The Wukriows Isle | 3

cate that the Strait of Belle Isle as far west as Brest was already comparatively well known to fishermen and navigators of his day. This is the view of Dr. Dawson who says: “Cartier’s simple and unassuming . narrative convinces every reader that all the country inside, from Esquimaux Bay on the Canadian Labra- dor round to Cape North in Cape Breton, was first explored by him, and all the coast outside of these two points, that is outside the Gulf of St. Lawrence, was well-known before him.”

After exploring the inside of Newfoundland as far south as Cape St. John, Cartier struck westward into the Gulf on the twenty-fifth of June; and reached the Bird Rocks, north of the Magdalen Islands, on the following day. He found these islands as thickly filled with birds, which made their nests there, as a meadow with grass. In the largest of these islands was.a world of those which are called Margaulx (gannets). Hence our modern name Bird Islands or Bird Rocks. Fiye leagues westward he visited an- other island which afforded wood and water, wild fruit and wild flowers, and seemed to be the haunt of the walrus. “Round about this Island are many great beasts, like large oxen, which have two tusks in their jaw like elephants’ tusks, and swim about in the water.” This he named Brion Island, in honor of the

Grand Admiral of France. Mistaking the Magdalen Islands for the mainland he explored-them for two days during which he satisfied himself that he was not in the rich territories of the Grand Khan, and

1 Trans. R.S.C., 1896, Sec. II, p. 27.