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lent fince they have feen themfelves courted by 

 us. 



The fifhery is much more likely and proper to 

 enrich Canada than the fur-trade j which is alfo en- 

 tirely independent of the Indians. There are two 

 reafons for applying to this, which, however, have 

 not been able to induce our planters to make it the 

 principal object of their commerce. I have nothing 

 to add, to what I have already had the honour to 

 tell you with refpect to the cod- fifhery, which is 

 alone worth more than a Peru, had the founders of 

 New France taken proper meafures to fecure the 

 pofieffion of it to us. I begin with that of the 

 fea-wolf, fea cow, and porpoife, which may be 

 carried on over all the gulf of St. Lawrence, and 

 even a great way up that river. 



The fea-wolf owes its name to its cry, which is 

 a fort of howling, for as to its figure it has nothing 

 of the wolf, nor of any known land animal. Lef- 

 carbot affirms, that he has heard fome of them, 

 whofe cry refembled that of a fcreech-owl ; but this 

 might pofTibly have been the cry of young ones, 

 whofe voice was not as yet arrived at its full tone. 

 Moreover, Madam, they never hen* rate in this coun- 

 try to place the fea-wolf in the rank of fimes, tho' 

 it is far from being dumb, is brought forth on 

 fhore, oh which it lives at lead as much as in the 

 water, is covered with hair, in a word, though no- 

 thing is wanting to it, which conftitutes an animal 

 truly amphibious. But we are now in a new world, 

 and it muft not be expected we mould always fpeak 

 t*he language of the old, and as cuftom, the' t authority 

 of which is never difputed, has put it in pofTeflion 

 of all its own rights. Thus the war which is car- 

 ried on againfl the fea-wolf, though often on more, 



