Background
Antoine Simon Le Page Dupratz was born about 1718 in Belgium.
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The History of Louisiana, or of the Western Parts of Virginia and Carolina: Containing a Description of the Countries That Lie on Both Sides of the ... Soil, Climate, and Products; Translated
(Excerpt from The History of Louisiana, or of the Western ...)
Excerpt from The History of Louisiana, or of the Western Parts of Virginia and Carolina: Containing a Description of the Countries That Lie on Both Sides of the River Mississippi; With an Account of the Settlements, Inhabitants, Soil, Climate, and Products; Translated From the French For M. Le Page tells us about this in a three-volume work he wrote called, Histoire de la Louisiane, recognized as the authority to be consulted by all who have written on the early history of New Orleans and the Louisiana province. Le Page, who arrived in Louisiana August 25, 1718, three months after leaving La Rochelle, spent four months at Dauphin Island before he and his men made their way to Bayou St. John where he set up a plantation. He had at last reached New Orleans, which he correctly states, existed only in name, and had to occupy an old lodge once used by an Acolapissa Indian. The young settler, he was only about 23 at the time, after arranging his shelter tells us: A few days afterwards I pur chased from a neighbour a native female slave, so as to have a woman to cook for us. My slave and I could not speak each other's language; but I made myself understood by means of signs. This slave, a girl of the Chitimacha tribe, remained with Le Page for years, and one draws the inference that she was possessed of a vigorous personality, and was not devoid of charm or bravery. Le Page writes that when frightened by an alligator approaching his camp fire, he ran to the lodge for his gun. However, the Indian girl calmly picked up a stick and hammered the 'gator so lustily on its nose that it retreated. As Le Page arrived with his gun, ready to shoot the monster, he tells us: She began to smile, and said many things which I did not comprehend, but she made me understand by signs, that there was no occasion for a gun to kill such a beast. It is unfortunate, for the purpose of sociological study, that this Indian girl appears so infrequently in the many accounts Le Page has left us in his highly interesting studies of early Louisiana and its original inhabitants. He does not even tell us the Indian girl's name. We are told that after living on the banks of Bayou St. John for about two years, he left for the bluff lands of the Natchez country. His Indian girl decided she would go with him, as she had relatives there. Hearing of her plan, her old father offered to buy her back from Le Page. The Chitimacha girl, however, refused to leave her master, whereupon, the Indian father performed a rite of his tribe, which made her the ward of the white man - a simple ceremony of joining hands. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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Antoine Simon Le Page Dupratz
Edit ProfileCareer
Dupratz is said to have seen military service in Germany. His own narrative begins with 1718, in which year he obtained a concession and came to Louisiana to seek his fortune.
He reached New Orleans when it had but one cabin. He settled first on Bayou St. John, but dampness and the likelihood of floods led him to take up his abode near Fort Rosalie among the Natchez. Later he was granted a duchy in the Arkansas region. He explored the interior of Louisiana, going as far as the “South Sea. ”
In 1726 he became overseer of a plantation near New Orleans, belonging to the Company of the Indies. This tract, which soon passed into the king’s hands, Dupratz managed to the best of his ability, but the venture proved too costly and the post was abolished. He refused Bienville’s invitation to remain in Louisiana, and in 1734 returned to La Rochelle whence he had sailed sixteen years before.
In 1758 he published in Paris a three-volume work: Histoire de la Louisiane. The author used the accounts of Louisiana by Carlevoix and Dumont to check his own. Certain aspects of the man himself appear in his writing.
He knew something of astronomy and engineering, and his account includes a consideration of the hydraulic problem at the mouth of the Mississippi.
As a historian, he told the story of the relations between French and Indians, depicted Bienville smoking the calumet with the Tchiti-machas, described the massacre at Fort Rosalie, and recorded precious material on pioneer life. He had vision, and saw even at that early date the possibilities latent in the vast territory of Louisiana.
He studied the natives, their tribal organization, languages, religion, manners, customs, ceremonies, history. Although discursive in manner, the book is written in a pleasing style and abounds in personal anecdotes which hold the interest of the reader. Little is known of Dupratz after the publication of this volume. It is stated by Eyries (post) that his death occurred in 1775. The Histoire de la Louisiane was translated into English. The anonymous translator claimed to have improved the text, but in the main he followed Dupratz except where British interests were concerned, especially the tobacco trade and boundaries. The Gentleman's Magazine, June 1763, contains a summary of this translation. Both the translator’s preface and that of Dupratz repay reading. This work was used as a basis for a compilation entitled.
Achievements
Works
book
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The History of Louisiana, or of the Western Parts of Virginia and Carolina: Containing a Description of the Countries That Lie on Both Sides of the ... Soil, Climate, and Products; Translated
(Excerpt from The History of Louisiana, or of the Western ...)
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The History of Louisiana, or of the Western Parts of Virginia and Carolina: Containing a Description of the Countries That Lie on Both Sides of the ... Soil, Climate, and Products; Translated
Religion
Devoted to his Church, Dupratz refused an opportunity to marry an Indian princess and urged the baptism of all slaves.
Views
Dupratz was ever loyal to his superiors but he was apparently kind to his negroes and was highly esteemed by the Indians.
Personality
Dupratz was ever loyal to his superiors, and had a genuine interest in Louisiana.
