ON CAPE JBEETOK 303 



this cape as probable. But the distance between tlie two capes of Cartier, would make it a cape further to the 

 south, and it may have been the cloud-wrapped height of Cape Enfumé, one of the most prominent points of Cape 

 Breton, visible for thirty and forty miles from sea on a clear day. All depends on the exact position of Cartier's 

 vessel at the time he sighted the second cape, but the data before us are too vague to enable us to speak positively. 

 The degrees of latitude given in the French vers'ons, we cite above, are not reconcilable with the course Cartier 

 took on leaving the Jlagdalens. Discrepancies, no doubt, crept into the various accounts of the voyages, and it is 

 only by careful comparison of one with tlie other, that we can make the data of the narrative of Cape Breton har- 

 monize with present geographical features of the island. It is a mistake, I believe, to take it as a matter of course 

 that Loreine, or Lorraine was St. Lawrence Cape from the mere similarity of name. L'Escarbot's and Champlain's 

 maps of 1609 and 1612 have very likely assisted in perpetuating an error. Both these writers, in order to give 

 Cartier's names to places in the gulf, actually place St. Paules on an islet to the south of Cape Loran,or the present 

 (presumably) Cape North. L'Escarbot also gives a Cape Loraine on the southwestern coast of Newfoundland, and 

 that is how Brown has probably been mislead. Neither L'Escarbot nor Cham])lain ever visited northern Cape 

 Breton previous to 1612, and their early maps were largely tentative. In Champlain's later map of 1632, however, 

 he corrects his- mistake with a better knowledge of Cape Breton and its coasts, and places the rocky islet of St. 

 Paul to the northeast of Cape North — its correct position. Brown evidently had not the advantage of studying the 

 several accounts of the voyage, or he would not have made the mistake of supposing that Cartier first made Cape 

 Ray, in Newfoundland, (Loraine in Brown) and then went towards Cape Breton, and named Cape St. Paul's, (Cape 

 North in Brown) when it is quite clear that his course was from the Magdalens to the northern capes of the island, 

 and thence to the Newfoundland coast. Here Hakluyt's version is perplexing, for it says that Cartier (see svpra) had 

 " notice of the coast lying east southeast distant from the Newfoundland about 27 leagues" But the French versions 

 (which see) make the course clear when we read that after leaving the capes of Cape Breton " we had knowledge 

 of the east southeast coast of Newfoundland, about 27 leagues from the said cape " (St. Paules). In this way by- 

 reconciling certain little discrepancies in the several narratives, and making changes in the punctuation, we can 

 make Cartier's course perfectly intelligible from the time he left the " islands towards the sands" until he made 

 the coast of Newfoundland, and found shelter in a little harbour which he named St. Esprit, and is believed to be 

 either Port aux Basques or Lapoile. It is for tlies-e reasons I should read the narrative of Cartier's voyage, as 

 follows ; but let me say first, D'Avezac in his notes on the édition originale (see next page) also points out the 

 necessity of comparing the several versions, and correcting obvious omissions, and errors that have occurred in 

 the original editing or copying : — 



" Après lesquelles choses connues retournasmes au cap de ladicte terre, qui se faict à deux ou trois caps haullz 

 à merveilles et graml profond d'eaue et la marée si courante, (pi'il n' est possible de plus. Nous nommasmes celui 

 cap le Cap de Lorraine qui est en -17;;, degrez, au su duquel cap y a une basse terre et semblant entrée de rivière: 

 mais il n' y a liable que vaille. Parsr.s lesquelles terres vers le su nous veismes une aultre cap que nous nommas- 

 mes le cap de Sainct Paul, qui est en 47:1 degrez." 



The remainder of the narrative is not material here, as I wish simply to make the references to Cape Breton 

 clear and consistent. Without dwelling further on the subject, I shall only add, that with the appearance of Cham- 

 plain's second map, St. I'aul's cape disappeared from the coast of Cape Breton ; and in the course of time, when the 

 geography of the island was well known, and the existence of two large capes was well established, Loreine 

 became St. Laurent and its name was transferred to the present Cape St. Lawrence, while Cape North was named 

 anew. 



The statement that appears in some early French writers that Cartier or Roberval erected a fort on the island 

 of Cape Breton, in the year 1540 in most cases, is obviously an error. L'Escarbot (1609, ii. 391 j says that Roberval 

 and Cartier together erected a fort in the island — " a mere obiter dicta, and flatly contradicted by the only account of 

 Roberval's voyage extant, with which probably neither Champlain nor Roberval was acquainted." (Pope, " Jacques 

 Cartier," 12-5-126). Fournier in his " Hydrographie " (1667) and Charlevoix (1744, i. 31) and Mr. de la Chesnaye ina 

 memoir of 167G (" Quebec Doc." i. 24."i) make the statement of Roberval alone. Sir W. Alexander in his " Encour- 

 agement to Colonies" (1624, p. 1.5) says that Roberval lived "one winter at Cape Breton," but, as an authority 

 (" Nar. & Crit. Hist, of Am." iv. 58 n.) says with truth, " his style is loose and by Cape Breton he probably meant 

 Canada." Not a single modern historical writer attaches any importance to the assertion. Faillon (i. 43-44) is of 

 opinion that L'Escarbot and other writers clearly did not know anything of Roberval's own account of his voyage. 

 It is now admitted on all hands that Cape Breton was clearly a mistake for Cap Rouge. In 1542 Jean François de 

 la Roche, Lord of Roberval, a gentleman of Picardy, who was named " the petty king of Vinieu " on account of his 

 popularity in his province, built a fort (France Roy) at Cap Rouge by virtue of his commission as lieutenant and 

 governor of Canada and Hochelaga. This fort "stood on that bold acclivity where Cartier had before entrenched 

 himself, the St. Lawrence in front, and, on the right, the river of Cap Rouge," (I'arkman, " Pioneers," 205.) Car- 

 tier's fort was erected by September 1541 in the same neighbourhood and was known as Charlesbourg royak He 



