COMMON COD. 133 



of the ships of all the commercial nations, but it 

 seems that the greatest plenty was met with near 

 Iceland. 



Newfoundland, a name in the infancy of disco- 

 very common to all North America, was discover- 

 ed in the year 1496, by the celebrated Vene- 

 tians Sebastian Cabot and his three sons ; who, 

 at their own charges, under a grant of Henry the 

 seventh, giving them possession, as vassals of his, of 

 all lands they might discover, coasted from lat. 

 67- 30, to the Capes of Florida. 



The isle of Newfoundland is of a triangular form, 

 and lies between lat. 46. 40, and 5L 30: visited 

 occasionally, but not inhabited, by savages from 

 the continent. The boasted mine of this island, 

 viz. its sand-bank, is represented as a vast sub- 

 marine mountain, of above 500 miles long, and 

 near 300 broad, and seamen know when they ap- 

 proach it by the great swell of the sea, and the 

 thick mists that impend over it. The water on the 

 bank is from twenty-two to fifty fathoms ; on the 

 outside from sixty to eighty ; and on the smaller 

 banks much the same : the increase of shipping 

 that resort to these fertile banks is now unspeak- 

 able: our own country still enjoys the greatest 

 share, and ought to be esteemed one of our chiefest 

 treasures, bringing wealth to individuals, and 

 strength to the state. All this immense fishery is 

 carried on by the hook and line only : the principal 

 baits are herring, the small fish called a capelin, 

 the shell-fish called clams, and pieces of sea-fowl ; and 

 with these are caught fish sufficient to find employ 



