Les voyages aventureux du Capitaine Martin de Hoyarsal, habitant du çubiburu
Encyclopedia
Les voyages aventureux du Capitaine Martin de Hoyarsal, habitant du çubiburu was a reference book for sailors known as a "navigational pilot", written by Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...

 seaman Martin de Hoyarçabal
Martin de Hoyarçabal
Martin de Hoyarçabal was a French Basque mariner. Little is generally known about his life. He was born in Ciboure, in the Iparralde, the French Basque Country. He is recognized for publishing one of the first Newfoundland pilots, a book which describes places and distances to aid sailors in...

 in 1579.

The Basque names Micquetõ and Micquelle appeared in Hoyarçabal's navigational pilot, which are said to be the first appearance of the name of the island of Miquelon
Miquelon
Miquelon may refer to*Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a territorial collectivity of France**Miquelon-Langlade, the less populous of two communes which are part of Saint Pierre and Miquelon***Miquelon, Miquelon-Langlade, the capital thereof...

 in print.

The pilot is the only known extant work by Hoyarçabal. As a reference work, the navigational pilot was invaluable for ships traveling in the Newfoundland area. The following is an example taken from Hoyarçabal's work; in this text, Hoyarçabal is giving distances between several places in Newfoundland:
  • Gisent cap de S.Marie & Plaisence
    Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador
    Placentia is a town on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland and Labrador, consisting of the amalgamated communities of Jerseyside, Townside, Freshwater, Dunville and Argentia...

     nort nordest & su surroest, ya 9. l. Ite tu fois sçavoir que quand tu iras du cap de S. Marie, en ceste routte de nort nordest, tu trouueras vne poincte longue que se nomme Amigaiz dela à Plaisence ya 4 lieuës, & du cap de S. Marie 5 lieuës, apres que tu auras passé ledict Amigaiz, tu trouueras Plaisence.

  • With Cape S. Marie & Plaisence lying north northeast & south southeast, go 9 l[eagues]. Further, you should know that when you will go from Cape S. Marie, along this route of north northwest, you will find a long point which is named Amigaiz, from which to Plaisence go 4 leagues, & from Cape S. Marie 5 leagues, after which you will have passed the aforementioned Amigaiz, you will find Plaisence.


In 1677, Pierre Detcheverry translated the Navigational Pilot into Labourdin Basque
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...

. The following is the corresponding passage, demonstrating the looseness of the translation into Basque:
  • Halaber Iaquinbeharduçu Ioatençarenean arrutahortan causitucoduçula puntabat ceñary baitaritça punta Mehea eta handican placençarat dire, 5. lecoa handy eta punta mehitican bururat, 4. l. noizere iragaten baituçu punta mehea handic lehenbicico baian içanenda placença istriborreco aldearequin.

  • Likewise you have to know when you go that route that you will find a point which is called Point Mehea and from there to Placença there are 5 leagues, from there and from Point Mehea to the cape 4 l[eagues]. When you pass point Mehea, in the first bay from there, Placença will be at the starboard side.
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