these coasts lying between 41° and 41° 30' north". As a matter of fact,
his careful explorations certainly covered all the territory between 40
and 45 degrees.

The Spanish navigators who followed Gomez, in describing these coasts,
when indicating this gulf, usually named it in honor of Gomez, the first
of their nation to make a careful survey of its shores. Thus it became
known as the Arcipelago de Estevan Gomez, and the mainland behind it as
La Tierra de Gomez. It was so named on the map of Ribero in 1529 who
thus acknowledged the source of his information.

The Biscayans followed Gomez but later gave way to the French fishermen,
who followed down the chain of banks extending southward from the Grand
Bank and entered these waters by way of Cape Sable. These gave to it the
name Gulf of Norumbega or Sea of Norumbega. The name Norumbega was for a
time applied to the coast lands and to the inland country stretching
away indefinitely westward and northwestward from the waters of the
gulf.

Later, with the coming of the English and the establishment of their
colony in Massachusetts, the title Massachusetts Bay came into general
use, although this name was afterwards restricted to the smaller section
of the gulf at present so termed.

The charter of Gorges (in April, 1639) designated the territory deeded
to him as the Province or County of Maine,[4] whence, perhaps, the
modern custom of referring to these waters as the Gulf of Maine may have
arisen. This latest name seems especially appropriate, in view of the
fact that the present State of Maine lying directly opposite its
entrance capes, stretches along the inner borders of the gulf and with