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
pines, firs, and birches only. I named it Isle des Monts Déserts.[92] The
latitude is 44° 30'.
The next day, the 6th of the month, we sailed two leagues, and perceived a
smoke in a cove at the foot of the mountains above mentioned. We saw two
canoes rowed by savages, which came within musket range to observe us. I
sent our two savages in a boat to assure them of our friendship. Their fear
of us made them turn back. On the morning of the next day, they came
alongside of our barque and talked with our savages. I ordered some
biscuit, tobacco, and other trifles to be given them. These savages had
come beaver-hunting and to catch fish, some of which they gave us. Having
made an alliance with them, they guided us to their river of Pentegoüet,
[93] so called by them, where they told us was their captain, named
Bessabez, chief of this river. I think this river is that which several
pilots and historians call Norumbegue, [94] and which most have described
as large and extensive, with very many islands, its mouth being in latitude
43°, 43° 30', according to others in 44°, more or less. With regard to the
deflection, I have neither read, nor heard any one say any thing. It is
related also that there is a large, thickly settled town of savages, who
are adroit and skillful, and who have cotton yarn. 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 knew no more about it than they themselves. I am
ready to believe that some may have seen the mouth of it, because there are
in reality many islands, and it is, as they say, in latitude 44° at its
entrance. 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.
I will accordingly relate truly what I explored and saw, from the beginning
as far as I went.
In the first place, there are at its entrance several islands distant ten
or twelve leagues from the main land, which are in latitude 44°, and 18°
40' of the deflection of the magnetic needle. The Isle des Monts Déserts
forms one of the extremities of the mouth, on the east; the other is low
land, called by the savages Bedabedec, [95] to the west of the former, the
two being distant from each other nine or ten leagues. Almost midway
between these, out in the ocean, there is another island very high and
conspicuous, which on this account I have named Isle Haute. [96] All around
there is a vast number of varying extent and breadth, but the largest is
that of the Monts Déserts. Fishing as also hunting are very good here; the
fish are of various kinds. Some two or three leagues from the point of
Bedabedec, as you coast northward along the main land which extends up this
river, there are very high elevations of land, which in fair weather are
seen twelve or fifteen leagues out at Sea. [97] Passing to the South of the
Isle Haute, and coasting along the same for a quarter of a league, where
there are some reefs out of water, and heading to the west until you open
all the mountains northward of this island, you can be sure that, by
keeping in sight the eight or nine peaks of the Monts Déserts and
Bedabedec, you will cross the river Norumbegue; and in order to enter it
you must keep to the north, that is, towards the highest mountains of
Bedabedec, where you will see no islands before you, and can enter, sure of
having water enough, although you see a great many breakers, islands, and
rocks to the east and west of you. For greater security, one should keep
the sounding lead in hand. And my observations lead me to conclude that one
cannot enter this river in any other place except in small vessels or
shallops. For, as I stated above, there are numerous islands, rocks,
shoals, banks, and breakers on all sides, so that it is marvellous to
behold.
Now to resume our course: as one enters the river, there are beautiful
islands, which are very pleasant and contain fine meadows. We proceeded to
a place to which the savages guided us, where the river is not more than an
eighth of a league broad, and at a distance of some two hundred paces from
the western shore there is a rock on a level with the water, of a dangerous
character.[98] From here to the Isle Haute, it is fifteen leagues. From
this narrow place, where there is the least breadth that we had found,
after sailing some seven or eight leagues, we came to a little river near
which it was necessary to anchor, as we saw before us a great many rocks
which are uncovered at low tide, and since also, if we had desired to sail
farther, we could have gone scarcely half a league, in consequence of a
fall of water there coming down a slope of seven or eight feet, which I saw
as I went there in a canoe with our savages; and we found only water enough
for a canoe. But excepting the fall, which is some two hundred paces broad,
the river is beautiful, and unobstructed up to the place where we had
anchored. I landed to view the country, and, going on a-hunting excursion,
found it very pleasant so far as I went. The oaks here appear as if they
were planted for ornament. I saw only a few firs, but numerous pines on one
side of the river; on the other only oaks, and some copse wood which
extends far into the interior.[99] And I will state that from the entrance
to where we went, about twenty-five leagues, we saw no town, nor village,
nor the appearance of there having been one, but one or two cabins of the
savages without inhabitants. These were made in the same way as those of
the Souriquois, being covered with the bark of trees. So far as we could
judge, the savages on this river are few in number, and are called
Etechemins. Moreover, they only come to the islands, and that only during
some months in summer for fish and game, of which there is a great
quantity. They are a people who have no fixed abode, so far as I could
observe and learn from them. For they spend the winter now in one place and
now in another, according as they find the best hunting, by which they live
when urged by their daily needs, without laying up any thing for times of
scarcity, which are sometimes severe.
Now this river must of necessity be the Norumbegue; for, having coasted
along past it as far as the 41° of latitude, we have found no other on the
parallel above mentioned, except that of the Quinibequy, which is almost in
the same latitude, but not of great extent. Moreover, there cannot be in
any other place a river extending far into the interior of the country,
since the great river St. Lawrence washes the coast of La Cadie and
Norumbegue, and the distance from one to the other by land is not more than
forty-five leagues, or sixty at the widest point, as can be seen on my
geographical map.
Now I will drop this discussion to return to the savages who had conducted
me to the falls of the river Norumbegue, who went to notify Bessabez, their
chief, and other savages, who in turn proceeded to another little river to
inform their own, named Cabahis, and give him notice of our arrival.
The 16th of the month there came to us some thirty savages on assurances
given them by those who had served us as guides. There came also to us the
same day the above named Bessabez with six canoes. As soon as the savages
who were on land saw him coming, they all began to sing, dance, and jump,
until he had landed. Afterwards, they all seated themselves in a circle on
the ground, as is their custom, when they wish to celebrate a festivity, or
an harangue is to be made. Cabahis, the other chief, arrived also a little
later with twenty or thirty of his companions, who withdrew one side and
enjoyed greatly seeing us, as it was the first time they had seen
Christians. A little while after, I went on shore with two of my companions
and two of our savages who served as interpreters. I directed the men in
our barque to approach near the savages, and hold their arms in readiness
to do their duty in case they noticed any movement of these people against
us. Bessabez, seeing us on land, bade us sit down, and began to smoke with
his companions, as they usually do before an address. They presented us
with venison and game.
I directed our interpreter to say to our savages that they should cause
Bessabez, Cabahis, and their companions to understand that Sieur de Monts
had sent me to them to see them, and also their country, and that he
desired to preserve friendship with them and to reconcile them with their
enemies, the Souriquois and Canadians, and moreover that he desired to
inhabit their country and show them how to cultivate it, in order that they
might not continue to lead so miserable a life as they were doing, and some
other words on the same subject. This our savages interpreted to them, at
which they signified their great satisfaction, saying that no greater good
could come to them than to have our friendship, and that they desired to
live in peace with their enemies, and that we should dwell in their land,
in order that they might in future more than ever before engage in hunting
beavers, and give us a part of them in return for our providing them with
things which they wanted. After he had finished his discourse, I presented
them with hatchets, paternosters, caps, knives, and other little
knick-knacks, when we separated from each other. All the rest of this day
and the following night, until break of day, they did nothing but dance,
sing, and make merry, after which we traded for a certain number of
beavers. Then each party returned, Bessabez with his companions on the one
side, and we on the other, highly pleased at having made the acquaintance
of this people.
The 17th of the month I took the altitude, [100] and found the latitude 45°
25'. This done, we set out for another river called Quinibequy, distant
from this place thirty-five leagues, and nearly twenty from Bedabedec. This
nation of savages of Quinibequy are called Etechemins, as well as those of
Norumbegue.
The 18th of the month we passed near a small river where Cabahis was, who
came with us in our barque some twelve leagues; and having asked him whence
came the river Norumbegue, he told me that it passes the fall which I
mentioned above, and that one journeying some distance on it enters a lake
by way of which they come to the river of St. Croix, by going some distance
over land, and then entering the river of the Etechemins. Moreover, another
river enters the lake, along which they proceed some days, and afterwards
enter another lake and pass through the midst of it. Reaching the end of
it, they make again a land journey of some distance, and then enter another
little river, which has its mouth a league from Quebec, which is on the
great river St. Lawrence. [101] All these people of Norumbegue are very
swarthy, dressed in beaver-skins and other furs, like the Canadian and
Souriquois savages, and they have the same mode of life.
The 20th of the month we sailed along the western coast, and passed the
mountains of Bedabedec, [102] when we anchored. The same day we explored
the entrance to the river, where large vessels can approach; but there are
inside some reefs, to avoid which one must advance with sounding lead in
hand. Our savages left us, as they did not wish to go to Quinibequy, for
the savages of that place are great enemies to them. We sailed some eight
leagues along the western coast to an island [103] ten leagues distant from
Quinibequy, where we were obliged to put in on account of bad weather and
contrary wind. At one point in our course, we passed a large number of
islands and breakers extending some leagues out to sea, and very dangerous.
And in view of the bad weather, which was so unfavorable to us, we did not
sail more than three or four leagues farther. All these islands and coasts
are covered with extensive woods, of the same sort as that which I have
reported above as existing on the other coasts. And in consideration of the
small quantity of provisions which we had, we resolved to return to our
settlement and wait until the following year, when we hoped to return and
explore more extensively. We accordingly set out on our return on the 23d
of September, and arrived at our settlement on the 2d of October following.
The above is an exact statement of all that I have observed respecting not
only the coasts and people, but also the river of Norumbegue; and there are
none of the marvels there which some persons have described. I am of
opinion that this region is as disagreeable in winter as that of our
settlement, in which we were greatly deceived. [104]
ENDNOTES:
92. The natives called this island Pemetiq. _Isle que les Saunages
appellent Pemetiq.--Vide Relation de la Nouvelle-France_, par F. Biard.
1616. Relations des Jésuites, Quebec ed. 1858. p. 44. When the attempt
was made in 1613 to plant a colony there by the Marchioness de
Guercheville, the settlement was named St. Sauveur. This island was
also by the English called Mount Mansell. But the name given to it by
Champlain has prevailed, and still adheres to it.
The description here given of the barrenness of the island clearly
suggests the origin of the name. Desert should therefore be pronounced
with the accent on the first syllable. The latitude of the most
northern limit of the island is 44° 24'.
93. Penobscot. The name of this river has been variously written Pentagoet,
Pentagwet, Pemptegoet, Pentagovett, Penobskeag, Penaubsket, and in
various other ways. The English began early to write it Penobscot. It
is a word of Indian origin, and different meanings have been assigned
to it by those who have undertaken to interpret the language from which
it is derived.
94. The Abbé Laverdière is of the opinion that the river Norumbegue was
identical with the Bay of Fundy. His only authority is Jean Alfonse,
the chief pilot of Roberval in 1541-42. Alfonse says; "Beyond the cape
of Noroveregue descends the river of the said Noroveregue, which is
about twenty-five leagues from the cape. The said river is more than
forty leagues broad at its mouth, and extends this width inward well
thirty or forty leagues, and is all full of islands which enter ten or
twelve leagues into the sea, and it is very dangerous with rocks and
reefs." If the cape of Norumbegue is the present Cape Sable, as it is
supposed to be, by coasting along the shores of Nova Scotia from that
cape in a north-westerly direction a little more than twenty leagues,
we shall reach St. Mary's Bay, which may be regarded as the beginning
of the Bay of Fundy, and from that point in a straight line to the
mouth of the Penobscot the distance is more than forty leagues, which
was the breadth of the Norumbegue at its mouth, according to the
statement of Alfonse. The Abbé Laverdière is not quite correct in
saying that the river Norumbegue is the same as the Bay of Fundy. It
includes, according to Alfonse, who is not altogether consistent with
himself, not only the Bay of Fundy, but likewise the Penobscot River
and the bay of the same name, with its numerous islands. Alfonse left a
drawing or map of this region in his Cosmography, which Laverdière had
not probably seen, on which the Bay of Fundy and the Penobscot are
correctly laid down, and the latter is designated the "_Rivière de
Norvebergue_." It is therefore obvious, if this map can be relied upon,
that the river of Norumbegue was identical, not with the Bay of Fundy,
but with the Penobscot, in the opinion of Alfonse, in common with the
"plusieurs pilottes et historiens" referred to by Champlain.--_Vide
copy of the Chart from the MS. Cosmography of Juan Alfonse_ in
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, in Mr. Murphy's Voyage of Verrazzano,
New York, 1875.
95. An indefinite region about Rockland and Camden, on the western bank of
the Penobscot near its mouth, appears to have been the domain of the
Indian chief, Bessabez, and was denominated Bedabedec. The Camden Hills
were called the mountains of Bedabedec, and Owl's Head was called
Bedabedec Point.
96. Isle Haute, _high island_, which name it still retains. Champlain wrote
it on his map, 1632, "Isle Haulte." It has been anglicized by some into
Isle Holt. It is nearly six miles long, and has an average width of
over two miles, and is the highest land in its vicinity, reaching at
its highest point four hundred feet above the level of the sea.
97. Camden Hills or Mountains. They are five or six in number, from 900 to
1,500 feet high, and maybe seen, it is said, twenty leagues at sea. The
more prominent are Mt. Batty, Mt. Pleasant, and Mt. Hosmer, or Ragged
Mountain. They are Sometimes called the Megunticook Range. Colonel
Benjamin Church denominates them "Mathebestuck's Hills,"--_Vide
Church's History of King Philip's War_, Newport, 1772, p. 143. Captain
John Smith calls them the mountains of Penobscot, "against whose feet
doth beat the sea." which, he adds, "you may well see sixteen or
eighteen leagues from their situation."
98. This narrow place in the river is just above Castine, where Cape
Jellison stretches out towards the east, at the head of the bay, and at
the mouth of the river. At the extremity of the cape is Fort Point, so
called from Fort Pownall, erected there in 1759, a step rocky elevation
of about eighty feet in height. Before the erection of the fort by
Governor Pownall, it was called Wafaumkeag Point.--_Vide Pownall's
Journal_, Col. Me. His. Soc., Vol. V. p. 385. The "rock" alluded to by
Champlain is Fort Point Ledge, bare at half tide, south-east by east
from the Point, and distant over half a mile. Champlain's distances
here are somewhat overestimated.
99. The terminus of this exploration of the Penobscot was near the present
site of the city of Bangor. The small river near the mouth of which
they anchored was the Kenduskeag. The falls which Champlain visited
with the Indians in a canoe are those a short distance above the
city. The sentence, a few lines back, beginning "But excepting this
fall" is complicated, and not quite logical, but the author evidently
means to describe the river from its mouth to the place of their
anchorage at Bangor.
100. The interview with the Indians on the 16th, and the taking of the
altitude on the 17th, must have occurred before the party left their
anchorage at Bangor with the purpose, but which they did not
accomplish that year, of visiting the Kennebec. This may be inferred
from Champlain's statement that the Kennebec was thirty-five leagues
distant from the place where they then were, and nearly twenty leagues
distant from Bedabedec. Consequently, they were fifteen leagues above
Bedabedec, which was situated near the mouth of the river. The
latitude, which they obtained from their observations, was far from
correct: it should be 44° 46'.
101. The Indian chief Cabahis here points out two trails, the one leading
to the French habitation just established on the Island of St. Croix,
the other to Quebec; by the former, passing up the Penobscot from the
present site of Bangor, entering the Matawamkeag, keeping to the east
in their light bark canoes to Lake Boscanhegan, and from there passing
by land to the stream then known as the river of the Etechemins, now
called the Scoudic or St. Croix. The expression "by which they come to
the river of St. Croix" is explanatory: it has no reference to the
name of the river, but means simply that the trail leads to the river
in which was the island of St. Croix. This river had not then been
named St. Croix, but had been called by them the river of the
Etechemins.--_Vide antea_, p. 31.
The other trail led up the north branch of the Penobscot, passing
through Lake Pemadumcook, and then on through Lake Chefuncook, finally
reaching the source of this stream which is near that of the
Chaudière, which latter flows into the St. Lawrence, near Quebec. It
would seem from the text that Champlain supposed that the Penobscot
flowed from a lake into which streams flowed from both the objective
points, viz. St. Croix and Quebec: but this was a mistake not at all
unnatural, as he had never been over the ground, and obtained his
information from the Indians, whose language he imperfectly
understood.
102. Bedabedec is an Indian word, signifying cape of the waters, and was
plainly the point known as Owl's Head. It gave name to the Camden
Mountains also. _Vide antea_, note 95.
103. Mosquito and Metinic Islands are each about ten leagues east of the
Kennebec. As the party went but four leagues further, the voyage must
have terminated in Muscongus Bay.
104. An idle story had been circulated, and even found a place on the pages
of sober history, that on the Penobscot, or Norumbegue, as it was then
called, there existed a fair town, a populous city, with the
accessories of luxury and wealth. Champlain here takes pains to show,
in the fullest manner, that this story was a baseless dream of fancy,
and utterly without foundation. Of it Lescarbot naïvely says, "If this
beautiful town hath ever existed in nature, I would fain know who hath
pulled it down, for there are now only a few scattered wigwams made of
poles covered with the bark of trees and the skins of wild beasts."
There is no evidence, and no probability, that this river had been
navigated by Europeans anterior to this exploration of Champlain. The
existence of the bay and the river had been noted long before. They
are indicated on the map of Ribero in 1529. Rio de Gamas and Rio
Grande appear on early maps as names of this river, but are soon
displaced for Norumbega, a name which was sometimes extended to a wide
range of territory on both sides of the Penobscot. On the Mappe-Monde
of 1543-47, issued by the late M. Jomard, it is denominated
Auorobagra, evidently intended for Norumbega. Thevet, who visited it,
or sailed along its mouth in 1556, speaks of it as Norumbegue. It is
alleged that the aborigines called it Agguncia. According to Jean
Alfonse, it was discovered by the Portuguese and Spaniards.--_Vide
His. de la N. France_, par M. Lescarbot, Paris, 1612, Qvat. Liv.
p. 495. The orthography of this name is various among early writers,
but Norumbegue is adopted by the most approved modern authors.