Map of Louisiana, with the course of the Missisipi (sic), and the adjacent Rivers, the Nations of the Natives, the French Establishments and the Mines; By the Author of ye history of that Colony.
Colonial Louisiana. North America, from New Mexico east to Appalachean mountains, north to the Great Lakes. Silver mine, iron mine, gold mine, lead mine located. Location of Indian tribes delineated.
[Becket, T.]
[London]
Second copy located 1997.078.094.
From English translation of [Antoine Simon?] Le Page du Pratz, "Histoire de La Louisiane," published by T. Becket, 1774.
In the work from which this was taken, du Pratz (c. 1689-1755), who lived in Louisiana from 1718 to 1734, noted that a silver mine was discovered near Natchitoches, La.
Depicted along the Red River, just above Natchitoches, is the "Mine of Duplessis." Pierre Cotolleau (dit) Duplessis and his business partner, a Mr. Tourangeot, operated a mine in this area during the early 1700s. Although other 18c. maps describe it as a silver mine, some modern experts believe that stibnite, which sometimes has a silver-like appearance, was the actual mineral Duplessis and Tourangeot extracted. Stibnite is used chiefly as an alloy and in medical compounds.