Next Day We
Came To Seven High Round Islands, Which We Named The Seven Isles,
Which Stretch 3 Or 4 Leagues Out To Sea, And Are 40 Leagues From The
Southern Shore Of The Gulf.
Over against these, the northern shore
consists of good low grounds full of fine trees, having various
sand-banks
Almost dry at low water, and reaching two leagues from shore.
At the farther extremity of these low lands, which, continue for ten
leagues, there is a river of fresh water which runs with such rapidity
into the sea that the water is quite fresh a league from its mouth.
Entering this river with our boats, we had about a fathom and half water
at its mouth. In this river we found many fishes resembling horses,
which our savages told us lay all day in the water and went on shore at
night. We set sail at day-break of the 21st, continuing our progress
along the northern coast of the gulf which we traced the whole of that
day to the north-east, and then stood over to the Island of
Assumption[42], being assured that no passage was to be found in that
direction. Returning to the harbour at the Seven Islands, which has 9 or
10 fathoms water, we were detained there by mists and contrary winds
till the 24th, when we stood over to the southern coast, and came to a
harbour about 80 leagues from these islands. This harbour is over
against three flat islands in the middle of the river, between which
islands and the harbour there is a very great river which runs between
high and low lands. For more than three leagues out to sea there are
many dangerous shelves, leaving not quite two fathoms water, so that the
entrance is very dangerous; yet near these shelves the water is from 15
to 20 fathoms deep from shore to shore. All the northern[43] coast
runs from N.E. and by N. to S.W. and by S. This haven is but of small
value, as it is only formed by the tide of flood, and is inaccessible at
low water. We named the three small flat islets St Johns Isles,
because we discovered them on the day of St John the Baptists
decapitation. Before coming to this haven, there is an island about 5
leagues to the eastward, between which and the land there is no passage
except for small boats. The best station for ships in this harbour is to
the south of a little island and almost close to its shore. The tide
here flows at least two fathoms, but ships have to lie aground at low
water.
[Footnote 42: The island here called Assumption, certainly is that now
called Anticosti, a term formed or corrupted from the native name
Natiscotec. - E.]
[Footnote 43: It is probable that we should here read the southern
coast. - E.]
Leaving this harbour on the 1st of September, we proposed sailing for
Canada; and at about 15 leagues W.S.W. we came to three islands, over
against which is a deep and rapid river, which our two savages told as
leads to the country and kingdom of Saguenay[44]. This river runs
between very high and steep hills of bare rock, with very little soil;
yet great numbers of trees grow among these rocks, as luxuriantly as if
upon level and fertile land, insomuch that some of them would make masts
for vessels of 30 tons.
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