Champlain and Pont-Grave intended to return to France during the summer of 1606.  Seeing that the vessels promised by de Monts had not arrived, they set out from Port Royal to Cape Breton or Gaspe, in search of a vessel to cross the Atlantic, but when they were approaching Canseau, they met Ralleau, the secretary of de Monts, who informed them that a vessel had been despatched under the command of Poutrincourt, with fifty settlers for the country.  They, therefore, returned to Port Royal, where they found Poutrincourt, who as lieutenant-general of de Monts intended to remain at Port Royal during the year.

On September 5th, Champlain left Port Royal on a voyage of discovery.  Poutrincourt joined the expedition, and they took with them a physician, the carpenter Champdore, and Robert Grave, the son of Francois.  This last voyage, undertaken to please de Monts, did not result in anything remarkable.  They first paid a visit to Ste. Croix, where everything remained unchanged, although the gardens were flourishing.  From Ste. Croix the expedition drifted southwards, and Champlain pointed out the same bays, harbours, capes and mountains that he had observed before.  Schoudon, chief of the Etchemins, and Messamouet, captain of the Micmacs, joined the party, and proceeded with them as far as Chouacouet, where they intended to form an alliance with Olmechin and Marchim, two Indian chiefs of this country.

On October 2nd, 1606, the expedition reached Mallebarre, and for a few days they anchored in a bay near Cape Batturier, which they named Port Fortune (Chatham).  Five or six hundred savages were found at this place.  “It would be an excellent place,” says Champlain, “to erect buildings, and lay the foundation of a state, if the harbour was somewhat deeper and the entrance safer.”  Poutrincourt stopped here for some days, and in the meantime visited all the surrounding country, from which he returned much pleased.

According to a custom peculiar to the French since the days of Jacques Cartier, de Monts had planted a large cross at the entrance of the Kennebec River, and also at Mallebarre.  Poutrincourt did the same at Port Fortune.  The Indians seemed annoyed at this ceremony, which they evidently considered as an encroachment upon their rights as proprietors.  They exhibited symptoms of discontent, and during the night they killed four Frenchmen who had imprudently stayed ashore.  They were buried near the cross.  This the Indians immediately threw down, but Poutrincourt ordered it to be restored to its former position.

On three different occasions the party attempted to pursue their discoveries southwards, but they were prevented each time by a contrary wind.  They therefore resolved to return to Port Royal, which was rendered imperative both by the approach of winter and the scarcity of provisions.  The result of the voyage was not altogether satisfactory.  Champlain had perhaps held a degree further south than on the former occasion, but he had not discovered anything of importance.