BONNE ESPERANCE. 67 



CHAPTER V. 



Bonne Esperance — Esquimaux river and island — Caribou island — Entering 

 Bonne Esperance harbor — Vessels in the harbor — Their nationality — 

 Activity of place — Religious character of people — Chapel and Mission 

 house — Residence of Mr. Whiteley, magistrate — Nescopies — Store 

 and shop provisions — Money — Trade — A trading story. 



Bonne Esperance, or Good Hope as it would be called in Eng- 

 lish from a simple translation of the words from the French, is a 

 small island lying off the Labrador coast about opposite the mouth 

 of Esquimaux river, and a little to the right of it, in very near lat- 

 itude 51° 24' north, and longitude 57° 39' west. It is quite a small 

 island, and lies within a few miles only of the mainland, with sev- 

 eral other islands all somewhat smaller than itself around it, 

 principally between it and the shore. About three miles on the 

 northwest, Esquimaux island nearly fills the mouth of the Esquimaux 

 river, and is the largest of the small islands on this part of the 

 coast. This was undoubtedly one of the chief seats of the Indian 

 and Esquimaux, as well also as of the French and Indian wars. 

 A large number of graves were supposed formerly to exist on the 

 island, while an occasional one is still to be found there, though it 

 is of course impossible to say as to their origin ; both Indians and 

 Esquimaux were undoubtedly buried in large numbers on this very 

 island, if we can believe the records. 



On the northeast of Bonne Esperance is Caribou island. This 

 is another large island, thus making Bonne Esperance the third 

 in size of the small group here situated. If we count Old Fort 

 island, which also is larger, we find Bonne Esperance, the fourth 

 and next largest of all the islands within a radius of some twelve 

 miles that contain perhaps fifty islands large and small, and as 



