The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 62, July 1958 - April, 1959 Page: 77

Notes and Documents

men. This nation is occupied at raising chickens and at the culti-
vation of corn and beans.
The 28th, we departed from the Homas, having advanced two
short leagues. We passed by on our left the Chetimachas River,
which descends to the sea to the west of the Mississippi: We
commandeered, in front of this location, several pirogues of this
nation, with the chiefs who were going to New Orleans to ask
for peace from M. de Bienville, who had had almost all of them
destroyed by our allies in order to avenge the death of some
French, from whom they had lifted the scalp.
The 29th, in the morning I killed a deer that was crossing the
river; soon afterwards we arrived at Bayogoulas,6 on the left of
the river. Formerly there was a village of savages by this name.
The concession of MM. Paris Duverney and De la Garde is lo-
cated here under the direction of M. Dubuisson, who is a very
honorable man, of great intelligence, and, according to all appear-
ances, he will be able to succeed in this establishment, which is
situated only four leagues from the little Chetimaches River.
This nation was established in 1719 [sic] a quarter league from
this concession.
January Ist [1719], we advanced three leagues leaving from
the home of M. Dubuisson.
The 2nd, we made three leagues up to the passage of Manchac,
which crosses to Lake Maurepas, which is a great convenience for
the boats, that have legal business at Biloxy and at the Isle aux
Vaisseaux.
The 3rd, we advanced six leagues and made camp at the
Batons Rouges.7 The etymology of this comes from the many red
6In 1700 the Bayogoulas lived with the Mugulasha on the west bank of the
Mississippi. This was about sixty-four leagues from the mouth of the Mississippi
and about thirty leagues below the Humas village. The Humas lived seven leagues
above the mouth of the Red River on the east bank of the Mississippi. The
Bayogoula village had about 107 huts, 2oo to 250 men, and two perpetual fire
temples with animal figures as the wolf and bear, and especially the opossum, as
well as bird figures at the door. The opossum seemed to have been the chief deity
propitiated. In a dispute between the Bayogoula and Mugulasha chiefs, the
Bayogoulas almost exterminated their host. Afterwards, in 1706, the Bayogoulas
received the Tonicas into their village, who surprised and massacred most of the
Bayogoulas. Smallpox ravaged the remnants so that by La Harpe's visit their
village did not exist, and within only a few years after him not a family was known
to exist.
7The site of the present capital of Louisiana.