The precursors of Jacques Cartier, 1497-1534: A collection of documents relating to the early history of the Dominion of Canada

by

“Setting sail from Corunna on 3 August, 1524,6 Gomez reached Newfoundland probably in September, but having been forbidden to enter any territory in possession of the king of Portugal,7 appears to have sailed westward to Cape Breton island, which he coasted towards the south. Our Bras d’Or, on account of its double entrance was christened the river with two mouths.’8 Being ignorant of the fact that Canso Gut was a passage between Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, Gomez gave to Chedabucto bay, leading to this Gut, the name of the ‘bay with the Cove.’9 Continuing his exploration southwards he named two openings on the coast of Nova Scotia which appear to have been our Ship and Halifax harbours, Chestnut-grove river1 and the river of Mountains.2“

  1. P. Martyr, Opus epistolarum, fol. CXCIII*. Letter No. DCCCIIII. Compluti, 1530 ; Oviedo, De la natural hystoria de las Indias, fol. XIVT. Toledo, 1526; and Medina, op. cit., 93.
  2. Doc. XLIVA., p. 148.
  3. Bio de Dos Bocas, in Oviedo, Historia general y natural de las Indias, II., 148. Madrid, 1852.
  4. Bahia de la Ensenada which Oviedo (Historia general, etc., II., 148) states was ten leagues wide. Chedabucto bay is 17 miles in width.
  1. Bio de Castanar in Oviedo, loc. cit. The name is also given on the Ferdinand Columbus map.
  2. Bio de Montanas in Oviedo, loc. cit. The name is also given on the Eibero map.

Biggar, Henry Percival. “The precursors of Jacques Cartier, 1497-1534 : a collection of documents relating to the early history of the Dominion of Canada”, 1911. https://archive.org/details/precursorsofjacq00bigguoft

Related posts:

  1. Legislative history regarding treaties of commerce with France, Spain relating to New Foundland, Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton Harvard Law School Library. “Description Legislative history regarding treaties of commerce with France, Spain relating to New Foundland, Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton,” ca. 1715? Small Manuscript Collection, Harvard Law School Library. https://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HLS.LIBR:19686447, Accessed 07 June 2021...
  2. Map of Nova Scotia, or Acadia, with the islands of Cape Breton and St. John’s An early road map, showing Dartmouth near the bottom of Old Ferry Road, and the road to Lawrencetown. “Map of Nova Scotia, or Acadia, with the islands of Cape Breton and St. John’s”, Caldwall, James. 1768. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b53209890m...
  3. History of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, the Sable Islands, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Bermudas, Newfoundland, &c., &c. “The territorial distribution of the Nova Scotia government is – 1. Eastern division, 2. Middle; 3. Western; 4. Halifax; 5. Cape Breton; there are ten counties, some of which are again subdivided into districts and townships for the more convenient...
  4. The slave in Canada (1899) “The total number of [black] slaves brought into Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island from the revolted colonies previous to the summer of 1784 may be estimated with some approach to certainty. Under instructions from Sir Guy Carleton,...
  5. “A new map of Nova Scotia, and Cape Britain: With the adjacent parts of New England and Canada” “Bay of Fundy or Argal”, “Gulf of Nova Scotia”, “Cape Britain” “A new map of Nova Scotia, and Cape Britain: With the adjacent parts of New England and Canada, composed from a great number of actual surveys” Jefferys, Thomas. [London]...
  6. Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations; relating to the French inhabitants at Nova Scotia Letter from Lord Townshend &c. about the French inhabitants there. Colonel Vetch summon’d. Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend, of the 15th instant [fo. 346], with a copy of one from Monsieur de Ponchartrain to Monsieur D’Iberville, relating to the...
  7. “The general cession of Nova Scotia” 220. Mr. Delafaye to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I have laid before the Lords Justices your representation of the proper measures to be taken for the security of Carolina and Nova Scotia. Their Excys. judging that care should...
  8. “New Scot Lande” Argals Bay, now the Bay of Fundy, must be a reference to Samuel Argall. Interesting that “The province of Alexandria” as well as “The Province of Caledonia” seem to align with the general jurisdictions of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia...
  9. To John Adams from Horatio Gates, 23 April 1776 “Here we are surrounded by Crowds of Tories, and I wish our Army may be free of those Vermine, I hold a Cautious Eye, and as Shakespear says will try, to Delve a Yard below their Mines, and Blow them...
  10. Plan of Treaties as Adopted (with Instructions), 17 September 1776 “Art. IX. The most Christian King shall never invade, nor under any pretence attempt to possess himself of Labradore, New Britain, Nova Scotia, Acadia, Canada, Florida nor any of the countries, cities or towns on the Continent of North America...