[61] (p. [207]).—See notes [32], [33], ante. Brazilian bean; the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, indigenous to America. Called "Brazilian bean," because it resembled a bean then known in France by that name.—Champlain's Voyages (Prince Soc.), vol. ii., p. 64, note.
[62] (p. [207]).—Breton. This name (spelled also Bretton, Briton, Brittayne, etc.), was given, at an early date, to the most eastern point of Cape Breton Island, "first seen by some French sailors, who named it either after Bretagne, or from Cape Breton, a town in the election of Landes, in Gascony."—Bourinot (Canad. Mo., vol. vii., p. 292). Cf. Margry's Navigations Françaises (Paris, 1867), p. 113. It appears on Verrazano's map (1529). See also Laverdière's Champlain, p. 155; and on same page is a quotation from Thévet's Gr. Insul. (1556) which mentions "the cape or promontory of Lorraine, so named by us; others have given it the name of Cape of the Bretons," etc. The island itself was known, during the 16th century, as Isle du Cap Breton, or Isle des Bretons; Champlain, in Voyages (Prince Soc.), vol. i., p. 280, calls it St. Lawrence; the French named it Isle Royale, upon its cession to them by the treaty of Utrecht (1713); its old name, Cape Breton Island, was resumed in 1758, after the capture of Louisbourg by the English. On Gastaldo's map (1548), the name Breton is applied both to this island and to Nova Scotia. See Dionne's note on Cape Breton (Nouv. France, pp. 283-286).
On La Hève, see vol. i., note [42]. Champlain's chart of the harbor of La Heve is given in Laverdière's Champlain, p. 156.
Mouton, probably at Port Mouton; so named, according to Lescarbot, because a drowned sheep came ashore there.—Nouv. France, p. 449.
Sable, the most southern point of Nova Scotia, on Cape Sable Island. Champlain says: "The next day we went to Cape Sable, also very dangerous, on account of certain rocks and reefs extending almost a league into the sea."—Voyages (Prince Soc.), vol. ii., p. 13.
St. Louis, thus named by De Monts; but now known as Brant Point; two leagues from Plymouth Harbor, in Massachusetts.
Blanc, so named by Champlain, from its white sands; three years earlier, named Cape Cod, by Gosnold, from the multitude of codfish in its vicinity. It is shown on Juan de la Cosa's map (1500); but without name; on Ribero's (1529), as C. de arenas; on Vallard's (1543), as C. de Croix.
[63] (p. [207]). On Campseau, see vol. i., note [40].
Sesambre, "an island thus named by some Mallouins, distant 15 leagues from La Héve," says Champlain. Laverdière thus explains the name: "In remembrance of a small island of that name which lies in front of St. Malo. Sésambre became S. Sambre; and the English sailors, who are not greatly devoted to the saints, have called it simply Sambro" (its present name). A cape and harbor near the island bear the same name. Sesambre appears on De Laet's map (1633), as Sesambre; on Bellin's (1744), as Sincembre; but in his Petit Atlas Maritime (1764), also on Chabert's map (1746), as St. Cendre. In Champlain's Voyages (Prince Soc.), vol. ii.; p. 151. note 263, the island at St. Malo is called Cézembre.
Beaubassin, the present Chignecto Bay; the northern arm at the head of the Bay of Fundy. Blaeu's map (1620), and De Laet's (1633), show it as B. des Gennes; Bellin's (1744), as Chignitou or Beaubassin.