He left Ste. Croix on September 5th, in a patache, with twelve sailors and two savages as guides.  On the first day he covered twenty-five leagues and discovered many islands, reefs and rocks.  To another island, four or five leagues in length, he gave the name of Ile des Monts Deserts[6], which name has been preserved.  On the following day Champlain met some hunting Indians of the Etchemin tribe, proceeding from the Pentagouet River to the Mount Desert Islands.  “I think this river,” says Champlain, “is that which several pilots and historians call Norembegue, and which most have described as large and extensive, with very many islands, its mouth being in latitude 43 deg., 43’, 30’’....  It is related also that there is a large, thickly-settled town of savages, who are adroit and skilful, and who have cotton yards.  I am confident that most of those who mention it have not seen it, and speak of it because they have heard persons say so, who know no more about it than they themselves....  But that any one has ever entered it there is no evidence, for then they would have described it in another manner, in order to relieve the minds of many of this doubt.”

Champlain’s description is written from personal knowledge, because he had seen the Pentagouet River.[7] The country which it passes through is agreeable, but there was no town or village, and no appearance of either, with the exception of a few deserted cabins of the Souriquois or Micmacs.

Here Champlain met two Souriquois chiefs, Bessabe and Cabahis, and succeeded in making them understand that he had been sent by de Monts to visit their country, and to assure them of the friendship of the French for the Souriquois.  Champlain continued his journey southwards, and two days later he again met Cabahis, of whom he asked particulars as to the course of the river Norembegue.  The chief replied “that they had already passed the fall, which is situated at about twenty leagues from the mouth of the river Penobscot.  Here it widens into a lake, by way of which the Indians pass to the river Ste. Croix, by going some distance overland and then entering the river Etchemin.  Another river also enters the lake, along which they proceed for some days until they gain another lake and pass through it.  Reaching the end of it they again make a land journey of some distance until they reach another small river, the mouth of which is within a league of Quebec.”  This little river is the Chaudiere, which the Indians follow to reach Quebec.  On September 20th Champlain observed the mountains of Bedabedec, and after having proceeded for ten or twelve leagues further he decided to return to Ste. Croix and wait until the following year to continue his explorations.  His opinion was that the region he had explored was quite as unfavourable for a settlement as Ste. Croix.

On June 18th, 1605, de Monts, at the head of an expedition consisting of Champlain, some gentlemen, twelve sailors and an Indian guide named Panonias and his wife, set out from the island of Ste. Croix to explore the country of the Armouchiquois, and reached the Pentagouet River in twelve days.  On July 20th they made about twenty leagues between Bedabedec Point and the Kennebec River, at the mouth of which is an island which they named La Tortue.