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The original members, we are told, nearly all Scotch- 

 men, numbered nineteen ; their wealth, education, spirit 

 of enterprise and intelligence made them important 

 factors in the social and commercial world of Canada : 

 mostly all resided at or near Montreal : they were 

 known amongst the French element, in Montreal, as 

 " Les Bourgeois du Nord-Ouest" 



Imagination can depict the nineteen magnates, sport- 

 ing on their manly breasts the Company's gorgeous and 

 large gold medal, with the motto Fortitude in difficul- 

 ties, thereon engraved — cosily seated at their mahogany, 

 over their walnuts and wine, discussing the business 

 prospects of the coming season, together with the hard- 

 ships and perils encountered by them in forest and on 

 lake, with occasionally spicy anecdotes about their 

 hardy voyageurs and factors, and now and then a sly 

 wink exchanged about some beautiful Pocahontas or 

 other, seen in their dreams or in their travels, for we 

 know the sturdy Nor- Westers, were not all Josephs. 



cient number to pay for the entertainment which is given on 

 that occasion." J. Lambert, during the winter of 1 807, attended 

 one of the banquets of installation, which was given in the 

 Union Hotel (now Mr. Morgan's emporium, facing the Place 

 d'Armes.) The Hon. Mr. Dunn, the President of the Province, 

 and Administrator, during the absence of Sir Robert S. Milnes, 

 attended as the oldest baron. The Chief Justice and all the 

 principal officers of the government, civil and military, were 

 present. This entertainment cost 250 guineas. " The Baron's 

 Club, says W. Henderson, was a sort of Pitt Club, — all Tories 

 to the backbone. It was a very select affair, and of no long 

 duration. Among the members, if my memory serves me 

 right, were John Coltman, George Hamilton, Sir John Cald- 

 well, Sir George Pownall, H. W. Ryland, George Heriot, 

 (Postmaster and author). MathewBell, Gilbert Ainslie, Angus 

 Shaw. (Notes of W. Henderson.) 



The other club went under the appropriate name of •' Sober 

 Club " — lucus a non lucendo perhaps : it flourished about 

 1811 ; we believe one of the By-laws enacted that the members 

 were expected to get tight at least once a year. {Historical 

 and Sporting notes on Quebec, 1889.) 



