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MS 1 Stop - Hancock Uounty History
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The following morning they explored eastward along the beach, following tracks in the sand until they caught sight of three Indians in a canoe leaving Deer Island. Iberville pursued them across Biloxi Bay, catching up just as they reached shore at Ocean Springs. The younger natives fled into the woods leaving an old and dying man. The Frenchmen made him a bed of straw and built him a fire before withdrawing to make a camp for themselves. Unfortunately, the grasses around him soon caught fire and though the fires were extinguished, the old man died half an hour later.
Iberville's hunters captured an old woman in the woods and heaped gifts upon her to take to her people. The first diplomatic contact with the native people had been accomplished and the Indians told them of the great river to the west.
On February 27 Iberville set out "in wind and drizzle" with Bienville, M. Sauvolle and about 48 men to visit the Mississippi River. They spent the night near the south end of the later named Bay of Saint Louis and the following day traversed the Breton Sound in fog and rain which continued through the following day. On March 2nd, running before a storm, they located and entered the mouth of the Mississippi and traveled up stream making contact with various tribes until on March 16th they came upon a decorated pole which marked the boundary between the Houmas and the Bayagoulas tribes. They called the place Red Stick or "Baton Rouge". On the return trip, Iberville discovered the proof he sought in the form of letter written by Henri de Tonti to La Salle fourteen years earlier. The letter had been left with the chief of the Mongoulachas who bartered it to Iberville for a few hatchets and knives.
Iberville shortly thereafter divided his party into two groups. Bienville returned by the mouth of the Mississippi while Iberville explored the area of Pass Manschac, lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain and returned to the open water by the Rigolets.
When Iberville departed from his ships on April 27th, he instructed them to return to France if he had not returned within one month. On March 30th he camped near the mouth of the Bay of Saint Louis where he built a large fire to signal his return.
The following morning he recognized Cat island, and shortly thereafter reached his ships. About an hour later Bienville and his party arrived.
Construction of Fort Maurepas begun
Construction was begun on Fort Maripas on April 8, 1699 and the fort was completed by May 1st. Iberville sailed for France on May 3rd to report to his king, leaving 81 men at Fort Maurepas. He wrote in his journal, "I left M. de Sauvolle in command; DeBienville, King's Lieutenant; Levasseur, Major; DeBordenac, Chaplain; Care, Surgeon; two Captains, two Pilots, four sailors, eighteen military adventurers, thirteen Canadians, ten mechanics, six masons, thirty sub-officers and soldiers.
The Bay of Saint Louis explored
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7/15/2007