Note 54 — Chapter I

The Penicaut narrative apparently assigns the year 1717 as the date of the original foundation of New Orleans. Margry (v. 549) calls attention in a note to the fact that the Journal historique, which he attributes to Beaurain, gives 1718 as the date. Gravier, in his Introduction to the Relation du voyage des dames religieuses Ursulines, says that New Orleans was founded in 1717. He cites in a note certain letters of Bienville which are in the Archives at Paris; but as he does not quote from them, we cannot tell to what point of the narrative they are cited as authority.