Lahontan (1703)

Lom D'Arce, Louis-Armand de, baron de Lahontan (1666-1716). Nouveaux Voyages de Mr. le baron de Lahontan dans l'Amérique septentrionale [...]. La Haye: Les frères l'Honoré, 1703.

Louis-Armand de Lom d'Arce de Lahontan had a tragic life. Born in 1666 in Lahontan (Lower Pyrenees, France) as the eldest son of a baron, Lahontan embarked for Canada in 1683 with a contingent of navy troops. During the following years he took part in two military campaigns against the Iroquois and participated on two occasions in the defence of a post under siege by the English. As a reward for his conduct, he was appointed king's lieutenant in Plaisance (Newfoundland) in March 1693.

As soon as he arrived at his new post in June, a conflict broke out between him and the local governor who took a dim view of his appointment. The situation reached its climax in November when the governor burst in on Lahontan and wrecked his furniture and dishes. In exasperation Lahontan embarked secretly for France. It was a bad move because it made him guilty of desertion, and a royal arrest warrant was in fact issued against him. He fled France and, as a result, found himself suddenly without money, a job and a country. For the remainder of his life he wandered all over Europe, finding no rest until his death in Hanover in April 1716.

During his stay in New France, Lahontan had been careful to write down his observations, almost on a day-to-day basis. He later published three works: Nouveaux Voyages and Mémoires de l'Amérique septentrionale (1703), and Suite du voyage de l'Amérique (1704); the third is divided into several parts, the first of which is entitled Dialogues.

Lahontan's work met with enormous success. Translated immediately into English, German and Dutch, it went through at least 25 French editions and abridged versions between 1703 and 1758. In fact, during the first half of the eighteenth century, Lahontan shared with Hennepin the distinction of being the most widely read author dealing with North America.