of them even went away. One of the canoes however,
ventured to approach within hail, when one of our
savages spoke to the people, telling his name, on which
they came to us. Next day, leaving that river
we proceeded on for Canada; and in consequence of
the rapidity of the tide, we found the navigation
very dangerous; more especially as to the southward
of that river there are two islands, around which
for above three leagues there are many rocks and great
stones, and only two fathoms water. Besides the
direction of the tide among these islands and rocks
is very uncertain and changeable; so that if it had
not been for our boats, we had been in great danger
of losing our pinnace. In coasting along, we found
above 30 fathoms water just off shore, except among
these rocks and islands. About 5 leagues beyond
the river Saguenay, to the S.W. there is another island
on the north side containing high land, where we proposed
to have come to anchor in waiting for the next tide
of flood, but we had no ground with a line of 120
fathom only an arrow-shot from shore; so that we were
obliged to return to that island, where we had 35 fathoms.
We set sail again next morning to proceed onwards;
and this day we got notice of a strange kind of fish
which had never been seen before, which are called
Adhothuys by the natives. They are about
the bigness of a porpoise, but no way like them, having
well proportioned bodies and heads like a greyhound,
their whole bodies being entirely white without spot.
There are great numbers of them in this river, and
they always keep in the water, the natives saying
that they are very savoury and good eating, and are
nowhere else to be found but in the mouth of this
river. On the 6th of September we proceeded about
15 leagues farther up the river, where we found an
island having a small haven towards the north, around
which there were innumerable large tortoises.
There are here likewise vast numbers of the fish
called Adhothuys, already mentioned; and the
rapidity of the tide at this place is as great as it
is at Bourdeaux in France. This island is about
three leagues long and two broad, all of rich fertile
soil, having many fine trees of various kinds; among
which were many filbert trees, full of nuts, which
we found to be larger and better than ours but somewhat
harder, on which account we named it Isle aux Condres,
or Filbert Island.
[Footnote 44: The Saguenay river runs into the north-west side of the St Lawrence, in lat. 48 deg. 7’ N. long. 69 deg. 9’ W.—E.]
On the 7th of the month we went seven or eight leagues up the river from Filbert Island to 14 other islands, where the country of Canada begins. One of these islands is ten leagues long and five broad, thickly inhabited by natives who live entirely by fishing in the river[45]. Having cast anchor between this island and the northern coast, we went on shore accompanied by our two savages, whose names were Taignoagny and