Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 4 (of 8): French Explorations and Settlements in North America and Those of the Portuguese, Dutch, and Swedes 1500-1700
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 4 (of 8): French Explorations and Settlements in North America and Those of the Portuguese, Dutch, and Swedes 1500-1700
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
The Gulf is called the Sea of Canada (_Mer de Canada_). There are three
inlets without names, representing Miramichi, Chaleur, and Gaspé. The
Gaspé region is called “Terre Unguedor.” The mouth of the St. Lawrence
is shown; and near the entrance, on the Labrador side, we find “La
Terre de Sept Isles.” There is an opening intended for Cartier’s Bay
of St. Lawrence; and farther eastward is “Cap de Thienot,” so named by
Cartier on his first voyage, after the Indian chief found there. Folio
183 indicates the Gulf again, as part of the Sea of Canada (_Partie
de la Mer de Canada_), together with a portion of the St. Lawrence,
marked “Riviere du Canada.” Where the sketch of folio 181 properly
shows “Unguedor,” we find “La Terre Franciscaine.” The Saguenay is
represented as a broad strait leading into a great sea, “La Mer du
Saguenay,” in which are three islands. These sketches, though rude,
possess considerable interest, as being the first known delineations of
the region made on the spot by an actual navigator; but the Saguenay
region is sketched fancifully from hearsay.
[Illustration: ALLEFONSCE, FOL. 181^A.]
In this connection we may mention Allefonsce’s sketches of the Atlantic
coast on folios 184, 186, 187 of his _Cosmographie_. The first includes
the entrance to the Gulf and the southern part of Newfoundland. The
entrance is marked “Entree des Bretons.” The Island of Cape Breton
bears its proper name, with the Straits of Canso clearly defined. Near
its true locality in the Gulf, but on too small a scale, we discover
the “Isla de Saint-Jean,” the “Isle Gazeas” of the map of Du Testu. The
New Brunswick section is styled, “One part of the Land of the Laborer”
(_Une partje de la Coaste du Laboureur_).[286] Cape Race, Newfoundland,
is called “Cap de Rat.” Folio 186 shows the New England coast proper,
with the River of Norumbega, south of which is “Cap de la Franciscaine”
and “Terre de la Franciscaine.” The next section (187) includes the
coast to Florida, with the West Indies and part of South America.
It would prove interesting if one could establish the priority of
Allefonsce in his application of the name “Saint-Jean” to our present
Prince Edward Island.[287] The _Cosmographie_ was finished in 1545,
while the so-called Cabot map, which uses the same name, was published
in 1544. Now did Allefonsce adopt the name from this map of 1544?
Clearly the name was not given by Cartier, either on his first or
second voyage. On his third voyage he does not appear to have sailed on
that side of the Gulf, while we have no details of the fourth voyage.
He, however, gave the name of St. John to a cape on the west coast of
Newfoundland during his first voyage. Allefonsce called Prince Edward
Island by that name. A full discussion of this subject might involve
a fresh inquiry into the authenticity of the Cabot map, and expunge
“Prima Vista.”
[Illustration: ALLEFONSCE, FOL. 183^A.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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