Newfoundland
The large island at the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, whose coasts European ships came to fish. Squanto met Thomas Dermer at the English colony of Cuper's Cove there.
Today: Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Mi'kmaq and the French, and the Sickness among Them
Pierre Biard, Relation de la Nouvelle France (Lyon, 1616), chapter 6, on why the Mi'kmaq were so few · printed 1616 (on what Biard saw and heard in Acadia, 1611–1613)
Ie me suis enquis souuent, combien grand pourroit estre le nombre de ce peuple: I'ay trouué par la Relation des Sauuages mesmes, que dans l'enclos de la grande riuiere, dés les Terres Neufues iusques à Chouacoët, on ne sçauroit trouuer plus de neuf ou dix mill'ames. Regardez la carte, & ie vous en donneray le denombrement. Tous les Souriquoys 3000. ou 3500. Les Eteminquois iusques à Pentegoët 2500. Dés Pentegoët iusques à Kinibequi, & de Kinibequi iusques à Chouacoët 3000. Les Montaguets 1000. Voila enuiron dix mill'ames, & ie crois que c'est pour le plus. Les autres peuples ne nous sõt pas cogneus.
I have often asked how large this people might be. I have learned from the Savages themselves that within the bounds of the great river, from Newfoundland as far as Chouacoët, you could not find more than nine or ten thousand souls. Look at the map, and I will give you the count. All the Souriquois, 3,000 or 3,500. The Etchemins as far as Pentegoët, 2,500. From Pentegoët to Kinibequi, and from Kinibequi to Chouacoët, 3,000. The Montagnais, 1,000. That makes about ten thousand souls, and I believe that is the most there could be. The other peoples are not known to us.
The First Winter and Squanto's Corn
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, on the winter and spring of 1620–1621 (written in the 1630s–1640s) · events of the winter and spring of 1620–1621; written about 1630–1650
He was a native of this place, & scarce any left alive besids him selfe. He was caried away with diverce others by one Hunt, a mr. of a ship, who thought to sell them for slaves in Spaine; but he got away for England, and was entertained by a marchante in London, & imployed to New-found-land & other parts, & lastly brought hither into these parts by one Mr. Dermer, a gentle-man imployed by Sr. Ferdinando Gorges & others, for discovery, & other designes in these parts.
He was a native of this place, and hardly anyone was left alive besides himself. He had been carried away with several others by one Hunt, a ship's master, who meant to sell them as slaves in Spain. But he got away to England, was taken in by a merchant in London, and was employed in Newfoundland and other parts. At last he was brought back here by one Mr. Dermer, a gentleman employed by Sir Ferdinando Gorges and others for exploration and other plans in these parts.