English Harbour Heritage Society
Contact Us
BillOshea
Website Design and Content © by Eric Krause,
Krause House Info-Research Solutions (© 1996)
All Images © Parks Canada Except
Where Noted Otherwise; Research
© Bill O'Shea
Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg
National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg
Lieu historique national du Canada
Search All Sites/All Menus ~
Cherche Tous les Sites/Tous les Menus
THE BILL O'SHEA WEBSITE
LOUISBOURG HISTORICAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT SOCIETIES
English Harbour Heritage Society
Contact
Us
THE ENGLISH PORT
In 1597 Captain Charles Leigh, commanding the Hopewell, sailed into the "English Port". He found three Basque and two French ships. This is the first recorded visit by a European to Louisbourg. The Harbour of Louisbourg is a focal point. Its geological, natural and occupational history, as well as its future direction are of concern to those who live on its shores.
In 1597 the ship Hopewell (Charles Leigh) and the Chancewell ( Stephen van Herwick) of London, visited the coast of Newfoundland, and then went on to Cape Breton. There the Chancewell was pillaged in St. Anns Bay. Charles Leigh followed those felt be responsible along the coast into Cibo, the present-day Sydney, on to New Port which is near Baleine and on to the English port, the name given to what would later become Louisbourg. The account that follows is from Hakluyt quoted in J. G. Bourinot’s (1892).
"The 14 of June we sent out boat on shore in a great bay upon the Isle of Cape Briton for water. The 25 we arriued on the West side of the Isle of Mengo, where we left some caskeno on shore in a sandy bay, but could not tarry for foule whether.
The 26 we cast anker in another bay upon the maine of Cape Briton. The 27 about tenne of the clocke in the morning we met with eight men of the Chancewell our consort in a shallope; who told us that their ship was cast away upon the maine of Cape Briton, within a great bay eighteene leagues within the Cape, and upon a rocke within a mile of the shore, upon the 23 of this moneth about one of the clocke in the afternoone: and that they had cleered their ship from the rocke: but being bilged and full of water, they presently did run her up into a sandy bay, where she was no sooner come on ground, but presently after there came aboord many shallops with store of French men, who robbed and spoiled all they could lay hands on, pillaging the poore men euen to their very shirts, and using them in sauage maner: wheras they should rather as Christians have aided them in that distresse. Which newes when we heard, we blessed God, who by his diuine prouidence and unspeakeable mercy had not onely preserued all the men, but brought us thither so miraculously to ayd and comfort them.
So presently we put into the road where the Chancewell lay: where was also one ship of Sibiburo, whose men that holpe to pillage the Chancewell were runne away into the woods. But the master thereof which had dealt very honestly with our men stayed in his ship, and came aboord of us whom we used well, not taking any thing from him that was his, but onely such things as we coulde finde of our owne. And when we had dispatched our businesse, we gaue him one good cable, one olde cable and an anker, one shallop with mast, sailes, and other furniture, and other things which belonged to the ship. In recompense whereof he gaue us two hogsheads of sider, one barrel of peaze, and 25 score of fish.
The 29, betimes in the morning we departed from that road toward a great Biskaine, some 7 leagues off of 300 tun whose men dealt most doggedly with the Chancewels company. The same night we ankered at the mouth of the harborow, where the Biskaine was. The 30 betimes in the morning we put into the harborow; and approaching nere their stage, we saw it uncovered, and so suspected the ship to be gone: whereupon we sent our pinnesse on shore with a dozen men, who when they came, found great store of fish on shore, but all the men were fled; neigther could they perceiue whether the ship should be gone but as they thought to sea.
This day about twelue of the clocke we tooke a Sauage's boat which our men pursued: but all the Sauages ran away into the woods, and our men brought their boat on boord. The same day in the afternoone we brought our ship to anker in the harborow; and the same day we tooke three hogsheads and a halfe of traine, and some 300 of greene fish. Also in the euening three of the Sauages, whose boat we had, came unto us for their boat; to whom we gaue coats and kniues, and restored them their boate again. The next day being the first of July, the rest of the Sauages came unto us, among whom was their king, whose name was Itarey and their queene to whom also we gave coats and kniues, and other trifles. These Sauages called the harborow Cibo [Sydney]. In this place are the greatest multitude of lobsters that euer we heard of: for we caught at one hawle with a little draw net aboue 140.
The fourth of July in the morning we departed from Cibo. And the fifth we cast anker in a reasonable good harobrow called New Port under an Island some eight leagues from Cibo, and within three leagues from the English port [Louisbourg]. At this place in pursuing certain shallops of a ship of Rochel, one of them came aboord, who told us, that the Biskainer whom we sought was in the English port with two Biskainers more, and two ships of Rochel. Thereupon wee sent one of our men in the Rochellers shallop to parle with the admiral and others of our friends in the English port, requesting them ayd for the recouery of our things, which the other ship called the Santa Maria of S. Vincent ( whereof was Master Johannes de Harte, and Pilot Adame de Lauandote) had robbed from the Chancewell. To which they answered, that if we would come in unto them in peace, they would assist us what they might.
This answere we had the sixth day: and the seuenth in the forenoone we arrived in the English port, and cast anker aloofe from the other ships: which done, I went aboord the Admirall, to desire the performance of his promise: who sent for Johannes de Harte, who was contented to restore most of our things againe: whereupon I went aboord his ship to haue them restored. This day and the eigth I spent in procuring such things as they had robbed; but yet in the end we wanted a great part therof. Then we were briefe with them, and willed them either to restore us the rest of our things which they had, or els we would both inforce them to doe it, and also haue satisfaction for our victuals and merchandises which by their means were lost in the Chancewell.
The ninth in the morning wee prepared our ship to go neere unto them Whereupon their Admirall sent his boat aboord, and desired to speake with me: then I went aboord unto him, and desired to haue our things with peace and quitenesse, preferring to make him and the Masters of the two ships of Rochel our umpire, and what they should aduise I would stand unto. Hereupon he went aboord the other ship to make peace; but they would heare no reason, neither yet condescend to restore any thing els which they had of ours. Then I desired that as I came in peace unto them, they would so set me aboord my ship againe: which they denied to do, but most uniustly detained me and Stephen van Herwicke who was with me. A while after our shallop came with foure men to know how I did, and to fetch me aboord: but so soon as she came to the Admirals ships side, his men entred, and took her away, detaining our men also as prisoners with us.
Then presently all the three Biskainers made toward our ship, which was not carelesse to get the winde of them all;and hauing by the mercy of God obtained the same, she then stayed for them: but when they saw that they had lost their aduantage, they presently turned their course, making as great haste in again as they did out before. Afterwards I attempted twise to goe aboord, but was still enforced backe by the two other Biskainers, who sought our lives so that in the end the Master of the Admirall was inforced to man his great boat to waft us: and yet notwithstanding they bend a piece of great ordinance at us: for we were to passe by them unto our ship: but we rescued our shallop under our Masters great boate; and by that means passed in safety.
The next morning being the tenth of the moneth, we purposed if the wind had serued our turned, to haue made them to repent their euil dealing, and to restore us our own againe, or els to haue sunke their ships if we could. But the winde serued not our turn for that purpose; but carried us to sea: so that the same morning wee tooke our couse toward the bay of S. Laurence in Newfoundland: were wee hoped to finde a Spanish ship, which, as we had intelligence, did fish at that place. . . . the land of Cape Breton we found to be somewhat like the Newfoundland, but rather better. Here toward the West end of it we saw the clouds lie lower than the hills: as we did at Laurence in Newfoundland. The Easterly end of the land of Cape Briton is nothing so high land, as the West. We went on shore upon it in fiue places. 1. At the bay where the Chancewell was cast away: 2. At Cibo: 3. At a little island between Cibo and the New port: 4. At the New port: 5. At Port Ingles, or the English port.
SOURCE
J. G. Bourinot. Historical and Descriptive Account of the Island of Cape Breton and of its memorials of the French Régime: with Bibliographical, Historical, and Critical Notes. Montreal. W. Foster Brown & Co., St. James Street. 1892. pages 137 - 138