Former French Jesuit Discovered The Mouth Of The Mississippi

Mouth of the Mississippi found
In mid-February 1682, French explorers, René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle (Nov. 21, 1643-Mar. 19, 1687), a former Jesuit, and his lieutenant, Henri de Tonti (1649 or 1650-Sept. 1704), lead an expedition from New France departing in canoes from the mouth of the Illinois River with 24 Frenchmen and 25 Native Americans. Travelling down the Mississippi River, their party reaches the mouth of the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico near modern-day Venice, Louisiana, on April 7 having established peaceful relations with the Chickasaw, Quapaw, Taensa, Natchez, and Koroa nations along the way. On April 9, La Salle formally claims the Mississippi River and all of its tributaries for King Louis XIV of France, naming the entire Mississippi basin, from the Alleghenies to the Rocky Mountains, "La Louisiane" in honor of the King.

Thanks and a tip of the beret to The Frog Blog of Louis la Vache

Thanks and Le Roy!