102 TRANSACTIONS. 1906-7. 



Henry remained in the neighbourhood of Michilimakinac 

 until the summer of 1763, an Enghsh garrison having in the 

 meantime taken possession of the fort. There had been rumors 

 from time to time of a plot among the Indians to massacre the 

 garrison, but the commandant laughed at the idea, and no pre- 

 cautions were taken. Finally, through the ruse of a lacrosse 

 match, the fort was surprised, and before the English could arm 

 themselves they were cut down. By marvellous good luck, 

 Henry managed to escape. Parkman has told the story in his 

 own inimitable way, having obtained the facts from Henry's 

 narrative, but I doubt if anything can be more graphic and ex- 

 citing than Henry's own story. 



After trading about Lake Superior for twelve years, Henry 

 determined to strike out boldly into the great North- West. Leav- 

 ing Sault Ste. Marie with goods and provisions to the value of 

 three thousand pounds sterling, on board twelve small canoes 

 and four larger ones, he coasted around the north shore of Lake 

 Superior, and in eighteen days reached Grand Portage. It took 

 seven days of severe labor to get the goods over this long and 

 dangerous carrying-place, and this was but the beginning of an 

 almost constant series of portages until he reached Rainy Lake. 

 From there he followed the usual route by way of Rainy river. 

 Lake of the Woods and Winnipeg river, to Lake Winnipeg. 

 Coasting up the east side of the lake, he was overtaken by one 

 of the most celebrated of the western traders, Peter Pond, and a 

 few days later two brothers, Joseph and Thomas Frobisher, also 

 joined the party. They were now one hundred and thirty men, 

 in an imposing fleet of thirty canoes. 



Ascending Grand Rapids and crossing Cedar Lake, they 

 finally reached the main waters of the Saskatchewan, and paddled 

 up stream to Pasquayah village. The place is now known as 

 The Pas. On their arrival the Cree chief, Chatique, came down 

 to the river's edge to meet them, attended by thirty followers, 

 armed with bows and arrows and spears. Chatique was a man 

 of over six feet, somewhat corpulent, and, as Henry significantly 

 observes, of a very doubtful physiognomy. He invited the 

 traders to his tent, and it was observed that he seemed particularly 

 anxious to bestow his hospitalities upon those who were the 

 owners of the goods. 



Having brought Henry and his fellow-traders inside, where 

 they were surrounded by armed natives, Chatique proceeded to 



