The Savages Came Towards Us In One Of Their Canoes, Bringing Some
Pieces Of Boiled Seals Flesh, Which They Laid Down On Pieces Of Wood,
And Then Retired, Making Signs That They Gave Them To Us.
We sent two
men to them with hatchets, knives, beads, and such wares, with which
they were much pleased; and soon afterwards great numbers of them came
to where we were in canoes, bringing skins and other things, to barter
for our commodities.
There were at least 300 of them collected at this
place, including women and children; some of the women who remained on
the other side of the inlet, were seen up to their knees in the water,
singing and dancing; while other women, who were on the same side with
us, came up to us in a friendly manner, rubbing our arms with their
hands, and then holding up their hands towards heaven, as if in token of
admiration and joy. So much confidence was established on both sides,
that the savages bartered away every thing they possessed, which was
indeed of small value, and left themselves entirely naked. These people
might easily be converted to our religion. They wander about from place
to place, subsisting entirely by fishing, for which they have stated
seasons. The country is warmer even than Spain, and exceedingly
pleasant, being entirely level, and though sandy, it is everywhere
covered with trees. In some places where there are no trees, it is
luxuriantly covered with wild corn or pease. The corn resembles oats,
but with an ear like that of rye; and the pease are small, but as thick
as if the ground had been ploughed and sown. It produces, likewise,
white and red gooseberries, strawberries, blackberries, white and red
roses, and many other sweet-smelling flowers. The whole country is
interspersed with fine grass meadows, and lakes abounding in salmon. In
their language, a hatchet is named cochi and a knife bacon. We named
this fine bay, Baye de Chaleur, or the Warm Bay[34].
[Footnote 34: Chaleur Bay on the north-eastern coast of Nova Scotia is
probably meant; though, from the changes of names, we have not been able
to trace the course of Cartier from the northern extremity of
Newfoundland to this part of the Gulf of St Lawrence. He probably
returned to the south, along the eastern coast of Newfoundland, and then
sailed west, along the south coast of that island into the Gulf of St
Lawrence, probably in search of a passage to the Pacific. - E.]
Having ascertained that there was no passage through this bay, we
set sail from St Martins Creek on Sunday the 12th July, to proceed on
farther discoveries beyond, going eastwards about 18 leagues along the
coast, till we came to Cape Prato, where we found shallow water, with
a great tide and stormy sea, so that we had to draw close in shore,
between that cape and an island about a league to the eastwards, where
we cast anchor for the night.
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