Ch.IX. south AMERICA; 403 



the fea in fecundity. Thefe harbours are complete 

 anchoring places, being clear, and having a good 

 bottom, that they may be fafely failed into without 

 a pilot. Some there are with reefs of rocks, but 

 thefe are generally vifible ; arid thofe that are co- 

 vered, are ufually about the Capes or points at the 

 entrance of the harbours : arid therefore by keeping in 

 the middle all danger is avoided. Thefe harbours 

 are fo near each other, as to be openly feparated by a 

 point of land, which felclom forms a diftance of above 

 two leagues fo that the whole coaft of the ifland, is 

 a fucceffion of harbours. But it is not in all that 

 the EngliHi have any town or village; and thefe, 

 which are to be found only on the larger bays, and 

 where the nature and difpofition of the country are 

 moft convenient for a fettlement, are fmall, and the 

 inhabitants but few. Cod-fifiiing is the univerfal 

 bufinefs ; and befides their dwellings they have offices 

 and ftorehoufes for preparing and laying up their 

 filh till the time arrives for fending it into Europe, 

 on their own account, or felling it to velTels which 

 come there to purchafe it in exchange for European 

 goods. None of thefe villages are without a fort or 

 battery for their fecurity in time of war ; but thefe 

 are fo iniignificant, that the moft they could do 

 would be to drive away fome petty privateer. The 

 greateft extent of this ifland is from N. to S. being 

 ninety-five leagues, that is, from cape St. Mary, in 

 46 deg. 55 min, to the north cape, which forms the 

 ftreights of Bellifle in 51 deg. 20 min. And the 

 diflance from E. to W. that is, from cape Raze to 

 cape Cod, is eighty leagues. But the fettiements of 

 the Englifh are only about the harbours and in the 

 country near Placentia and along its bays eaflward 

 towards cape Raze, and from thence to cape Buena 

 Villa : all the remainder both up the country and 

 along the coaft, northwards towards the ftreights, 

 and from thence weft ward, is entirely defart. This 



D d 2 nvi& 



