them from the tube-emptying of amateurish destroyers and layers-on of heavy colouring, bequeathing to posterity a few of the redeeming features of those whom modern civilization, with dogmatic assurance, placed in the general category of feudal savages. Canadians are in no respect deficient in national spirit; what they have accomplished is in evidence. As with other young communities, common-sense, perhaps, convinced them that they could not live upon scenery alone, nor expend all their strength and industry in erecting marble columns. They were aware that vast sums had been devoted to the discovery of a channel between the eastern and western coast a passage from Europe to Asia-in seas coterminous with the Dominion. They were aware that from Viking days, until Behring perished on a lonely isle in the Straits commemorating his name, the grim probability of failure haunted each navigator. They had read of those who sailed across the Polar Sea, when Phipps, with Horatio Nelson as " Middy," experienced the frigid reception vouchsafed those who ventured into latitude 80° 37′′; later, they mourned the fate of Franklin, and gloried over the exploits of others who undertook to pierce impenetrable ice-fields. In more recent times they promoted the great overland expedition, by which the true highway to Asia, through British Territory, was established. So when, on the 7th of November, 1885, at Craigellachie, in the Eagle pass of the Rocky Mountains, Sir Donald Smith, a leading director of the Canadian Pacific Railway, drove the spike destined to tap the commerce of Cathay, no wonder that cheers, mighty cheers, went up! The North-west passage to Asia had become a reality; not altogether over oceans, but by a speedier method of transport and a splendid triumph of engineering skill. As the last ring of the hammer reechoed through the mountains, every

Province had, indeed, perhaps unwittingly, united in perpetuating the name and fame of Cabot, Mackenzie, Frazer, and Thompson.

There is more to be done now that the clouds are rolling away, lethargic indifference disappearing before a suddenly awakened sense of national duty. Let a mighty shaft, erected on the rugged cliffs of Cape Breton, proclaim that not alone the Royal Society of Canada, but every subject of Her Majesty throughout the Dominion, be he English, French or German, appreciates the splendid heritage bequeathed by the Bristol explorer. This being accomplished, what of Alexander Mackenzie? What of Simon Fraser ? What of David Thompson? Have we no Canadian artists? Have we no Canadian sentiment ? We have both-each awaiting the appeal. To begin with, no more appropriate painting could be suggested than Sir Alexander Mackenzie, after a marvellous overland journey, completed on the 22nd of July, 1793, stamping the impress of his personality and the sovereignty of his country upon the coast of what is now British Columbia. True, the mountains will forever be monuments commemorative of heroes like Mackenzie, Fraser and Thompson; the cloud-capped peaks proclaim their prowess; the rushing waters sound peans of praise; for wherever mighty Nature, asserting herself,

much has been written during the past two years on the subject of the approaching four hundredth anniversary of the landing of John Cabot upon the shores of America-or, as some term it, of the discovery of Canada-and such unanimity of sentiment displayed in regard to the propriety of fitly commemorating that event, that the few observations here submitted may seem to savour of presumption on the part of the present writer. Yet it can scarcely be doubt ed that large and important questions, such as are involved in the consideration of the Cabot voyages, may be examined from more than one point of view, with advantage to all those animated by a genuine love of historic research. The discussion which has already taken place upon this subject furnishes an illustration of this. In the light of friendly criticism, the more extreme pretensions of the original promoters of the celebration have been quietly abandoned, and those of less extravagant character re-stated with comparative moderation.

Before going farther, it may be well to direct attention to the original presentation of this subject.

The generally received opinion among Canadians, for which, no doubt, our school histories and guide-books are largely responsible, is that John Cabot, sailing under a commission from Henry VII., landed somewhere in the vicinity of the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the 24th June, 1497, and took possession of the whole country in the name of the King of England. On the same day he discovered Prince Edward Island, which he named the Isle of St. John, being moved thereto by the fact that the 24th June is the Festival of St. John the Baptist. In

an article entitled, "The Fourth Century of Canadian History," published in the CANADIAN MAGAZINE for January, 1895, Mr. O. A. Howland, M.P.P., adopts this, which may be termed the popular view, and elaborates it with great vigour and precision. There is no doubt in his mind as to the leading facts, nor as to the profound importance and far-reaching consequences of the event.

"It was," he writes, "a circumstance of no small importance, not merely as a matter of dry historical record, but as pregnant with the course of future events, that on that 24th June, 1497, John Cabot took possession of the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the English King, and set flying the Red Cross of St. George from the headland of Cape Breton. St. John's day, June 24th, 1497, the date of Cabot's discovery, may fairly be taken as the true beginning of the history of

Canada."

In the course of the same article he

boldly proclaims John Cabot "the discoverer of Canada.”

Mr. Howland, who certainly does not lack the courage of his convictions, subsequently embodied these views in a Bill, having for its object the incorporation of the Canadian Historical Exhibition, which he himself introduced into the Ontario Legislature. The opening lines of the preamble of this Bill, as originally drafted, read as follows:

"WHEREAS the twenty-fourth day of June, 1897, will be the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of Canada by the landing of John and Šebastian Cabot upon the shore of Cape Breton.-"

Lord Melbourne is said to have expressed the wish that he could be half as sure of anything as "Tom" Macau

stance that he reckoned by the Julian Calendar, this statement is indisputably correct; but the date of his landing is not absolutely free from doubt. Harrisse, Dawson, Bourinot and other writers agree in fixing it at 1497, which there are many reasons for believing to be the correct date; but, on the other hand, Tarducci and D'Avezac, both high authorities, affirm that the year was not 1497, but 1494, and in support of their contention appeal to what is commonly called the map of Sebastian Cabot, whereon the date accompanying the legend prima tierra vista is plainly written, both in Roman numerals and Arabic figures, 1494. Moreover, Mr. Harrisse, while accepting the year 1497, is of opinion that the landfall took place earlier in the season than the 24th June.

"of the discovery of Canada—”

This expression, as applied to any act of John Cabot, is simply a misnomer. Admitting every other statement in the Bill to be true, it is not pretended that Cabot entered the estuary of the St. Lawrence at all, and, consequently, could not have discovered Canada unless he travelled overland. In 1497 Cape Breton was in nowise a part of what throughout the succeeding centuries was known as Canada. It did not become so for 370 years thereafter, and to speak of the man who first landed on the shores of Cape Breton as having thereby discovered Canada betrays an inexactness of thought which it is not easy to parallel, even by way of illustration. Let us suppose, however, that the West Indies were some day to become united with this country, a remote, though-in view of the fact that only a few years ago negotiations were mooted looking to the incorporation of Jamaica with the Dominion -a not wholly impossible contingency. In that event, according to this Bill, Cabot would have to be taken down from his pinnacle; for by parity of reasoning, Columbus, and not he,

would then be the discoverer of Canada.

"by the landing of John and Sebastian Cabot-"

There is no documentary proof and, consequently, no certainty that Sebastian Cabot accompanied his father on the first voyage, although it has always been taken for granted that he did. Harrisse, who discusses the point, says the only circumstance which may be cited as bearing thereon goes to show that he did not. Opinions, probably, will differ as to the value of Harrisse's inference; but, be this as it may, the statement admits of argument, and, therefore, should not be postulated in an Act of the Legislature.

upon the shore of Cape Breton." It is greatly to be regretted that Mr. Harrisse was not aware of this forthcoming statutory pronouncement before writing his exhaustive volume of 500 pages on the Cabot voyages, which has recently appeared. In that monument of industry and research Mr. Harrisse is largely occupied with the determination of this vexed question. He examines the subject from every possible point of view, and finally decides that the vicinity of Cape Chidley, at the entrance of Hudson Straits, is the spot he is seeking. There, hundreds of miles from Cape Breton, far up on the Labrador coast, in his opinion, did John Cabot first touch the soil of America.

Judge Prowse, of Newfoundland, too, is equally unlucky. In his history of Newfoundland he re-affirms the position previously taken by him, that Cape Bonavista in Newfoundland marks Cabot's landfall. It is true he does not give any reasons worth mentioning for his belief, but he is none the less positive on that account.

More fortunate than either of the above-named gentlemen is Dr. Samuel Edward Dawson, one of the best authorities upon the dawn of civilization on this continent. Dr. Dawson has re