At first they spoke of detaining him till the commandant of the fort returned, but abandoned this idea after reflection, and Hendry continued his journey up the Saskatchewan.

He then left the river and marched on foot over the plains which separate the North and the South Saskatchewan Rivers.

The South Saskatchewan was found to be a high stream covered with birch, poplar, elder, and fir.

He and his Indian guides were searching for the horse-riding Blackfeet Indians.[4] All the Amerindians known to the Hudson's Bay Company hitherto travelled on foot, using snowshoes in the winter; but vague rumours had reached the Company that in the far south-west there were great nations of Indians which did all their hunting on horseback.
[Footnote 4: See p.

159.] Hendry had now found them, and he also met a small tribe of Assiniboins--the Mekesue or Eagle Indians--who differed from the surrounding tribes by going about, at any rate in the summertime, absolutely naked.