Chap. I. AMERICA. * \i 9 



be term'd JS[pva Britannia, or New Britain. The ancient Inhabitants of this place 

 were formerly of a Nature, like the generality of the American People, fomewhat 

 bruitifh and falvage, but by long converfation with the French, arc faid to have 

 caft off their original wildnefs, and become more civilly manner'd : they are very 

 jealous of their Wives, by report much addi&ed to Soothfaying, though otherwise 

 having little of Religion, or of any other kind of Learning ; they dwell for the moft 

 part in Caves under Ground, feed chiefly upon Fifli, and are accounted moft ex- 

 pert Archers. Whatever places the French have built here befides, thofe of chiefeft 

 note are St. Maries, Cabo SMarzp, and firefl. 



Sect. IV. 



Canada, or New France. 



4 



Cnada, as it is taken for one and the fame Province with fyst France, con- 

 tains New France, properly fo call'd, 1>{ova Scotia, Norumbega, and fome ad- 

 joyning Iflands, as the Canada of CluVerim, lying more North- Wefterly, 

 comprehends (as we have already intimated) Eftotiland, Laboratoris, and QorteredU, 

 and, according to the moft modern Divifion (for that of CluVerius neither con- 

 fents with the lateft Authors, nor agrees with exaft Survey, it being nam'd Canada, 

 in refpeft the River Canada runs through it) hath on the North Terra Corterealis, on 

 the South New England, and on the Eaft the Ocean, and hath between forty five 

 and fifty two or fifty three Degrees of Northern Latitude. The River Qanada is situation. 

 judg'd to be the krgeft of all the Rivers of America, as thofe Rivers generally the 

 largeft of all in the World befides ; itrifesin the Weftern parts of this Province 

 which remain yet undifcover'd, and in fome places fpreads itfelf into huge Lakes, 

 fome of them a hundred Miles in compafs, with many little Iflands difperfti 

 up and down in them, and fo running from the Weft about a hundred Leagues,falls 

 at laft into the North part of St. Lawrence <Bay , being that wide Emboucbeure of thirty 

 five Miles breadth already mention'd. This River is extraordinary full of Fifli, 

 among which there is one fort more remarkable than the reft, call'd by the Inha- 

 bitants Qadbotbms, having Heads refembling the Heads of Hares, and Bodies as 

 white as Snow ; they are taken for the moft part before the Ifle de LieVres. The 

 Countrey on both fides of the River is pleaiant and indifferently fertile, efpccially 

 towards the South- Weft, where upwards from the River the Ground rifes into 

 many little Hills, inverted moft of them with Vines, with which and feveral other 

 forts of Trees this Countrey abounds, being well watered with a great many lelTer 

 Streams, all of them falling into the River Canada. 



That this Countrey is term'd New France, from having been difcover'd by the m <*&<* 

 French, at leaft more fully than before, there needs no queftion to be made ; but 

 whether Joannes Verra\anus, under Francis the Firft of France, or Sebajlian Cabot before 

 fpokenof, were the firft in this Difcovery, may admit of fomething of difpute : 

 the Cabots indeed, {lot John the Father is by fome mentioned to have accompanied 

 his Son) who by all are own'd the firft Difcoverers of New-found- Land and Terra de 

 fBaccalaos, are alio commonly reputed to have firft found out the Province of £{ew 

 France, together with fome parts adjacent, though perhaps it might be upon this 

 Ground that Terra de NpVa, or New-found- Land, not being known at firft to be art 

 Ifland, New France and that might be taken for one continued Province • and it ap- 

 pears fo much the more probable, becaufe Canada,ov Nova Francia, is by fome call' d 

 Terra Nova • however it be, or whoever were the firft Adventurers, Quarteri and 



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