This Gulf Is Shut Up On The South, And
The Low Islands Are On One Side Of The Entrance, Stretching Out Above
Half A League To Seawards; It Is In Lat.
48 deg.
30' N. having an island in
the middle of the entrance. The country about is all flat, but barren.
Finding we could not get into any harbour that night, we stood out to
sea, leaving Cape Royal towards the west. From that time to the 24th of
the month, being St Johns Day, we had such stormy weather, with contrary
winds and such dark mists, that we could not see the land; but on that
day we got sight of a cape, about 35 leagues S.W. from Cape Royal, which
we named Cape St John. On that day and the next the weather still
continued so foggy and dark, with wind, that we could not come near the
land; yet we sailed part of the 25th to the W.N.W. and lay too in the
evening, about 7-1/2 leagues N.W. and by W. of Cape St John. When about
to make sail, the wind changed to the N.W. and we accordingly sailed
S.E. After proceeding about 15 leagues in that direction, we came to
three islands, two of which are as steep and upright as a wall, so that
it is impossible to climb them, and a small rock lies between them.
These islands were closely covered over with birds, which breed upon
them; and in the largest there was a prodigious number of those white
birds we named Margaulx, larger than geese. Another of the islands,
which was cleft in the middle, was entirely covered with the birds
called Godetz; but towards the shore, besides Godetz, there were many
Apponatz[31], like those formerly mentioned. We went ashore on the
lower part of the smallest island, where we killed above a thousand
godetz and apponatz, putting as many as we pleased into our boats;
indeed we might have loaded thirty boats with them in less than an hour,
they were so numerous and so tame. We named these the Islands of
Margaulx. About five leagues west from these islands, we came to an
island two leagues long and as much in breadth, where we staid all night
to take in wood and water, which we named Brions Island. It was full
of goodly trees, verdant fields, and fields overgrown with wild-corn
and pease in bloom, as thick and luxuriant as any we had seen in
Brittany, so that it seemed to have been ploughed and sown; having
likewise great quantities of gooseberries, strawberries, roses, parsely,
and many other sweet, and pleasant herbs; on the whole it had the best
soil of any we had seen, and one field of it was more worth than the
whole of Newfoundland. The whole shore was composed of a sandy beach,
with good anchorage all round in four fathom water; and the shore had
great numbers of great beasts, as large as oxen, each of which have two
large tusks like elephants teeth[32]. These animals live much in the
sea. We saw one of them asleep on the shore, and went towards it in our
boats in hopes of taking it, but as soon as he heard us, he threw
himself into the sea and escaped. We saw also wolves and bears on this
island, and there were considerable lakes about it towards the S.E. and
N.W. As far as I could judge, there must be some passage between this
island and Newfoundland, and if so it would save much time and distance,
if any useful purpose is to be had in these parts.
[Footnote 31: This word has not been used before, but is probably meant
for the same bird formerly called Aparath. These names of birds in
Newfoundland are inexplicable. - E.]
[Footnote 32: Probably the Morse, vulgarly called the sea-horse. - E.]
About four leagues W.S.W. from Brions Island we saw some other land
surrounded by small isles of sand, which we believed to be an island,
and to a goodly cape on this land we gave the name of Cape Dauphin, as
the good grounds begin there. We sailed along these lands to the W.S.W.
on the 27th of June, and at a distance they seemed to be composed of low
lands with little sand-hills; but we could not go near, as the wind was
contrary. This day we sailed 15 leagues. Next day we went about 10
leagues along this land, which is all low, till we came to a cape
composed of red and craggy rocks, having an opening which fronts to the
north, and we noticed a pool or small lake, having a field between it
and the sea. About 14 leagues farther on we came to another cape, the
shore between forming a kind of semicircular bay, and the beach was
composed of sand thrown up like, a mound or dike, over which the whole
country appeared nothing but marshes and pools of water as far as the
eye could reach. Just before coming to the first of these capes, which
we named St Peter, there are two small islands, very near the main land.
About 5 leagues from the second cape toward the S.W. there is a high
pointed island which we named Alezai. From Brions Island to Cape St
Peter there is a good anchorage on a sandy bottom in 25 fathoms water
five leagues from shore; a league off the land the depth is 12 fathom,
and 6 fathom very near the shore, seldom less, and always good ground.
Next day, the 29th of June, with the wind S. and by E. we sailed
westwards, till the following morning about sunrise without being able
to see any land, except that about sunset we saw some land about 9 or 10
leagues W.S.W. which we believed to be two islands.
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