376 earn BRETON.

are not so long frozen over as those within the gulf: the difference at the beginning and termination of winter, may be considered at each period from fifteen to twenty days. On the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton, wet weather prevails much more during the year than in Prince Edward Island or Canada. The climate, however, is salubrious; and, While unhealthy subjects are exceedingly rare, instances of longevity from ninety to one hundred years are common.

It has been said that Cape Breton obtained its name from the first discoverers being natives of Brittany; but this is not true, as it was first dis- covered by Cabot, and afterwards by Verazani, who named it Isle du Cap. The name of Cape Breton it received from its most easterly point, which projects into the sea between Louisburg and Scatari, being first so called, and afterwards extended to the whole island. In 1713, it was called by the French, Isle Royale; but it remained unplanted until 1714, when the French of Newfoundland and Acadia made some settlements on it near the shore, where each person built according to his fancy, as he found ground con- venient for drying cod-fish, and for small gardens.

In 1715, Louis XIV., after having been long con- tending With the united powers of Europe, made an ofi'er to Queen Anne of part of the French possessions in North America, in order to detach Great Britain from that formidable alliance; and, by the treaty of Utrechtfit the British became possessed of N ewfound- land, Hudson Bay, and Acadia (Nova Scotia.) In

* Note A.