Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, January 26, 1999

Simon Le Page du Pratz described voyage to Louisiana

He wrote the first history of Louisiana's discovery

by Jim Bradshaw

Upon his return to France, Du Pratz wrote what is believed to be the first published history of Louisiana, which included this account of his journey to the colony.

It is in those seas we met with the Tradewinds; which though weak, a great deal of way, might be made, did they blow constantly, because their course is from east to west without varying; storms are never observed in these seas, but the calms often prove a great hindrance; and then it is necessary to wait some days, till a grain (sic), or squall brings back the wind: A grain is a small spot seen in the air which spreads very fast, and forms a cloud, that gives a wind, which is brisk at first, but not lasting, though enough to make way with.

We stayed 15 days at Cape François, to take in wood and water, and to refresh. It is situated on the north part of the island of St. Domingo, which part of the French are in possession of, as the Spaniards are of the other. The fruits and sweetmeats of the country are excellent, but the meat good for nothing, hard, dry, and tough. This country being scorched, grass is very scarce, and animals therein languish and droop. Six weeks before our arrival, fifteen hundred persons died of an epidemic distemper, called the Siam distemper.

We sailed from Cape François, with the same wind, and the finest weather imaginable. We then passed between the islands of Tortuga and St. Domingo, where we espied Port de Paix, which is over-against Tortuga; we afterwards found ourselves between the extremities of St. Domingo and Cuba which belongs to the Spaniards; we then steered along the south coat of this last, leaving to the left Jamaica, and the great and little Kayemans (sic), which are subject to the English. We at length quitted Cuba at Cape Anthony, steering for Louisiana a north-west course. We espied land in coming towards it, but so flat, though distant but a league from us, that we had great difficulty to distinguish it though we had then but four fathoms of water.

We put out the boat to examine the land which we found to be Candlemas island (la Chandeleur). We directly set sail for the island of Massacre, since called Isle Dauphine. ... A little after we discovered the Isle Dauphine, and cast anchor before the harbor, in the road, because the harbor itself was choaked (sic) up. To make this passage we took three months, and arrived only August 25th. We had a prosperous voyage all along, and the more so, as no one died, or was even dangerously ill the whole time, for which we caused Te Deum solemnly to be sung.

We were then put on shore with all our effects. The company had undertaken to transport us with our servants and effects, at their expence, and to lodge, maintain and convey us to our several concessions, or grants.

This gulf abounds with delicious fish; as the sarde (pilchard), red fish, cod, sturgeon, ringed thornback, and many other sorts, the best in their land. The sarde is a large fish; its flesh is delicate, and of a fine flavor, the scales grey, and of a moderate size.

The red fish is so called from its red scales of the size of a crown piece. The cod, fished for on this coast, is of the middling sort, and very delicate. The thornback is the same as in France.

(Leaving for New Orleans) we coasted along the continent, and came to lie in the mouth of the river of the Pasca-Ogoulas; so called, because near its mouth, and to the east of a bay of the same name, dwells a nation, called Pasca-Ogoulas, which denotes the Nation of Bread. Here it may be remarked that in the province of Louisiana, the appellation of several people terminates in the word Ogoula, which signifies nation; and that most of the rivers derive their names from the nations which dwell on their banks. We then passed in view of Biloxi ... then in view of the bay of St. Louis, leaving to the left successively Isle Dauphine, Isle a Corne (Horne Island), Isle aux Vaisseaux (Ship Island), and Isle aux Chats (Cat Island).

All these islands are very flat, and have the same bottom of white sand; the woods, especially of the three first consist of pine; they are almost all at the same distance from the continent the coast of which is equally sandy.

After passing the bay of St. Louis ... we enter the two channels which lead to Lake Pontchartrain, called at present the Lake St. Louis. Of these channels, one is named the Great, the other the Little; and they are about two leagues in length, and formed by a chain of islets ... between the continent and Cockle Island. The great channel is to the south.

We lay at the end of the channels in Cockle Island; so called because (it is) almost entirely formed of the shells named Coquilles des Palourdes. ... This isle lies above the mouth of the Lake St. Louis to the east and leaves at its two extremities two outlets to the lake; the one by which we entered which is the channel just mentioned, the other by Lake Borgne. The lake, moreover, at the other end westward, communicates by a channel with the Lake Maurepas; and may be about ten leagues in length from east to west, and seven in breadth. Several rivers, in their course southward, fall into it.

To the south of the lake is a great creek ... called Bayou St. Jean. It comes close to New Orleans and falls into this lake at Grass Point (Pointe aux Herbes) which projects a great way into the lake, at two leagues distance from Cockle Island. We passed near that point, which is nothing but a quagmire. From thence we proceeded to the Bayou Choupic, so denominated from a fish of that name, and three leagues from the Pointe aux Herbes. The many rivulets which discharge themselves into this lake make its waters almost fresh, though it communicates to the sea, and on account of this it abounds not only with sea fish but with fresh water fish, some of which, particularly carp, would appear to be of a monstrous size in France.

We entered this Creek Choupic: at the entrance of which is a fort a present. We went up this creek for a space of a league, and landed at a place where formerly stood the village of the natives, who are called Cola-Pissas, an appellation corrupted by the French, the true name of that nation being Aquelou-Pissas, that is, the nation of men that hear and see. From this place to New Orleans, and the river Mississippi, on which the capital is built, the distance is only a league.