the problem for the hbc was that they had always been coastal traders, their men had no woodland experience and the western bay had no large birch trees to make proper canoes. english goods were usually cheaper than those of the french, but buying from inland traders saved the indians weeks of travel. two of the most important advocates of inland expansion were james isham and later andrew graham. in 1743 isham wrote to london advocating inland posts. in 1754 anthony henday went to alberta. in 1756-64 isham sent joseph smith on 5 journeys to the swan river country. in 1758 isham sent isaac batt inland from york factory. next year batt returned leading 64 canoes of indians. in 1760 the british capture of montreal gave the hbc a brief monopoly. frenchmen like louis primeau joined the hbc, and were important in transferring woodland skills to the company. for the period 1763-74 morton counts 44 hbc journeys into the interior. most of these travelled with so-called 'leaders', that is, indians who were accustomed to lead large groups of canoes down to the bay trading posts. before 1764 isbester and john patterson deserted the company, somehow got trade goods and were trading in the interior. in 1766 andrew graham sent 6 parties inland. by 1768 isaac batt was travelling inland yearly. in 1768 ferdinand jacobs proposed a fort at the mouth of the saskatchewan. this was approved by london but not acted upon. in 1767 and 1769 graham sent william tomison to the saskatchewan where he reported many montreal traders. by 1770 or a few years before the montreal trade had been re-established by english-speaking "pedlars" who were more aggressive than the french. in 1772 isaac batt and louis primeau were leading 160 canoes to the bay when the pedlars diverted 125 of them to their house on cedar lake. in 1772 john cole deserted the "pedlars" and advocated to andrew graham the construction of inland posts. in august 1772 graham sent a memorandum to london advocating an inland post near the pas. in the same year he sent mathew cocking inland to the south saskatchewan. the london committee approved inland posts in may 18, 1773. in 1774 samuel hearne established cumberland house.