[s. a DAWSON] THE VOYAGES OF THE CABOTS 201 



16. — Cape Breton a Natural Landfall. 



If any one will take the trouble to examine the map, he will see that 

 if a vessel continue past Cape Eace on a Avesterly course she will make 

 Scatari island as her landfîill. This is not in the least an original opinion. 

 Judge Haliburton, in his " History," makes the same remark. He says 

 (vol. 2, p. 213) : " This island being usually the first land made by vessels 

 " from Europe to any of the colonies east of the Bay of Fundy, and fi'om 

 " the common occurrence of vessels being ahead of their reckoning when 

 " steering to the westward, the first news of its propinquity being often 

 " given by the roar of its breakers or the concussion of its rocks ; ship- 

 " wrecks are of frequent occurrence, and few places on the coast of North 

 " America more obviously call for the protection of a lighthouse." He 

 was writing sixty years ago, and a lighthouse has long since been built. 

 It was in old days noted for fatal shipwrecks.^"- The most celebrated of 

 all was the " Chameau," a king's ship going to Quebec in 1725 with a 

 number of distinguished officials on board."^ Not a soul was saved, but 

 the ship's papers were subsequently found, and they showed that no sight 

 had been possible for several days from fog, and that Cape Race had not 

 been seen. Going back farther it will be found that Hore's expedition,^"* 

 sailing at the end of April, 1536, about the same time of year as Cabot, 

 was two months out, and never touched land until they brought up at 

 the point of Cape Breton. In like manner the •' Bonaventure," ^"^ early in 

 May, 1591, did not see Cape Eace, though they knew it was near, and 

 they found their position, by the lead, on St. Pierre bank, and altered 

 their course to the northwest for Cape Eay. Another voyage which 

 throws light upon the question, is that of the "Marigold " in 1593. We 

 learn from Hakluyt that she sailed for the island of Eamea (Magdalen). 

 and being unacquainted with the locality, she beat up and down a long 

 time, and at last "fell with Cape Breton." It has been stated in this dis- 

 cussion that there were no Indians on the Atlantic side of Cape Breton, 

 and that they never fished there. That was not the experience of the 

 " Marigold." Hakluyt's informant continues : " Here diverse of our men 

 " went on land upon the very cape." There is no mistake possible about 

 the place— " where at their arrival they found the spittes of oke of the 

 " savages which had roasted meate a little before." It is Hakluyt I am 

 quoting, although the passage reads as if it had been written specially 

 for this controversy. Then the " Marigold " sailed on four leagues to the 

 west and the crew went ashore for water. Hakluyt continues : " And 

 " passing somewhat more into the land wee founde certaine round pondes 

 " artificially made by the savages to keep fish in, with certaine weares in 

 '• them made to take fish." This is clear proof that the very point of 

 Cape Breton is a natural landfall ; that there were Indians there, and 



