MISSISSIPPI EXPEDITION OF LA SALLE 1682

[aukepalmhof]

British Virgin Island issued one stamp of 50c in 1991 which honour the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle for his exploring voyage down the Mississippi River in 1682. The stamp shows also a sailing ship of that time, which has nothing to do with the expedition down the Mississippi River in 1682, he made that voyage in canoes and not a sailing ship.

1682 La Salle assembled a party for the Mississippi expedition for which he is most remembered. Leaving Fort Crevecoeur with eighteen Native Americans (other sources given many more man), he canoed down the Mississippi River in 1682, naming the Mississippi basin "La Louisiane" in honor of Louis XIV. At what is now the site of Memphis, Tennessee he built a small fort, Fort Prudhomme. On April 9, at the mouth of the Mississippi River, near modern Venice, Louisiana, La Salle buried an engraved plate and a cross, claiming the territory for France. He returned then to France.
In 1683, on his return voyage from France, he established Fort Saint Louis of Illinois, at Starved Rock on the Illinois River, to replace Fort Crevecoeur. Tonti was to command the fort while La Salle traveled again to France for supplies.
Wikipedia has an entry on the return voyage from France: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Belle_(ship)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Salle_ ... expedition
British Virgin Islands 1991 50c sg794, scott 722.

[Anatol]

See also viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14627.