Partie de la Nouvelle France…

Description

This important map of Canada by the French cartographer Jaillot, published in the midst of King William’s War, the first in a series of colonial wars fought between New France and New England and respective allies. It focuses on French possessions, and identifies the Hudson’s Bay Company forts taken by the French — Fort Nelson, Moose River, Rupert House, and Albany Fort.

Kershaw writes that the map “offers the first printed information, however tenuous, on the geography of the region to the north and west of Lake Superior, relating in fact to present day Lake Winnipeg.” He points out that Jaillot has used the correct English version for the shape of Hudson Bay, and plots Port Nelson in roughly the correct location.

Furthermore, Jaillot “shows two large but unnamed lakes towards the source of the Nelson River which can be interpreted as Lake Winnipeg, and he gives a creditable version of Lake Nipigon … The river to the south of Port Nelson is the first indication of the Hayes River system, and the relationship between the Ottawa River and Lakes Nipissing, Timiskaming and Abitibi is clarified for the first time.

Similarly, the canoe route via the Saguenay River, Lac St. Jean and Lac Timagaming to James Bay is shown clearly on a printed map for the first time” (Kershaw, p. 158).

This is the second state of the map, with the 1685 date altered to 1695 in the scale of miles cartouche.