The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 8: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1636
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 8: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1636
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
Ceux qui ont vieilly sur mer, protestent qu'ils n'ont iamais veu vn
[209] Port plus recommandable pour sa capacité, ny pour la facilité de
son abord. Trois mille nauires y peuuent estre à l'aise, & à l'abry
de tout vent, en vn beau rond tres-agreable à veoir; car sa figure
est circulaire, ou peu s'en faut. Les marées y sont fort douces &
reiglées; il y a tousiours de dix à douze brassées d'eau: au reste
nonobstant que toute l'Isle soit de quarante-six degrez & demy en son
eleuation; si est-ce que le froid y est extréme, parmy des neiges de
cinq à six mois l'année. Voila pour ce qui est de la situation du lieu:
venons aux commoditez de la vie, qu'il offre aux habitans: surquoy
on peut dire en general, que les Sauuages sont icy plus à leur aise,
qu'en beaucoup d'autres endroits. Si l'Hyuer leur y fournit moins de
Castors sur eau, il leur donne aussi en récompense plus d'Orignacs
[210] sur terre. En esté ils y viuent assez doucement de Marmettes,
de Perroquets, de Cormorans, & autres oyseaux de marine. Ils y ont
aussi les Outardes, l'Esplan, les Maquereaux, les Moruës, & semblables
prouisions selon la diuersité des saisons, dans les forests, ou sur les
costes de la mer.
Those who have grown old upon the sea protest that they have
never seen a [209] more desirable Port, either in extent or for
its facility of access. Three thousand ships could easily anchor
there, and be sheltered from every wind, in a beautiful enclosure
very pleasant to look upon; for its form is circular, or nearly
so. The tides here are very mild and regular; there is always from
ten to twelve fathoms of water. Furthermore, notwithstanding that
the Island is in forty-six and a half degrees north latitude, the
cold is extreme, the island lying in the midst of snow five or six
months of the year. This is the situation of the place, let us come
to the conveniences of life which it offers to its inhabitants.
On this subject we may say, in general, that the Savages are more
comfortable here than in many other places. If the Winter supplies
them with fewer Beavers upon the water, it gives them, by way of
compensation, more Moose [210] upon the land. In summer, they live
very well on Marmots and Parrot fish,[47] with Cormorants and other
marine birds. They have also Bustards, Smelts, Mackerel, Codfish,
and like supplies, according to the different seasons, in the
forests or upon the coasts of the sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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