Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 02Champlain, Samuel de
History
Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 02
Champlain, Samuel de
America -- Discovery and exploration -- French; Indians of North America -- Canada; New France -- Discovery and exploration
The next day we went to Cape Sable, [29] also very dangerous, in
consequence of certain rocks and reefs extending almost a league into the
sea. It is two leagues from Sable Bay, where we had spent the night before.
Thence we went to Cormorant Island, [30] a league distant, so called from
the infinite number of cormorants found there, of whose eggs we collected a
cask full. From this island, we sailed westerly about six leagues, crossing
a bay, which makes up to the north two or three leagues. Then we fell in
with several islands [31] distant two or three leagues from the main land;
and, as well as I could judge, some of them were two leagues in extent,
others three, and others were still smaller. Most of them are very
dangerous for large vessels to approach, on account of the tides and the
rocks on a level with the water. These islands are filled with pines, firs,
birches, and aspens. A little farther out, there are four more. In one, we
saw so great a quantity of birds, called penguins, [32] that we killed them
easily with sticks. On another, we found the shore completely covered with
sea-wolves, [33] of which we captured as many as we wished. At the two
others there is such an abundance of birds of different sorts that one
could not imagine it, if he had not seen them. There are cormorants, three
kinds of duck, geese, _marmettes?_, bustards, sea-parrots, snipe, vultures,
and other birds of prey; gulls, sea-larks of two or three kinds; herons,
large sea-gulls, curlews, sea-magpies, divers, ospreys, _appoils?_, ravens,
cranes, and other sorts which I am not acquainted with, and which also make
their nests here. [34] We named these Sea-Wolf Islands. They are in
latitude 43° 30', distant from four to five leagues from the main land, or
Cape Sable. After spending pleasantly some time there in hunting (and not
without capturing much game), we set out and reached a cape, [35] which we
christened Port Fourchu from its being fork-shaped, distant from five to
six leagues from the Sea-Wolf Islands. This harbor is very convenient for
vessels at its entrance; but its remoter part is entirely dry at low tide,
except the channel of a little stream, completely bordered by meadows,
which make this spot very pleasant. There is good codfishing near the
harbor. Departing from there, we sailed north ten or twelve leagues without
finding any harbor for our vessels, but a number of very fine inlets or
shores, where the soil seems to be well adapted for cultivation. The woods
are exceedingly fine here, but there are few pines and firs. This coast is
clear, without islands, rocks, or shoals; so that, in our judgment, vessels
can securely go there. Being distant quarter of a league from the coast, we
went to an island called Long Island, [36] lying north-north-east and
south-south-west, which makes an opening into the great Baye Françoise,
[37] so named by Sieur de Monts.
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