OF THE COAST, INHABITANTS, AND RIVER OF NORUMBEGUE, AND OF ALL THAT
OCCURRED DURING THE EXPLORATION OF THE LATTER.


After the departure of the vessels, Sieur de Monts, without losing time,
decided to send persons to make discoveries along the coast of Norumbegue;
and he intrusted me with this work, which I found very agreeable.

In order to execute this commission, I set out from St. Croix on the 2d of
September with a patache of seventeen or eighteen tons, twelve sailors, and
two savages, to serve us as guides to the places with which they were
acquainted. The same day we found the vessels where Sieur de Poutrincourt
was, which were anchored at the mouth of the river St. Croix in consequence
of bad weather, which place we could not leave before the 5th of the month.
Having gone two or three leagues seaward, so dense a fog arose that we at
once lost sight of their vessels. Continuing our course along the coast, we
made the same day some twenty-five leagues, and passed by a large number of
islands, banks, reefs, and rocks, which in places extend more than four
leagues out to Sea. We called the islands the Ranges, most of which are
covered with pines, firs, and other trees of an inferior sort. Among these
islands are many fine harbors, but undesirable for a permanent settlement.
The same day we passed also near to an island about four or five leagues
long, in the neighborhood of which we just escaped being lost on a little
rock on a level with the water, which made an opening in our barque near
the keel. From this island to the main land on the north, the distance is
less than a hundred paces. It is very high, and notched in places, so that
there is the appearance to one at sea, as of seven or eight mountains
extending along near each other. The summit of the most of them is
destitute of trees, as there are only rocks on them. The woods consist of