Chap. III. of the F R E N C I 
the Writers of his Nation, and, indeed, of all other Na- 
tions, when fpeaking of their own Concerns. 
By the Ceflion of Acadia and Placentia, fays he, to 
the Endijh, there remained to France no other Place to 
carry on, the Filhery of Cod-Fifh, or at lead to dry 
their Filh in, but the Ifland of Cape Breton^ which is 
now only known by the Name of Ifle Royal ; this Ifland 
is fituated between 45 and 47 Degrees of North Lati- 
tude, and forms with the Ifland of Newfoundland (from 
which it is diftant but about fifteen Leagues) the En- 
trance of the Gulph of St. Laurence •, the Streight which 
feparates Cape Breton from Acadia^ is about five com 
mon Leagues of France in Length, and about one in 
Breadth, it is called the Paffage of Fronfac. The Length 
of the Ifland, from North-eaft to South-wefl, is not quite 
fifty Leagues ; its Figure is irregular, and it is in fuch 
a Manner cut through by Lakes and Rivers, that the two 
principal Parts of it hold together only by an Iflhmus of 
about eight hundred Paces in Breadth, which Neck of 
Land feparates the Bottom of P ort fouloufe from feve- 
ral Lakes, which are called Labrador. The Lakes 
empty themfelves into the Sea to the Eaft, by two Chan- 
nels of unequal Breadth, which are formed by the Iflands 
Verderronne, and la Boularderie., which is from feven to 
eight Leagues long. The Climate of this Ifland is pretty 
much the fame with tnat of Quebec ^ and although IVIifts 
and Fogs are more frequent here, yet no one complains 
that the Air is unwholefome. All the Lands here are 
not good, neverthelefs they produce Trees of all Sorts. 
There are Oaks of a prodigious Size, Pines for Mafts, 
and all Sorts of Timber fit for Carpenters Work *, the 
nioft common Sorts, befides the Oak, are the Cedar, Afli, 
Maple, Plane Tree, and Afpin-, Fruits, particularly Ap- 
ples, Pulfe, Herbs, and Roots ; Wheat, and all other 
Grain neceffary for Suftenance i Hemp and Flax abound 
here lefs, but are every whit as good as in Canada. 
It has been obferved, that the Mountains may be cul- 
tivated up to the Tops, that the good Soil inclines al- 
ways towards the South, and that it is covered from the 
North and North-weft Winds by the Mountains which 
border upon the River St. Laurence. All the domeftic 
Animals, fu'ch as Horfes, Horned-cattle, Hogs, Sheep, 
Goats, and Poultry, pick up a good Living here. 
What is got by Hunting, Shooting, and Fifhing, is able 
to maintain the Inhabitants a good Part of the Year, 
This Ifland abounds in Coal-pits, which are in the Moun- 
tains, confequently the Trouble and Expence of digging 
deep, and making Drains to carry of the Water, are ge- 
nerally faved ; here is likewife Plaifter in great Abun- 
dance ; ’tis faid that there is no Part of the World where 
more Cod-fifh is caught, nor where there is fo good 
Conveniency for drying it •, formerly this Hand was full 
of Deer, they are now very fcarce, particularly Elks •, 
Partriges are here almoft as large as Pheafants, and iil 
their Feathers not unlike them : In a Word, the Fifhery 
of Sea-Pike, Porpoifes, (Ac. is in great Abundance here, 
and carried on with great Eafe. 
All its Ports open to the Eaft, turning a little to the 
South, and within the Space of fifty-five Leagues, be- 
ginning at Port Dauphin., and continuing to Port Foii- 
loufe., which is almoft at the Entrance of the Paffage of 
Fronfac. In all other Ports of the Ifland it is difficult 
to find Anchorage for fmall Veffels, in fmall Creeks, or 
amongft the Iflands. All the Northern Coafts are very 
high, and almoft inacceflible •, and it is very difficult to 
land on the Weftern Coaft, till you come to the Paffage 
of Fronfac., out of which you are no fooner got, but you 
meet with the Port fouloufe^ known formerly by the 
Name of St. Peter. This Port is ftridly between a kind 
of Gulph (which is called Little St. Peters) and the Ifland 
St. Peter over againft the Iflands Madame., or Maurepas. 
From thence afcending towards the South-eaft, you 
find the Bay of Gaborie^ of which the Entrance (which 
is near twenty Leagues Diftance from St. PeteP?, Ifland) 
is a League broad, between Iflands and Rocks. It is 
not very fafe to come near thefe Iflands, fome of which 
advance a League and a half into the Sea. This Bay is 
two Leagues deep, and the Anchorage very good. 
The Harbour of Louifbourg., formerly called the En- 
I AMERICA. 355 
glijh Harbour., is not above a I.eaglie from the above 
Bay, and is, perhaps, one of the fineft in America \ it is 
near four Leagues in Circumference, and every where 
there are fix or feven Fathom Water •, the Anchorage is 
very good, and you may^ without Banger^ run a Ship 
a-ground upon the Mud. The Entrance is not above 
two hundred Fathoms wide, and lies betv/een two fmall 
Iflands ; It is difcovered at the Diftance of twelve Leagues 
at Sea, by the Cape of Lorembec., which is but at a fmall 
Diftance from it, to the North-eaft. Tvv?o Leagues far- 
ther up is the Port de la Baleine, the F.ntrance of which 
is very difficult, occafioned by many Rocks which the 
Sea covers when it runs high ; no Ships of greater 
Burden than three hundred Tons can go into it, but they 
are quite fafe there when they are got in. From thence, 
in lefs than the Diftance of two Leagues^ you come to 
the Bay of Penadou., or Medanou., the Entrance of 
which is about a League broad, and the Bay itfelf is 
about two Leagues deep. Almoft over againft this 
Bay, is the Ifland Sc atari (formerly called Little Cape 
Breton ) which is above two Leagues long ; the Bay of 
Mire is feparated from it by a very narrow Neck of 
Land *, the Entrance of this Bay is likeWife near two 
Leagues wide, and it is, at leaft, eight Leagues deep : 
It grows narrower the further you go into it j however, 
large Ships may go into it about fix Leagues, and .find 
there good Anchorage under Cover of the Hills. 
Befides the Ifland of Scatari, there are many other 
fmall ones, and Rocks, which the Sea never covers, but 
may be difcovered a great Way off. The largeft of the 
Rocks is called the Forillon \ the Bay of Morienne is 
higher up, feparated from the Bay of Mire., by the Cape 
Brule and a little higher is rife Plate., or V If e a Pierre 
de Fufl., diredly in the Longitude of 46 Degrees 8 Mi- 
nutes. There is, between all thefe Iflands and Rocks, 
very good Shelter, and you may go amongft them, and 
near them, without Fear or Danger. From hence pro- 
ceeding for about three Leagues to the North-weft, you 
find a very good Harbour, which is called ! Indiane^ 
but is fit only for fmall Veffels ; from thence to the Bay 
des Efpagnols there are two Leagues. This Bay is a 
very fine Harbour •, its Entrance is but about one thou- 
fand Paces wide, but it grows wider, and at the Height 
of a League divides itfelf into two Branches, which may 
be failed up for two Leagues •, both thefe Branches are 
excellent Ports, which might be made better at a very 
fmall Expence. From this Bay, to the leffer Entrance 
of Labrador., is a Gulph about twenty Leagues long, and 
is above three or four wide in its greateft Breadth. It is 
counted a League and a half from the large Entrance 
of Labrador to Port Dauphin., or St. Anne., and you 
may come to an Anchor almoft any where amongft the 
Iflands of Cibou •, a Neck of Land almoft entirely covers 
the Port, and leaves Room for no more than for one 
Ship at a Time to go in. The Port Dauphin is about 
two Leagues in Circumference, and Ships hardly feel 
the Wind there, by reafon of the Height of the Moun- 
tains which furround it. They may come as near the 
Shore as they pleafe. All the Harbours and Ports being 
fo near each other, it would be very eafy to make 
Roads by Land from one to the other ; and nothing 
could be more advantageous to the Inhabitants, than 
thefe Communications, which would fave them the 
Trouble in the Winter Seafon of going fo far about by 
Sea. 
This is the Defeription given of this Ifland in general, 
by the above-mentioned Jefuit, who has been a long 
time there, pretends to be very exad in his Enquiries, 
and publiffied his Hiftory a very little while before this 
important Ifland was conquered by the Englifh Nation : 
He afterwards proceeds to deferibe more particularly 
fome of the above Ports, fuch as that of Louifburgh., 
and that of St. Anne or Port Dauphin. 
After the Ceflion of Placentia and Acadia to the Crown 
of England, it is certain, the French had no other Place 
where they could dry their Fifli, or even fiffi in Safety, 
but the Ifland of Cape Breton they were therefore drove 
by Neceffity to fettle an Eftablifhment there, and to for- 
tify it. They began by changing its Name, and called it the- 
Royal I 
