(Vol. vii., p. 380.)
The derivation given in the "cutting from an old newspaper," contributed by
MR. BREEN, seems little better than that of Dr. Douglas, who derives the
name from a _M. Cane_, to whom he attributes the honour of being the
discoverer of the St. Lawrence.
In the first place, the "cutting" is not correct, in so far as Gaspar
Cortereal never ascended the river, having merely entered the gulf, to
which the name of St. Lawrence was afterwards given by Jacques Carter.
Neither was the main object of the expedition the discovery of a passage
into the Indian Sea, but the discovery of gold; and it was the
disappointment of the adventurers in not finding the precious metal which
is supposed to have caused them to exclaim "Aca nada!" (Nothing here).
The author of the _Conquest of Canada_, in the first chapter of that
valuable work, says that "an ancient Castilian tradition existed, that the
Spaniards visited these coasts before the French,"--to which tradition
probably this supposititious derivation owes its origin.
Hennepin, who likewise assigns to the Spaniards priority of discovery,
asserts that they called the land _El Capo di Nada_ (Cape Nothing) for the
same reason.
But the derivation given by Charlevoix, in his _Nouvelle France_, should
set all doubt upon the point at rest; _Cannáda_ signifying, in the Iroquois
language, a number of huts (_un amas de cabanes_), or a village. The name
came to be applied to the whole country in this manner:--The natives being
asked what they called the first settlement at which Cartier and his
companions arrived, answered, "Cannáda;" not meaning the particular
appellation of the place, which was Stadacóna (the modern Quebec), but
simply a village. In like manner, they applied the same word to Hochelága
(Montreal) and to other places; whence the Europeans, hearing every
locality designated by the same term, _Cannáda_, very naturally applied it
to the entire valley of the St. Lawrence. It may not here be out of place
to notice, that with respect to the derivation of _Quebec_, the weight of
evidence {505} would likewise seem to be favourable to an aboriginal
source, as Champlain speaks of "la pointe de Québec, ainsi appellée des
sauvages;" not satisfied with which, some writers assert that the far-famed
city was named after Candebec, a town on the Seine; while others say that
the Norman navigators, on perceiving the lofty headland, exclaimed "Quel
bec!" of which they believe the present name to be a corruption. Dissenting
from all other authorities upon the subject, Mr. Hawkins, the editor of a
local guide-book called _The Picture of Quebec_, traces the name to an
European source, which he considers to be conclusive, owing to the
existence of a seal bearing date 7 Henry V. (1420), and on which the Earl
of Suffolk is styled "Domine de Hamburg et de Québec."