86 REV. GEORGE PATTERSON ON 



West part of Cape Bretton, and till the 13tli day they sayled alougst the coast till they 

 ranne the length of Port de Mutton, where they discovered three very pleasant Harbours, 

 and went ashore in one of them, which, after the shippe's name, they called Luke's Bay, 

 where they found a great way up a very pleasant river, being three fathom deep at a 

 low water, at the entry thereof ; and on every side of the same they did see very 

 delecate Meadowes, having roses white and red growing thereon, with a kinde of wild 

 Lilly, which had a daintiesmel. The next day they resolued (coasting along the laud) to 

 discouer the next Harbour, which was but two leagues distant from the other, where they 

 found a more pleasant river than the first, being four fathome deep at a low water, with 

 Meadowes on both sides thereof, having Eoses and Lillies growing thereon, as the other had. 

 They found within this River a fit place for a plantation, both in regard that it was 

 naturally apt to be fortified, and that all the ground between the two Rivers was without 

 wood, and very good, fat earth, having seA'eral sorts of beries growing thereon, as gooseberies, 

 Strawberies, Hindberies, Rasberies, and a kind of Wineberie ; as also some sorts of graine, 

 as pease, some Eares of Wheate, Barly and Rie growing there wilde ; the Pease grow in 

 abundance alongst the coast, very bigge and good to eate, but did taste of the fitch. This 

 river is called Port Jolly, from whence they coasted along to Port Negro, being twelve 

 leagues distant, where all the way, as they sayled alongst, they spyed a very pleasant 

 countrey, having growing everywhere such things as were observed in the two harbours 

 where they had beene before. They found likewise in every River abundance of lobsters, 

 cockles, and all other shel-fishes ; and also, not only in the rivers, but all the coasts 

 alongst, numbers of several sorts of wild fowle, as wild-goose, black-Ducke, Woodcock, 

 Crane, Heron, Pidgeon, and many other sorts of Foule, which they knew not. They did 

 kill, as they sayled alongst the Coast, great store of Cod, with severall other sorts of great 

 fishes. The countiie is full of woods, not very thicke, and the most part Oake; the rest 

 Firre, Spruce, Birch and some Sicamores and Ashes, and many other sorts of Wood, which 

 they had not scene before. Hauing discouered this part of the Countrie, in regard of the 

 voyage their ship was to make to the Straits with fishes, they resolued to coast alougst 

 from Luke's Bay to Port de Mutton, beeing foure leagues to the East, thereof, where they 

 encountered with a Frenchman, that in a A'ery short time had made a great Voyage, for 

 though he had furnished one ship away with a great number of fishes, there were neere 

 so many ready as to loade himself and others. After they had taken a view of this 

 Port, which, to their ingement, they found no waise inferior to the rest they had scene 

 before, they resolved to retire backe to Newfoundland, where their ship was to receive 

 her loading of fishes. The 20ni of luly they loosed from thence, and on the seven and 

 twentieth thereof they arrived at Saint lohns Harbour, and from thence sayled alongst the 

 Bay of Conception, where they left their ship and despatched themselves home in severall 

 ships that belonged to the West part of England." ' 



' We have given the above in full from Sir William's " Encouragement to Colonies " to be noticed 

 immediately, as it is the only narrative of any part of these expeditions that we possess. The names and 

 distances do not agree with the position of the harbours bearing the same names now. Tims, what these 

 explorers called Luke's Bay, they place four leagues west of Port de Mutton, and Port. Jolly two leagues further 

 west .still; but the present Port Joli is the next harbour west of Port Mouton. Ferland reports that they 

 returned, baffled in'their attempt to form a settlement by the French occupying the ground so strongly. Tliere is 

 no evidence of this. On the contrary, it will be seen that this w'as only a party of explorers, and tliat their report 

 led to the vigorous prosecution of the plan of settlement. 



