Volume 1

298 POSTS ABOUT THE MOUTH OF MOUSE RIVER.
Assiniboine. I was therefore under the necessity of applying
to the H. B. Co. people to ferry us over, which they
very willingly did. Their fort stands on the N. side,
where also ours formerly stood. The gentlemen of the N.
W. Co. are so fond of shifting their buildings that a place
is scarcely settled before it is thrown up and planted elseorig.
ed. of L. and C, in facsimile in mine of 1893, does the same. And Harmon
says, June 27th, 1805, Journal, p. 138 : " Riviere a la Souris, or Mouse
River. . . Here are three establishments, formed severally by the North West,
X. Y., and Hudson's Bay Companies." H. B. Brandon house was built in
1794,
nearly or about opp. the mouth of Mouse r. ; X. Y. Fort Souris was opp.
it, next to Mouse r., on the W. of the latter ;
N. W. Assiniboine house was
a little further up the S. side of the main river.
Observe that Henry speaks of
the H. B. house as being " on the N. side, where also ours formerly stood."
This former N. W. Co. Assiniboine house is the one which was in full operation
in 1797-98, when Thompson was there, leaving it for his Mandan tour
9.30 a. m. Tuesday, Nov. 28th, 1797, and returning 10.30 a. m. Saturday, Feb.
3d, 1798 ; he says that, on starting, he crossed the Assiniboine,—conclusive evidence
that the hoiise was then on the N. side. John McDonnell was in charge.
Thompson generally calls it McDonnell's house, sometimes Stone Indian River
house ; states that it was \% m. above Mouse r.; and gives for position lat.
49° 41' 06" N., long. 99" 59' 15" W. In McDonnell's time and to 1805 or
later, the N. W. Co. had an important post higher up the Assiniboine, called
Fort Montague a la Bosse, supposed to be two days or 50 m. by land, six days
by water, from Mouse r. ; he says it was then the next post above him, and
states that it turned out for the N. W. Co. about 60 packs a year, mostly wolves
and buffalo, C. N. Bell misspells Basse as the name, but gives Boss hill and
Boss cr. correctly ; the F. word bosse means boss, bust, bump, hump, knob,
stud, and the like, and designated the hill. This fort stood on a high bank, commanding
an extensive prospect. In Oct., 1804, C. J. B. Chaboillez was in
charge, with Chas. McKenzie ;
Harmon and Franc. Ant. Larocque were there,
Oct. Iith-I9th, when Harmon left " that enchanting abode," as he calls it, p.
131, and was next day at Qu'Appelle r. His Journal of Nov. 24th, 1804, has
an interesting passage concerning Lewis and Clark, who were then at the Mandans:
" Some people have just arrived from Montague a la Basse, with a letter
from Mr. Chaboillez, who informs me that two Captains, Clarke and Lewis,
with 180 soldiers [!] have arrived at the Mandan Village on the Missouri River,
which place is situated about three days' march distant from the residence of
Mr. Chaboillez. They have invited Mr. Chaboillez to visit them. It is said,
that on their arrival they hoisted the American flag, and informed the Natives
that their object was not to trade, but merely to explore the country ;
and that
as soon as the navigation shall open, they design to continue their route across the
Rocky Mountain, and thence descend to the Pacific Ocean, They made the
Natives a few small presents, and repaired their guns, axes, &c., gratis. Mr.