A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
Next day, being the last of July, we went along all that part of the
coast which runs east and west, or somewhat south-easterly, all of which
is beset with islands and dry sands, and is consequently of very
dangerous navigation. The distance from Cape St Germans to these islands
is about 17-1/2 leagues, beyond which is a _goodly plot of ground_[40],
surrounded by large tall trees; but all the rest of the coast is
encompassed with sand-banks, without any appearance of harbours till we
come to Cape _Thiennot_, about 7 leagues north-west from these islands.
Having noted this cape in our former voyage, we sailed on all this night
to the west and west-north-west till day; and as the wind then became
contrary, we looked out for a harbour in which to shelter our ships, and
found one for our purpose which we named Port St Nicholas. This port
lies amid four islands off the main-land, and we set up a cross on the
nearest of these islands as a land-mark or beacon. In entering Port St
Nicholas, this cross must be brought to bear N.E. and passed on the left
hand of the steersman, by which means you find six fathom water in the
passage, and four within the port. Care must be taken however to avoid
two shelves which stretch out about half a league to seawards.
[Footnote 40: From the context, I suspect the author here means that
there was good anchorage at this place.--E.]
The whole of this coast is full of dangerous shoals, yet having the
deceitful appearance of many good havens. We remained at Port St
Nicholas till Sunday the 7th of August, when we made sail and approached
the land southwards by Cape Rabart, which is twenty leagues from Port St
Nicholas S.S.W. Next day the wind became boisterous and contrary, and as
we could not find any haven to the southward, we coasted along northward
about ten leagues beyond Port St Nicholas, where we found a goodly great
gulf, full of islands, passages and entrances, answerable for any wind
whatever. This gulf may easily be known by a great island resembling a
cape, stretching somewhat farther out than the other islands, and about
two leagues inland there is a hill which resembles a corn rick. We named
this the Gulf of St Lawrence. On the 12th of the month, we sailed
westwards from this gulf, and discovered a cape of land toward the
south, about 25 leagues W. and by S. from the Gulf of St Lawrence. The
two savages whom we took with us on our former voyage, informed us that
this cape formed part of the great southern coast; and that, by the
southern part of an island which they pointed out, was the way to Canada
from Honguedo, whence we took them last year. They said farther, that at
two days journey from this cape and island the Kingdom of _Saguenay_
began. On the north shore of this island, extending towards Canada, and
about three leagues off this cape, there are above 100 fathoms water;
and I believe there never were as many whales seen at once as we saw
that day around this cape.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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