170 BISHOP HOWLEY ON 



suppose this latter position to be the cue intended, it is four degrees west of Cape Louis, and 

 the former position (mouth of bay) is three degrees west of same ; yet the manuscript only 

 makes half a degree's difference between the two points. The former, Bay Chaleur, is given 

 as Ixxiij (seventy-three) degrees, and the latter as " soixante et treize degrez et demy" 73|-°. 

 But what is still more curious is that the half degree is given in favour of the more easterly 

 point of the two, viz., Cape Louis. It seems to me that these figures must have been inserted 

 by some later hand, and without sufficient care. It is doubtful whence Cartier took his 

 first meridian. Of course he knew nothing of Greenwich. The French geographers in 

 these centuries had fixed upon the Island of Ferro, the most westerly of the Canary group, 

 which is 18^ W. from Greenwich, but it is certain that Cartier was not counting from that. 

 If we suppose the meridian of Paris (2'^ E. of Greenwich), it would still leave him 9^ too far 

 west in this place. But, as we know, there was not at that time, nor for two centuries 

 after, any exact method of computing the longitude. In a map published by Philip Buache 

 in 1736 three different (supposed) positions are given for Cape Race. One, from a Dutch 

 map, places it in longitude 50^ W., or on the outer edge of the Grand Bank ; another, from 

 an English map by Mr. Popple, 1733, places it in longitude 58^ W., while Buache himself 

 places it midway between the two in 54° AV.' Its actual position is 53° W. Thus we find 

 that two centuries after Cartier's time a difference of 8° is given iu the location of so 

 important a point as Cape Race. It is not to be wondered at, then, if Cartier sliould have 

 made a mistake of eight or nine degrees. 



On the 1st of August (the festival of St. Peter in Chains) they entered the northeast 

 channel between Anticosti and the north shore of the gulf. They coasted along till they 

 came to the easternmost point of the island, where the land commenced to trend a little to 

 the northwest (la terre commence à se rebattre au norouest). This was about fifteen leagues 

 from Cape Louis. Cartier named it Cape Memorancy. He places it in lat. 50°, which is 

 about 11' too far north. It is probably the point marked Fox Point on the charts. Accord- 

 ing to Bayfield's survey, this is the easternmost point of the island. From the South Cape 

 to this point the land runs north and south ; at this point it turns to the northwest, to 

 Table Head and Cape Robert. Between Wednesday, July 29th, when he was off" Cap Loys, 

 and Saturday, August 1st, when he is oft Cape Memorancy, there are two days (Thursday 

 and Friday) unaccounted for, or comprised under the simple expression. Nous rengeasmes 

 icelle terre enijron. dix lieues. No doubt he was making a most careful survey. At daylight 

 (or sunrise) on the first day of August they saw the highlands of the north or Labrador 

 coast to the north and northeast (haidtes terres à merueilles huchées à montagnes), and they 

 went across to examine them. " Between us and the high mountains there were lowlands 

 where there are woods and rivers." For five days continuously they ranged these lands from 

 one side to the other, but on account of high winds and tides they only advanced about 

 twenty-five leagues. The middle of this passage way, he says, is about 50f' lat. (50° 20'), 

 which, allowing for the error already mentioned of 11' , is near enough to the truth.^ 



On the 5th of August they reached the narrowest part of the strait, between the north 

 point of Anticosti and the mainland, where " one can easily see the land from one side to 

 the other." The width here is about twenty miles. Cartier says there is about fifteen 



' These different positions are all given on one and the same map, super-imposed one upon the other in red 

 blue and black ink. 



^ The " Relation" says " Le Parmy en C. degrez et ung Iters:' It should be " L. degrez," unless C. be for cinquante. 



