Sixteenth Century

1520 -- Brest established by the French as a fishing station on the straits of Belle Isle; about this year Portuguese also explored the region of the mouth of the St. Lawrence river.

1524 -- Verrazano, a French explorer, visited the region of the St. Lawrence river and concluded that an immense continent lay to the west.

1534 -- May 10, Cartier, sent by King Frances I of France, arrived off Newfoundland. May 27, Cartier reached the straits of Belle Isle. July 2, Cartier reached and named the Bay of Chaleur.

1535 -- Cartier, on his second voyage, reached and named Assumption island, August 15, and discovered the mouth of the St. Lawrence river. September 1, reached the mouth of the Saguenay river. October 2, reached Hochelaga, near Mont Royale, now Montreal.

1541 -- Cartier made his third voyage to the St. Lawrence river.

1600 -- Pontgrave attempted colonization and failed.

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Volume II

Some of the transcription work was also done by Brendon Baillod, who maintains an excellent guide to Great Lakes Shipwreck Research.