76 



GEOEGE BRYCE ON THE 



after and built a fort some nine miles below Fort Alexandria on the Assiniboine, a few 

 miles north-west of the site of the present Fort Pelly. This was the first Hudson's Bay 

 Company House on the Assiniboine. 



Brandon House. 



Determined, when once it had undertaken the task, to cover the whole country with 

 its forts, the Hudson's Bay Company was so energetic that we find the Nor'-Westers com- 

 plaining that their rivals could enter the Eiver Dauphin, out of Lake Winnipeg, a month 

 earlier than they were able to do, and thus secure most of the trade Pursuing their new 

 policy of aggression the Hudson's Bay Company descended from the headwaters of the 

 Assiniboine, and a couple of miles above the mouth of the Souris River founded in 1794, 

 the historic fort known as Brandon House. On the grassy bank of the Assiniboine the 

 writer some time ago found the remains of the old fort, and from the well preserved 

 character of the sod was able to make out the line of the palisades, the exact size of all 

 the buildings, and to give the ground plan as here shown. 



GROUAfO Plm of H.B.Co 

 Brandon House (/79^ - 



5.W./9 6ec/9TpÔRJ6W. 



The fort was on the south side of the Assiniboine about seventeen miles below the 

 present City of Brandon. It is situated on the homestead of Mr. George Mair, a Canadian 

 settler from Beauharnois, Quebec, who settled here on 20th July, 18*79. He is proud of 

 the possession which he by good chance obtained, and keeps the plot in good order. The 

 site was well chosen at a bend of the river, having the Assiniboine in frout of it on 

 the east and partially so also on the north. The front of the palisade faced to the east, and 

 midway in the wall was a gate ten feet wide, with inside of it a look-out seven feet square. 

 On the south side was the long storehouse marked. In the centre had stood a building 



