanced on foot。 The
party was starving。 On a Sunday in July he walked twenty…six
miles and says 〃neither Bird nor Beast to be seen；so that we
have nothing to eat。〃 The next day he traveled twenty…four miles
on an empty stomach and then； to his delight； found a supply of
ripe strawberries； 〃the size of black currants and the finest I
ever eat。〃 The next day his Indians killed two moose。 He then met
natives who； when he asked them to go to Hudson Bay to trade；
replied that they could obtain all they needed from the French
posts。 The tact and skill of the French were such that； as Hendry
admits； reluctantly enough； the Indians were already strongly
attached to them。 Day after day Hendry journeyed on over the
rolling prairie in the warm summer days。 He came to the south
branch of the Saskatchewan near the point where now stands the
city of Saskatoon and crossed the river on the 21st of August。
Then on to the West； eager to take part in the hunting of the
buffalo。
Hendry is almost certainly the first Englishman to see this
region。 In the end he reached the mountains。 He makes no mention
of having seen or heard anything of Fort La Jonquiere； built
three years earlier。 He had aims different from those of La
Verendrye and other French explorers。 Not the Western Sea but
openings for trade was he seeking。 His great aim was to reach the
tribe called later the Blackfeet Indians； who were mighty hunters
of the buffalo。 Hendry was alive to the impressions of nature。
The intense heat of August was followed in September by glorious
weather； with the nights cool and the mosquitoes no longer
troublesome。 The climate was bracing。 He complains only； from
time to time； of swollen feet； and we need not wonder since his
daily march occasionally went beyond twenty…five miles。 Sometimes
for days he saw no living creature。 At other times wild life was
prolific： there were moose in great abundance； bears； including
the dreaded grizzlyone of which killed an Indian of his company
and badly mutilated anotherbeaver； wild horses； and； above all；
the buffalo。 〃Saw many herds of Buffalo grazing like English
cattle；〃 he says； on the 13th of September； and the next day he
goes buffalo hunting。 Guns and ammunition were costly。 His
Indians； who used only bows and arrows； on this day killed
seven〃fine sport；〃 says Hendry。 Often the Indians took only the
tongue； leaving the carcass for the wolves； who naturally
abounded in such advantageous conditions。 It is not easy now to
imagine the part played by the buffalo in the life of the
prairie。 As Hendry advanced the herds were so dense as sometimes
to retard his progress。 Other writers tell of the vast numbers of
these creatures。 Alexander Henry； the younger； writing on April
1； 1801； says that in a river swollen by spring floods； drowned
buffalo floated past his camp in one continuous line for two days
and two nights。 In prairie fires thousands were blinded and would
go tumbling down banks into streams or lie down to die。 One
morning the bellowing of buffaloes awakened Henry and he looked
out to see the prairie black。 〃The ground was covered at every
point of the compass； as far as the eye could reach； and every
animal was in motion。〃
Daily as Hendry advanced he saw smoke in the distance and his
Indians told him that it came from the camp of the Blackfeet。 He
reached them on Monday the 14th of October。 When four miles away
he was stopped by mounted scouts who asked whether he came as a
friend or as an enemy。 He was taken to the camp of two hundred
tents pitched in two rows； and was led through the long passage
between the tents to the big tent of the chief of whom he had
heard much。 Not a word was spoken。 The chief sat on a white
buffalo skin。 Pipes were passed round and each person was
presented with boiled buffalo flesh。 When talk began； Hendry told
the chief that his great leader had sent him to invite them to
come to trade at Hudson Bay where his people would get powder；
shot； guns； cloth； beads； and other things。 The chief said it was
faraway； and his people knew nothing of paddling。 Such strangers
to great waters were they that they would not even eat fish。 They
despised Hendry's tobacco。 What they smoked was dried horse dung。
In the end Hendry was dismissed and ordered to make his camp a
quarter of a mile away from that of the Blackfeet。
It was close by the present site of Calgary and apparently in
full view； on clear days； of the white peaks of the Rocky
Mountains that Hendry visited the Blackfeet。 He lingered in the
far western country through the greater part of the winter。 On a
portion of his return journey he used a horse。 When the spring
thaw came； once more he took to the water in canoes。 He complains
of the idleness of his Indian companions who would remain in
their huts all day and never stir to lay up a store of food even
when game was abundant。 Conjuring； dancing to the hideous
pounding of drums； feasting and smoking； were their amusements。
On his way back Hendry revisited the French post on the
Saskatchewan。 The leader； no doubt St。 Luc de la Corne；