204 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



The Earliest Mention of the Louisiana Muskrat 



Short, interesting observations on the dress of the In- 

 dians, containing the earliest references to the Rat musque 

 in Louisiana, are those found in the journal of the voyage 

 made by Father Gravier in the year 1700, and many other 

 valuable data may be gathered from the rare and little- 

 known but monumental work, "The Jesuit Relations." In 

 it we find what is evidently the earliest printed reference 

 to the Louisiana muskrat and the use of its pelt as a gar- 

 ment. 



In 1700 Jacques Gravier, S. J., left what is now called 

 Chicago for a voyage down the Mississippi river to visit. 

 Iberville's new fort, being the first Jesuit to descend the 

 great Father of the Waters to its mouth. This journey is. 

 described by him in a letter, under date of February 16, 

 1701, to Jacques de Lamberville, in which the missionary 

 describes his different adventures while on the perilous 

 canoe trip. 



When describing the dress of the Tunicas, an Indian 

 tribe whom Father Gravier visited in November, 1700, the 

 Jesuit wrote: 



"Most of the men have long hair and have no dress, 

 but a wretched deerskin. Sometimes they, as well as 

 the women, also have mantels of turkey feathers or 

 muskrat skins well woven and worked." 27 



On December 3, 1700, Father Gravier recounted what, 

 he had observed when he visited the Houmas (more prop- 

 erly, the Oumas, an Indian tribe who settled the land now 

 known as East Baton Rouge and West Baton Rouge par- 

 ishes). After stating that the children, the men and the 

 young men "are ragged like the Tounika Indian," he goes 

 on to say: 



"The women wear a fringed skirt, which covers 

 them from the waist to below the knee. When they 

 go out of their cabins they wear a robe of muskrat 

 skins or of turkey feathers." 28 



27 Gravier, Jes. Rel., lxv, p. 131. 

 ^Jes. Rel., lxv, p. 153. 



