228 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



APPENDIX D. 

 The Climate of Cape Breton Island. 



If the question of the Cabot voyages were debated only in America, 

 it would be unnecessary to say anything about the climate of Cape- 

 Breton ; but the literature of the subject is studied by scholars in Eui'o- 

 pean countries, who have never had the opportunity of visiting the- 

 shores of this favourite summer resort of tourists. I have elsewhere por- 

 trayed the character of Labrador. Of Newfoundland I would onlj* say 

 that its farming lands and grand scenery are on the west coast. 1 shall 

 confine myself to a few notices of the summer climate of Cape Breton by 

 people not interested in this controversy, in order to show why John 

 Cabot told Eaimundo da Soncino " that the land is excellent and the cli- 

 " mate temperate, suggesting that brasil and silk grow there." The 

 attractiveness of the Cape Breton summer has become widely known on 

 this continent since the Intercolonial railway opened up the island to 

 travel. In the Badeker Guide (p. 87) the charm of this route is men- 

 tioned thus : " The chief attractions of Cape Breton to the tourist are its 

 " delightful summer climate and the scenery of the Bras d'Or lakes." 

 These are not lakes in the usual sense, but arms of the sea opening into 

 the Atlantic, and the largest vessels may pass into them with ease. 

 Sydney harbour is one of the best in America, and is a very beautiful 

 spot ; it is about twenty-five miles from Scatari island, and close to it is 

 the opening into the Bras d'Or, a vei'itable golden arm of all beauty of 

 sea and shore which the poet or painter could dream of. 



The following is Charlevoix's desci'iption of the country around Ste. 

 Anne's bay, where the French fishermen gathered in early days. It is a 

 few miles beyond the opening into the Bras d'Or : 



" La pêche y est très-abondante ; qu'on y trouve quantité de bons 

 " bois, comme des érables, des hêtres, des merisiers, surtout des chênes 

 " très-propres à la construction et des mâtures, qui ont depuis vingt-huit 

 " jusqu'à trente-huit pieds de haut ; que le marbre y est commun, que la 

 " plus part des terres y sont bonnes, que dans la grande et petite La Bras 

 " d'Or, qui n'en sont qu'à une lieue et demie le terrain est très fertile et 

 " qu'elles peuvent contenir un grand nombre d'habitants." (Histoire et 

 description de la Nouvelle France, vol. 2, p. 898. Paris. 1744.) 



Bacqueville de La Potherie thus describes the island. He is writing 

 of the Atlantic side of it : 



" En éftet, c'est une très belle isle, a la côte de l'Acadie, vis-à-vis la 

 " pointe du Sud de l'Isle de Terre-Neuve, que forme l'entrée du Golphe de 

 " Saint Laurent. La terre y est admirable. Ce ne sont que Plaines, que 

 " Prérics,que Forêts remplies de Chênes, d'Erables, de Cèdres, de Noyers 

 " & des plus beaux Sapins du monde & des plus propres pour la Mâture. 

 " L'on pourroit y construire des Moulins à scier pour faire des Planches 

 " do Sapins, de Noyers, & de bordages de Navires, qui seroient d'un 

 " grand Commerce j)our la France. 



" L'on y feroit une seconde Normandie si l'on vouloit y planter des 

 " Pépins de Pommes, le Calville surtout y seroit d'un goût exquis comme 

 " celui do l'Acadie. Le Chanvre y vient naturellement, & l'on y en 

 " trouve des champagnes toutes remplies. Le Bled y seroit plus beau qu'a, 

 " Quebec : le Houblon y viendroit aussi. 



