1906-7. TRANSACTIONS. 97 



and curiously enough the evidence comes from one of the rival 

 Hudson^s Bay journals. In the Archives is a copy of a journal 

 of one Matthew Cocking, who made a journey from York Factory 

 to the Saskatchewan country in 1772. He says that, somewhere 

 below the Forks of the Saskatchewan, he passed an old trading 

 post, where "one Mr. Finley from Montreal resided five years 

 ago," that is, in 1767. Elsewhere he says, "the Pedlar, Mr. 

 Currie (who intercepted great part of York Fort trade this year) 

 is one day's paddling below this river, at Cedar Lake." James 

 Finlay, therefore, would appear to have been the first English 

 trader from Montreal to ascend the Saskatchewan, not Thomas 

 Curry, and the journey must have been made not later than 1767, 

 if Cooking's statements are to be believed. 



Cocking was himself preceded by an earlier trader from the 

 bay — Anthony Hendry. Hendry's journal is both interesting 

 and valuable. He left York Factory in June, 1754, and reached 

 the Saskatchewan a month later. At a place now known as 

 The Pas, he came to a French trading post, and as this is the only 

 known case of English and French traders meeting in the North- 

 west, Hendrj^'s account is worth quoting. "On our arrival," 

 he says, "two Frenchmen came to the water-side, and in a very 

 genteel manner invited me into their house, which I readily 

 accepted. One of them asked me if I had any letter from my 

 master, and where, and on what design I was going inland. I 

 answered I had no letter, and that I was sent to view the country, 

 and intended to return in the spring. He told me the master 

 and men (the master was no doubt La Corne, who was in charge 

 of the French posts on the Saskatchewan at that time) were 

 gone down to Montreal with the furs, and that they must detain 

 me till their return. However they were very kind." Hendry, 

 who was young and inexperienced, repeated the conversation 

 to his Indian guide, Attickashish, who smiled and assured him 

 that the French traders dare not detain him. The following day 

 Hendry breakfasted and dined with the French, made them a 

 present of tobacco, for which they seemed exceedingly grateful, 

 and continued his journe}^ 



Leaving the Saskatchewan, Hendry with his Indians marched 

 overland to the south-west; crossed the South Saskatchewan; 

 reached the North Saskatchewan near the present town of Battle- 

 ford; and then struck off to the south-west across the Great Plain, 

 reaching the Red Deer in October. 

 7 



