Carte Nouvelle de la Louisiane, et de la Riviere de Missisipi (sic), découverte par seu Mr. de la Salle, es (sic) années 1681 et 1686, dans l'Amerique Septentrionale, [New Map of Louisiana and the Mississippi River, Discovered by the late Mr. La Salle]
Map of North America from Gulf of Mexico to Atlantic Ocean showing area of La Salle's voyages; Mississippi River, colonial Louisiana, Central America, Caribbean.
Joutel, Henri
[Paris]
Facsimile copy located T0118.1968.
Published in Joutel's "Journal Historique du Derniere Voyage que seu M. de la Sale fit dans le Golfe de Mexique, pour trouver l'embouchure, & le cours de la Riviere de Missisipi." It features several illustrations: European-style vessels are depicted in the Atlantic ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Niagra Falls is at the top left corner, while a buffalo grazes near a greatly distorted depiction of the Great Lakes.
The title cartouche sends contradictory messages. America is represented atypically by the male figure on the left while the figure on the right probably represents Europe. Although the latter holds a club and wears a loin cloth made from a lion skin-both symbols associated with Europe-he also wears a single feather headdress similar to that worn by America.
Joutel (1640-1735), a retired French soldier, joined La Salle on his last expedition to North America as the explorer's personal aide and confidant. Although Joutel wrote his journal shortly after he returned to France in 1688, it was not published until 1713.