The Lovers of The Isle of Demons

In 1555, Thevet sailed the entire coast of North and South America as far north as Bacalaos or Codfish Land, as Newfoundland then was called. Upon his return, in 1558, he published in Antwerp an account of his travels, stating that he had set foot on “Isola des Demonias”, and that he had seen how malicious the demons were. He warded them off by repeating the Gospel of Saint John.

This “Isle of Demons” could well be Quirpon Island, located in the icy strait between Labrador and Newfoundland, where French sailors would not go ashore without crucifixes in their hands, because the island was inhabited by devils.

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The Expeditions of Cartier and Roberval

Much of what Thevet wrote was condemned later by historians as showing “excessive credulity” and “suffering from his mendacity”, but he was not the first to claim he had visited an Isle of Demons. In 1540, Jacques Cartier received a royal commission from the French king for his third voyage to Canada. He was given fifty prisoners suitable to serve in the expedition, because sufficient people to travel to New France could be recruited only by beating, bribing or dragging those who had no choice.

Shortly afterwards, Jean-François de La Roque, Sieur de Roberval, would sail with Cartier “for conquest of these lands and to make settlements in the said country”. He would be the real captain of the enterprise and he also would receive complete command over the lands. Roberval however lacked artillery, ammunition and other supplies, and he was unable to accompany Cartier. In 1541, the expedition of five ships filled with mariners, convicted criminals of both sexes, horses and cattle and poultry – and only 25 “persons of quality” – departed without Roberval.

The following year, well armed and provisioned, Roberval sailed out with his own fleet of three ships and 200 colonists. The two parts of the expedition met in the harbor at St. John’s, Newfoundland. Cartier tried to convince Roberval of the uselessness of an attempt at colonisation. He wanted to return to France. But Roberval was determined to continue as planned and set sail toward the St. Lawrence.