From: The Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples/Basques/Mario
Mimeault  The Basques are one of the oldest peoples of Europe.
Their origins are a puzzle to historians, although it is known
that they stretch far back into time. Sources dating to
classical antiquity attest to the existence of the Basques as a
cultural group. They are a seafaring people who through most of
their history have sought to conquer the oceans. Searching for
fishing banks, they were among the first Europeans to reach the
shores of North America, where many of them settled.