PROCEEDINGS FOR 1S97 CXXVII 



Straits und Hudson's Bay. By measuring we shall tind that from Capo 

 Henry to the highest point of the chart, where it curves towards the 

 east, there are llf inches, or ninety-one eighths. The scale being one 

 degree for every three-eighths, we have thus 30° 20'. This added to the 

 36° 30', the latitude of Cape Henry, gives GG° 50', which is very nearly 

 the exact latitude of the land at the northwest of Hudson's Bay where it 

 commences to trend eastward. The point at Gape Henry may not be 

 precisely 36° 30', although it is suflficiently near it for practical purposes, 

 and enables us to see how accuratel}- Cabot laid down the limits of his 

 navigation to the north. It must be borne in mind that he was not 

 placing the coast line in its correct longitudinal position. Doubtless he 

 did that on his map ; as his object was to tind a passage across it, he is 

 concerned only with its latitude. He gives, however, a fair indication of 

 the curvature of the shore. Immediately north of Caro Descubierto we 

 see the opening into the gulf, then the coast trends almost due east to 

 Cabo de S. Jorge, which is Cape Eace. The contour of Ungava and Hud- 

 son's Bays is more correct than that found on ordinary maps, even of a 

 comparatively modern dale. 



Again, if Cavo de Ynglaterra be Ca])e Eace, where shall we find those 

 two well outlined islands lying to the east of it? They are not the con- 

 ventionally formed islands often seen on maps, and set down at haj^hazard. 

 They are quite distinctive in appearance and are, moreover, named. 

 Cabot must have examined them. Shall we say that they have followed 

 Atlantis to the bottom of the ocean ? We cannot find them at or near 

 Cape Eace, but we can point them out to the northwest of Cape Chidley. 

 One of them, Y. Verde, is known to-day by its English equivalent, 

 G-reen Island. I do not maintain that the name has come down from 

 Cabot, but the same natural features which led him to call it Y. Verde 

 prompted subsequent navigators to name it Green Island. On a French 

 map of the last century I find it called " Grass Island." It is to be 

 observed that the latest admiralty chart d( es not pretend to give the 

 exact, but only the approximate position of the island. Again, the New- 

 foundland and Labrador Pilot,^ P«^ge 381, says, "The refraction and 

 mirage oifthe coast of Northern Labrador, and especially off Davis Inlet, 

 caused great difficulty in the attainment of correct sextant altitudes at 

 sea." If we add to this the rolling of a small ship, we need feel no sur- 

 prise that occasionally Cabot's latitudes are not sevei^ely correct in the 

 north. Thus the Island S. Gi-igor, intended for Akpatok, is misplaced, being 

 too far to the north and east. Yet, it is not further from its true ])osi- 

 tion than it is on many maps of a more recent date. Xo more should be 

 required. We are not to expect in Cabot's chart the accuracy of our 

 admiralty ones ; still, this island, whilst its indentations are not so deeply 



1 We shall refer to this work as "The Pilot," giving the page in brackets, second 

 edition. 



