Antoine-Simon Le Page du Pratz travelled through the French colony of Louisiana between 1718 and 1734. This book is the complete account of his travels, printed in three volumes in Paris in 1758 having previously been published in parts between 1751 and 1753. Le Page was greatly interested in Native American customs and his observations dominate the Histoire de la Louisiane, providing much important information on the Natchez and other Indigenous people of the Mississippi region.

While in Louisiana, Le Page spent much of his time near Fort Rosalie and Natchez on the Mississippi River where he owned a tobacco plantation. He enslaved people and at New Orleans also purchased a Chitimacha woman to serve as a companion. It is likely that she bore his children.

At Natchez, Le Page learned the language of the Natchez people and befriended Indigenous leaders. He was interested in the origins of Native Americans and paid much attention to the account of the Yazoo explorer Moncacht-apé. Le Page’s history contains three chapters dedicated to Moncacht-apé’s own travels around North America. Moncacht-apé was interested in the origins of his people and set out on his travels to find out more. He reached the Pacific coast where he heard stories about an ancient land bridge between North America and Asia.