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Near the top left hand corner of the map notice that the Mississippi divides into two Forks below the Village of the Bayogoula. The point at which the river divides is denoted as la Fourche (the Fork), TheWest Fork is denoted as “Bras du Mississippi" (Branch of the Mississippi) and the East Fork as “Mississippi Also note the unnamed bayou draining into Lake Pomcriartrain from the lake’s south shore. This is Bayou Saint Jean. It and a short overland traii were used by ’■he Native Americans and early French as a portage connecting the Mississippi River to Lake Pomchartrain-Mississippi Sound. New Orleans wit! be located a: the site of this portage because of its strategic importance. At the time this map was made, it is likely that New Orleans had either not been founded or word of !is founding had not yet reached the French Royal Court. Farther down the East Fork of the River [and at an exaggerated distance) locate English Turn (Detour a L'Anglois) and the “View Fort" (New Fort). Both of these features denote the success of Iberville's brother Bienville in foiling the attempts of the English to colonize Louisiana.
This map differs from that of Beilin ‘‘page 25) in that the area between the East Fork of the Mississippi and the Chandeleur Islands is shown to Contain a greater proportion of islands. This depiction more closely reflects Iberville's written description of the area. However. the stippled outline to the seaward side of these two groups of islands suggests that the cartographer is denoting that the entire area is shallow and is in transistion form water 10 land, as wouid be expeaed in an active delta.
Detail from ike insert “Detailed Map of the Mouths of the St. Lauis River (Mississippi River) and of (the area) of Mobile" found in “Map of Louisiana and the Course of the Mississippi Based on a Large Number of Reports from among others those Of Mister le Maire by Cuillauine de ilsle of the Royal Academy of Sciences. " ca. 1718.