ds stretch East, and West, and a
quarter of the South. Our wild men told vs that there was the beginning of
Saguenay, and that it was land inhabited, and that thence commeth the red
Copper, of them named Caignetdaze. There is betweene the Southerly lands,
and the Northerly about thirty leagues distance, and more then two
hundreth fadome depth. (M116) The sayd men did moreouer certifie vnto vs,
that there was the way and beginning of the great riuer of Hochelaga and
ready way to Canada, which riuer the further it went the narrower it came,
euen vnto Canada, and that then there was fresh water, which went so farre
vpwards, that they had neuer heard of any man who had gone to the head of
it, and that there is no other passage but with small boates. Our Captaine
hearing their talke, and how they did affirme no other passage to be
there, would not at that time proceede any further, till he had seene and
noted the other lands, and coast toward the North, which he had omitted to
see from S. Laurence his gulfe, because he would know, if between the
lands toward the North any passage anight be discouered.

Chap. 2. How our Captaine caused the ships to returne backe againe, only
to know if in Saint Laurence gulfe there were any passage toward the
North.

Vpon the 18 of August being Wednesday, our Captaine caused his shippes to
wind backe, and bend toward the other shore, so that we trended the said
Northerly cost, which runneth Northeast and Southwest, being fashioned
like vnto halfe a bowe, and is a very high land, but yet not so high as
that on the South parts. The Thursday following we came to seuen very high
Islands, which we named The round Islands. These Islands are distant from
the South shore about 40 leagues, and stretch out into the sea about 3 or
4 leagues. Against these there are goodly low grounds to be seene full of
goodly trees, which we the Friday following, with our boats compassed
about. Ouerthwart these lands there are diuers sandy shelues more then two
leagues into the sea, very dangerous, which at a low water remaine almost
dry. At the furthest bounds of these lowe lands, that containe about ten
leagues, there is a riuer of fresh water, that with such swiftnesse
runneth into the sea, that for the space of one league within it the water
is as fresh as any fountaine water. We with our boates entred in the sayd
riuer, at the entrance of which we found about one fadome and a halfe of
water. There are in thi