 © Copyright 1997 Philip Gould Located in Louisiana's Plantation Country, the Spanish Lake Basin is bordered by Bayou Manchac, an Indian short-cut from the Mississippi River to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. With its rich hunting and fishing, Bluff Swamp was a paradise for early Indian tribes. Hunters and gatherers appeared here 8,000 years ago. By 4,000 B.C., native people were trading with tribes in the Lower Mississippi River Valley and, from 500 B.C. to 1500 A.D., governed the region from a large village and seat of political power on the banks of Bayou Manchac. Through the centuries, Bayou
Manchac served as a strategic waterway and trade route for native peoples.
When Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville, a French explorer, arrived here
in 1699, he learned of the Bayou Manchac shortcut to the Gulf of Mexico. 
Map of the expeditions of d’Iberville. Green is the path of the 3 ships into the anchorage at Ship Island. Blue is d’Iberville’s first landfall with the mainland on Feb. 13, 1699. Red is the exploration and discovery of the mouth of the river and the subsequent journey north. Yellow is d’Iberville arduous journey back to the ships via Bayou Manchac and through Lake Pontchartrain. Click Map To See Larger View The rich, fertile lands of the basin were settled by the exiled Acadians, or Cajuns of Nova Scotia, along with French, Spanish, Creole, German, Scotch-Irish, Canary Islander and African-American families who spiced up the foods of South Louisiana and created our legendary "joy of living." Alligator Bayou Tours recalls the personal, moving stories of these courageous settlers. Knowledge of the hardships suffered by the Acadians, in particular, gives context to their culture and makes sense of their joie de vivre. The fascinating history of these cultures explains Louisiana's foods, customs and its legendary mystique. Alligator Bayou's Cajun captain, Jim Ragland, is an excellent resource for visitors. He is able to provide an entertaining, yet informative overview of these cultures, complete with insights and tips on Cajun crafts and cooking--if you're interested, cher.
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