Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, vol 2 | Page 7

that seen
at the Cap de la Hève; and the islands are all filled with game. Going
farther on, we passed the night at Sable Bay, [28] where vessels can
anchor without any danger.
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.
This island is six leagues long, and nearly a league broad in some
places, in others only quarter of a league. It is covered with an
abundance of wood, such as pines and birch. All the coast is bordered
by very dangerous rocks; and there is no place at all favorable for
vessels, only little inlets for shallops at the extremity of the island, and
three or four small rocky islands, where the savages capture many
sea-wolves. There are strong tides, especially at the little passage [38]
of the island, which is very dangerous for vessels running the risk of
passing through it.

From Long Island passage, we sailed north-east two leagues, when we
found a cove [39] where vessels can anchor in safety, and which is
quarter of a league or thereabouts in circuit. The bottom is all mire, and
the surrounding land is bordered by very high rocks. In this place there
is a very good silver mine, according to the report of the miner, Master
Simon, who accompanied me. Some leagues farther on there is a little
stream called river Boulay [40] where the tide rises half a league into
the land, at the mouth of which vessels of a hundred tons can easily
ride at anchor. Quarter of a league from here there is a good harbor for
vessels, where we found an iron mine, which our miner estimated
would yield fifty per cent [41] Advancing three leagues farther on to
the northeast [42] we saw another very good iron mine, near which is a
river surrounded by beautiful