[s. E. DAWSON] THE VOYAGES OF THE CABOTS 219 



On that map the landfall is expressly laid down " prima tierra vista " 

 at the northeast point of the island of Cape Breton. This is confirmed 

 by Lok's map, in Ilakluyt's Divers Voyages, published in 1582, while 

 Cabot's map was hanging in the queen's gallery. Lok's map also gives, 

 on the point of Cape Breton, the words, "J. Cabot, 1497," and places 

 near it the island of St. John in the Atlantic. 



It was shown that Pedro Eeinel's map of 1505 placed an island of 

 St. John at the point of Cape Breton — eight years only after the voyage 

 of 1497, and that ever since that time an island has been shown to exist 

 there. 



If we may argue from Lok's map (which is supported by all the 

 other maps), the island of St. John on Clement Adams's map of 1549 was 

 also in the Atlantic, off the cape. On the only copy existing of the map 

 of 1544, and on that alone of all the maps, an island of St. John is, indeed, 

 inside the gulf, and occupies the place of the Magdalen group ; it must, 

 moreover, be held to be that group, because Prince Edward island was at 

 that time, and for fifty years aftei'wards, supposed to form part of the 

 solid continent. The geograjihy of the gulf has been proved to be de- 

 rived from Cartier, but Sebastian Cabot's evidence confirms that of his 

 father as to the landfall on the Atlantic, and, if any persons in the world 

 knew where the landfall was, they did. 



These are the main conclusions I venture to submit, and until some 

 new map be found, or some additional evidence be produced, I think that 

 they are probable to the very highest degree attainable in such matters. 

 After fifty yeara of discussion, Watling's island has been generally re- 

 ceived as the landfall of Columbus, and a landfall for Cabot at Cape 

 Breton is equally probable. Thei"e are, no doubt, difficulties in the case 

 of Cabot, as, indeed, in that also of Columbus, but the weight of evidence 

 is in favour of both. If, however, any one elects to turn his back upon 

 the only positive testimony in existence, and to follow elaborately woven 

 hypotheses ; if he prefei-s to seek out new landfalls and propose them for 

 general acceptance, the maps, at least, of this paper will assist the public 

 to form a reasoned opinion concerning them. It is longer than I wished ; 

 but all the really important maps are now presented, and the leading 

 authorities are clearly indicated, and, if my conclusions be not accepted, 

 the materials for an independent judgment are now plainly set forth. 

 The inquiry is worth the trouble, for the primal event in Canadian his- 

 tory is in debate. "When all the capes on the northeast coast of America 

 and the capes inside the Gulf of St. Lawrence have been exhausted, the 

 general consensus of scholars will probably accept the only positive 

 evidence in existence, and fine-spun hypotheses and short-cuts of con- 

 jectural geography will drop into the inevitable "budget of paradoxes" 

 which awaits the close of every keenly fought controversy. 



