( 7° } 



of which ferve for the common nourifhment of the 

 cod, the number of which feems to equal that of 

 the grains of fand which cover this bank. For 

 more than two centuries fince, there have been load- 

 ed with them from two to three hundred (hips an- 

 nually, not with (landing the diminution is not per- 

 ceivable. It might not, however, be amifs, to dif- 

 continue this fifhery from time to time, and the 

 more fo, as the gulph of St. Lawrence, and even 

 the river, for more than fixty leagues, the coafts of 

 Acadia, thofe of the IJle Royale, or Cape Breton, 

 and of Newfoundland, are no lefs replenifhed with 

 this fifti, than the great bank. Thefe, Madam, 

 are true mines, which are more valuable, and re- 

 quire much lefs expence than thofe of Peru and 

 Mexico. 



We fuffered a great deal during"' the whole time 

 that the contrary winds detained us on the frontiers 

 of the empire of the cod-fifh ; this being by much 

 the mod difagreeable and inconvenient place in all 

 the ocean to fail in. The fun fcarce ever mows 

 himfelf here, and for mod part of the time the air 

 is impregnated with a cold thick fog, which indi- 

 cates your approach to the bank, fo as to render it 

 impofiible to be miftaken. Now what can poflibly 

 be the caufe of fo conftant and remarkable a phe- 

 nomenon ! Can it be the neighbourhood of the land 

 and of thofe forefts with which it is covered ? But 

 befides, that Cape Race, which is the neareft land 

 to the great bank is thirty five leagues diftant, the fame 

 thing happens not on any other coaft of the ifland ; 

 and further the ifland of Newfoundland is not fub- 

 ject to fogs, except on the fide towards the great 

 bank ; every where elfe its coafts enjoy a pure air 

 and a ferene Iky. It is, therefore probable, that' 

 ihe caufe of the mifts^ in which Cape Race is ge- 

 i nerally 



