14 NOTES ON SABLE ISLAND—-MACDONALD, 
In the museum of Paris is another chart, made by Gaftaldi 
(of New France), in 1550, showing the fishing banks extending 
from off Lahave to Newfoundland, on which this island appears 
as “Tsolla del Arena.” 
In 1518, Baron de Lery made the first attempt to colonize 
this New France, but meeting with a succession of gales, which 
drove him back several times, he arrived on this coast too late 
to place his people under shelter before winter would overtake 
them, so he left part of his cattle at Canso, and sailed for Sable 
Island, where he placed the remainder, and returned to France. 
In after years these cattle had so multiplied that it became a 
inatter of speculation for parties to land and hunt them for their 
hides and tallow. 
The next mention made of this island is in the record of the 
disastrous voyage of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, who sailed from Eng~ 
land with a fleet of five armed vessels. Arriving at St. John’s, Nfld. 
—he found a large fleet of fishermen, of different nations— 
and took formal possession of the place in the name of Queen 
Elizabeth. The Portuguese treated him well, and after supplying 
him with wines, marmalade, sweet oil, &e., told him of their 
having placed swine and cattle on Sable Island. Thither Sir 
Humphrey sailed. 
Several days after, during a thick fog, he lost his second m 
command on Sable Island. As this is the first wreck of which 
there is any history, written in quaint old English, I will 
read it as recorded : 
“Sabla lieth, to the seaward of Cape Breton about 45°, 
whither we were determined to go, upon intelligence we had of 
a Portingall, during our abode in St. John’s, who was also him- 
self present when the Portingalls, about 30 years past, did put 
into the same Island both neat and swine to breed, which were 
since exceedingly multiplied. 
“The distance between Cape Race and Cape Breton is 100 
leagues, in which navigation we spent 8 days. Having the wind 
many times indifferent good, but could never obtain sight of any 
land, all that time, seeing we were hindered by the current. At 
last we fell into such flats and dangers, that hardly any of us 
escaped. Where nevertheless we lost our Admiral, with all the 
men and provisions. 
