Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, vol 2 | Page 8

and attractive meadows. The neighboring
soil is red as blood. Some leagues farther on there is still another river,
[43] dry at low tide, except in its very small channel, and which
extends near to Port Royal. At the extremity of this bay is a channel,
also dry at low tide [44] surrounding which are a number of pastures
and good pieces of land for cultivation, where there are nevertheless
great numbers of fine trees of all the kinds previously mentioned. The
distance from Long Island to the end of this bay may be some six
leagues. The entire coast of the mines is very high, intersected by capes,
which appear round, extending out a short distance. On the other side
of the bay, on the south-east, the land is low and good, where there is a
very good harbor, having a bank at its entrance over which it is
necessary to pass. On this bar there is a fathom and a half of water at
low tide; but after passing it you find three, with good bottom. Between
the two points of the harbor there is a pebbly islet, covered at full tide.
This place extends half a league inland. The tide falls here three
fathoms, and there are many shell-fish, such as muscles, cockles, and
sea-snails. The soil is as good as any that I have seen. I named this
harbor Saint Margaret. [45] This entire south-east coast is much lower
than that of the mines, which is only a league and a half from the coast
of Saint Margaret, being Separated by the breadth of the bay, [46]
which is three leagues at its entrance. I took the altitude at this place,
and found the latitude 45° 30', and a little more,[47] the deflection of
the magnetic needle being 17° 16'.

After having explored as particularly as I could the coasts, ports, and
harbors, I returned, without advancing any farther, to Long Island
passage, whence I went back outside of all the islands in order to
observe whether there was any danger at all on the water side. But we
found none whatever, except there were some rocks about half a league
from Sea-Wolf Islands, which, however, can be easily avoided, since
the sea breaks over them. Continuing our voyage, we were overtaken
by a violent wind, which obliged us to run our barque ashore, where we
were in danger of losing her, which would have caused us extreme
perplexity. The tempest having ceased, we resumed the sea, and the
next day reached Port Mouton, where Sieur de Monts was awaiting us
from day to day, thinking only of our long stay, [48] and whether some
accident had not befallen us. I made a report to him of our voyage, and
where our vessels might go in Safety. Meanwhile, I observed very
particularly that place which is in latitude 44°.
The next day Sieur de Monts gave orders to weigh anchor and proceed
to the Bay of Saint Mary, [49] a place which we had found to be
Suitable for our vessel to remain in, until we should be able to find one
more advantageous. Coasting along, we passed near Cape Sable and the
Sea-Wolf Islands, whither Sieur de Monts decided to go in a shallop,
and see some islands of which we had made a report to him, as also of
the countless number of birds found there. Accordingly, he set out,
accompanied by Sieur de Poutrincourt, and several other noblemen,
with the intention of going to Penguin Island, where we had previously
killed with sticks a large number of these birds. Being somewhat
distant from our ship, it was beyond our power to reach it, and still less
to reach our vessel; for the tide was so strong that we were compelled
to put in at a little island to pass the night, where there was much game.
I killed there some river-birds, which were very acceptable to us,
especially as we had taken only a few biscuit, expecting to return the
same day. The next day we reached Cape Fourchu, distant half a league
from there. Coasting along, we found our vessel in the Bay of Saint
Mary. Our company were very anxious about us for two days, fearing
lest some misfortune had befallen us; but, when they saw us all safe,
they were much rejoiced.

Two or three days after our arrival, one of our priests, named Mesire
Aubry [50] from Paris, got lost so completely in the woods while going
after his sword, which he had forgotten, that he could not find the
vessel. And he was thus seventeen days without any thing to subsist
upon except some sour and bitter plants like the sorrel, and some small
fruit of little substance large as