"Suite du Cours du Fleuve St. Louis, Depuis la Riviere d'Iberville Jusqua Celle des Yasous, et les Parties Connues de la Riviere Rouge et la Riviere Noire", Bellin, Jacques Nicolas

This crisp engraving details the course of the Red and Mississippi rivers in today's Louisiana. The Mississippi is shown from the Iberville River (now Iberville Bayou) north to its junction with the Yazoo (Yasous) River. The Red River extends from Natchitoches to its confluence with the Mississippi and includes details of the Black (Noire) River. This map is one of the first offering details of the region, which was important owing to its position between French-controlled Louisiana and Spanish Texas. The map locates the Adayes Presidio Espagnol de la Province de Tecas (Presidio Nuestra Señora del Pilar de los Adaes). Filled with other details including the location of the French controlled Fort Natchez, which had been destroyed by Natchez Indians during an uprising in 1729. With a large inset at lower left that details the vicinity of Fort St. Jean at what became Natchitoches. It shows the southern end of the blockade known as "The Red River raft," here called Embaras d'Arbres. This natural dam extended upstream for nearly 100 miles. The effort to clear this great hindrance to trade led to a frustrating 70-year long effort that was finally realized in 1900.

References: Mickwitz & Miekkavaara #10:I [46]; Phillips (A) #638; Tooley (MCC-96) #865.

Condition: B

On a watermarked sheet with light toning along the centerfold and sheet edges. There is some staining mostly in the left blank margin, and a couple of short centerfold separations confined to the margins have been closed on verso with archival tape.