French Settlers view of Louisiana

http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Faj&CISOPTR=265&REC=0&CISOBOX=native+americans

The source that I chose has come from the ‘American journey collection’ the document gives us an account from a French settler ‘Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont’ in 1713. He gives an ‘exact description of French Louisiana’ and its native populations on the Gulf of Mexico. He gives a detailed account of the landscape “all sand and is not wooded except for the space of league” this gives us an insight in to the terrain and to complications that may arise if the landscape is mainly sand.

From what i have read in the source of Bourgmont account’s he mentions that "tobacco can be grown there" which is a positive for settlers as tobacco could be sold for a profit, this being a great resource for them, along with other crops which grow well, meaning that the settlers can provide for themselves as well as producing an income. The harbours also offer a great port to sell any surplus and to buy goods easily.

The ways in which the natives are mentioned in the passage are not negatively, in fact he takes advice and learns from them, passing on their wisdom and knowledge of the land “There is also a tree which bark has the property of curing swellings of the gums, which the Indians use with success...” this showing that the settlers can learn from the natives, the positive relationship between the French settlers and the natives is reinforced when he says; “30 Chaqueta villages of the same tribe as the latter, allies and friends of the French, very good people, [and] ... a tribe called Chiquacha with whom we trade” thus showing that both settlers and natives can live in harmony together. The Natchez tribe are praised for their hard work, “allies and friends of the French, very good and industrious people.” The friendship between them is legitimised with the “commercial treaty between France and these tribes.” This however changes in 1716 when the first war of Natchez and the French settlers accrued this resulting in a lot of bloodshed, and ongoing wars between them, which was eventually resolved.

From looking at the source despite the conflict that arises, Bourgmont’s stay and views on the native people of America of positive, and encouraging to other Europeans to move and settle in the newly established America.