a little inspiration from Alexander Henry

We have drawn inspiration from many great explorers and travelers during our adventures, and I think that one of the greatest was Alexander Henry. He explored much of this area as he traded for furs during the height of the fur trade. Below is a quotation from his Cumberland House journal.

"The time has come to travel while the oatmeal-eaters tarry at their fort. To this end, I have chosen a train of dogs to pull a toboggan of trade goods. We are eager to proceed and the dogs are baying at their tethers."

Frosty, Saylix, Lichen , and I are certainly feeling the same excitement about our departure that Alexander Henry did on his departure from Cumberland House.

Who do you think Mr. Henry is referring to when he says "oatmeal-eater tarry at their fort". Post your answers on the message board!

Alexander Henry, the younger, was a fur trader just like his uncle of the same name. Uncle Alexander Henry had amassed a fur-trade empire throughout the mid-1700s. He was granted exclusive trade privileges of many of the Great Lakes regions and their surrounding rivers. Throughout the 1770s and 1780s, Alexander Henry spent most of his time traveling between Lake Superior and Montreal, collecting furs and strengthening trade relations with the native people in the Interior.

His nephew, Alexander Henry the younger, was just as ambitious. Not too much is known about his life. His date of birth and even place of birth are unknown. However, he made a legacy for himself by establishing forts and trade relations deeper into the North West. During the late 1700s and early 1800s, Alexander Henry the younger, traveled throughout present-day Manitoba and Saskatchewan on the Winnipeg, Red, Assiniboine, Saskatchewan, and upper Mississippi Rivers.

Alexander Henry, the younger, kept a vigilant journal from 1799-1814, detailing his travels. In it he mentions forts and waterways that we will explore. Unfortunately, like so many other fur traders, Alexander Henry drowned in 1814 while exploring the Columbia River near present day Astoria, Oregon.