[Footnote:  There appears in Verrazano’s map of 1529 the word Aranbega, as attached to a small district on the Atlantic seaboard.  Ten years later Norumbega has become a region which takes in the whole coast from Cape Breton to Florida.  At intervals throughout the sixteenth century fables were told in Europe of its extraordinary wealth, and it was not till the time of Champlain that this myth was exposed.  Champlain himself identifies ’the great river of Norumbega’ with the Penobscot.]

De Monts lacked neither courage nor persistence.  His battle against heartbreaking disappointments shows him to have been a pioneer of high order.  And with him sailed in 1604 Jean de Biencourt, Seigneur de Poutrincourt, whose ancestors had been illustrious in Picardy for five hundred years.  Champlain made a third, joining the expedition as geographer rather than shipmaster.  Lescarbot and Hebert came two years later.

The company left Havre in two ships—­on March 7, 1604, according to Champlain, or just a month later, according to Lescarbot.  Although De Monts’ commission gave him the usual privilege of impressing convicts, the personnel of his band was far above the average.  Champlain’s statement is that it comprised about one hundred and twenty artisans, and there were also ’a large number of gentlemen, of whom not a few were of noble birth.’  Besides the excitement provided by icebergs, the arguments of priest and pastor diversified the voyage, even to the point of scandal.  After crossing the Grand Bank in safety they were nearly wrecked off Sable Island, but succeeded in reaching the Acadian coast on May 8.  From their landfall at Cap de la Heve they skirted the coast-line to Port Mouton, confiscating en route a ship which was buying furs in defiance of De Monts’ monopoly.

Rabbits and other game were found in abundance at Port Mouton, but the spot proved quite unfit for settlement, and on May 19 De Monts charged Champlain with the task of exploring the coast in search of harbours.  Taking a barque of eight tons and a crew of ten men (together with Ralleau, De Monts’ secretary), Champlain set out upon this important reconnaissance.  Fish, game, good soil, good timber, minerals, and safe anchorage were all objects of search.  Skirting the south-western corner of Nova Scotia, the little ship passed Cape Sable and the Tusquet Islands, turned into the Bay of Fundy, and advanced to a point somewhat beyond the north end of Long Island.  Champlain gives at considerable length the details of his first excursion along the Acadian seaboard.  In his zeal for discovery he caused those left at Port Mouton both inconvenience and anxiety.  Lescarbot says, with a touch of sharpness:  ’Champlain was such a time away on this expedition that when deliberating about their return [to France] they thought of leaving him behind.’  Champlain’s own statement is that at Port Mouton ’Sieur de Monts was awaiting us from day to day, thinking only of our long stay and whether some accident had not befallen us.’