Going from Point Degrad, and entering the before-mentioned Bay of the Castles, we were rather doubtful of two islands on the right hand, one of which is 3 leagues from Cape Degrad and the other seven.  This last is low and flat, and seemed part of the main land.  I named it St Catherines Island.  Its north-east extremity is of a dry soil, but the ground about a quarter of a league off is very foul, so that it is necessary to go a little round.  This island and the Bay of the Castles trend N.N.E. and S.S.W. 15 leagues distant from each other.  The port of the Castles and Port Gutte, which is in the northern part of the bay, trend E.N.E and W.S.W. distant 12-1/2 leagues.  About two leagues from Port Balance, or about a third part across the bay, the depth of water is 38 fathoms.  From Port Balance to Blanc Sablon, or the White Sands, it is 15 leagues W.S.W. but about 3 leagues from the White Sands to the S.W. there is a rock above water like a boat.  The White Sands is a road-stead quite open to the S. and S.E. but is protected on the S.W. by two islands, one of which we called the Isle of Brest, and the other the Isle of Birds, in which there are vast numbers of Godetz, and crows with red beaks and red legs, which make their nests in holes under ground like rabbits.  Passing a point of land about a league beyond the White Sands, we found a port and passage which we called the Islets, which is a safer place than the White Sands, and where there is excellent fishing.  The distance between the Islets and a port named Brest is about 10 leagues.  The port of Brest is in lat. 51 deg. 55’[30].  Between it and the Islets there are many other islands, and the said port of Brest is among them, being surrounded by them for above three leagues farther.  All these small islands are low, and the other lands may be seen beyond them.  On the 10th of June we went into the port of Brest, to provide ourselves with wood and water; and on St Barnabas Day, after hearing divine service, we went in our boats to the westwards, to examine what harbours there might be in that direction.

[Footnote 30:  If right in the latitude in the text, Cartier seems now to have got upon the coast of Labradore, to the north-west of Newfoundland; yet from the context he rather appears to have been on the north-end of Newfoundland, about Quirpon Harbour, the Sacred Isles, or Pistolet Bay.—­E.]

We passed through among the small islands, which were so numerous that they could not be counted, as they extended about 10 leagues beyond that port.  We rested in one of them all night, where we found vast quantities of duck eggs, and the eggs of other birds which breed there.  We named the whole of this group the Islets.  Next day, having passed beyond all these small isles, we found a good harbour which we named Port St Anthony.  One of two leagues beyond this we found a little river towards the S.W. coast, between two other islands, forming a good harbour.