The THOMAS COLES COLLECTION
TWILLINGATE - 1764


From The National Maritime Museum:

[TC Note] A letter from George Davis, Merchant of Newfoundland & Poole, to Capt James Cook 
	  14 March 1764. (Capt Cook was at this time employed as Hydrographer on the 
	  Newfoundland coast and working closely with Lord Egmont concerning The French Shore
	  Question. Cook's Newfoundland charts and manuscripts are available at The 
	  Hydrographic Department, Taunton,). Cook had a brass telescopic quadrant made for 
	  him by John Bird, West Country trader to Fogo and Labrador.

Poole 14 March 1764

Sir,

When I last had the pleasure to see you I promised at my arrival here to make inquiry and 
inform you when Twillingate and Fogo was settled by the English, I did not get here till the
10th having taken a Tour in my way home and made it my business to find Mr. Thos. Fizzard 
(Tizzard?) who was the first person that ever drove a nail at Twillingate or settled there of
an Englishman which was in the year 1732 he tells me that Fogo was settled 3 or 4 years sooner
and that he have known that part of Newfoundland for 40 years and that he never knew a French
boat or ship to the southward of Cape John which is 14 leagues NNW from Twillingate and the 
nearest place that he ever knew a French boat kept was at a harbour two leagues North of Cape
John called Sruse - Bonavista was settled as early as any part of the land and never any 
Frenchman yet sighted there - Mrs, Fizzard was born at Bonavista whose uncle Mr. John Walcome
was the first man child born there who was 80 years old when he d!yed and has been dead 
upwards of 30 years - in Queen Anns Warr when the French had Placentia in the winter season 
a party of French came over land but was beat off by the Inhabitants of Bonavista - I think 
this is sufficient proof that the French have not occupied any part of the Land from Cape 
Bonavista to Cape John for 40 years past - I wrote Mr. Anth Merry to the same purpose of the
above the 10th and desired him to relate the whole to you if you called, and if you have any
further inquiry to make relative to the land or else if you please to lay you(r) commands and
they shall intelligently be answered being one who has the good of his Country at heart.

Sr.
Your most Humbl Sert.
Geo Davis

To
Mr. James Cook

MORE NFLD
HOME PAGE
MAIN MENU


This page hosted by � Get your own Free Home Page

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1