A Company Man: The Remarkable French-Atlantic Voyage of a Clerk for the Company of the Indies [HC]

While the historical value of this lively memoir cannot be underestimated (the original French document only recently turned up), neither can its readability. It is a superb read. Marc-Antoine Caillot is young a man of his time and rank---curious, high-spirited, and oh-so-French. His account of his voyage as a clerk in the Company of the Indies from France to the Caribbean, thence to the mouth of the Mississippi and finally, to New Orleans is a delight. Seasickness, storms at sea, near shipwrecks, and depleted rations neither daunt nor defeat M. Caillot, and he writes of his experience with a talent quite unexpected. I have read widely about the French colonial experience in Louisiana, and yet this book was an education for me. I knew that the trip from the mouth of the river to New Orleans was arduous and dangerous, for instance, but I'd never read a first-hand account and had not fully imagined the scene, where the small boats taking travelers confronted giant trees and logs uprooted along the river's passage and pushed downstream in a churning, high-powered deluge. I now know why that journey often took a month.Caillot was in the colony at the time of the terrible Natchez massacre, where so members of the Natchez tribe brutally slaughtered a number of French colonials as they attended a celebration hosted by the tribe at the site of Natchez, a short distance upriver from New Orleans. The horror of the event and the ensuing rumors of forthcoming widespread Indian attacks terrified colonists in the city and on outlying plantations. Authorities mobilized militia to respond and social life came to a standstill. Yet it was Carnival season, and our young clerk chaffed at the lack of gaiety and revelry characteristic of the season. Finally, on the weekend before Mardi Gras, he and several companions learned of a wedding being held at one of the plantations below the city. It was irresistible, and though no one seemed to have been invited, all took off appropriately masked, carrying 40 bottles of wine, and were received with great hospitality. They returned briefly for more wine from the company's store and fresh garments, but quickly made their way back to the sprawling celebration. With the possibility of a scalping party nearby, M. Caillot romanced the current lady of his dreams and lost himself in the revelry of the holiday. Reading that, I, a good Anglo, raised my eyes to the sky and thought, "How very French!" And it is the world of French colonialism that one encounters first-hand in this marvellous memoir. If teachers and professors of Louisiana history assigned this book to their charges, there would be a lot less ignorance and a more lively taste for the study of history.This is a book where the footnotes are almost so readable as the text itself. Yet they are not cumbersome. They are the best kind: they elaborate meaning and offer resources for further enlightment. The text includes M. Caillot's well-wrought maps and sketches. It is a beautiful book as well as a highly readable one. I'm so glad I discovered it.

This is a translation of a long lost manuscript of the journal of a young man who came to Louisiana in the 1720s as an employee of the Company of the Indies. As such, it’s historical value cannot be underestimated. For this reviewer, currently up to the elbows in French colonial Louisiana research for a current project, its purchase and consumption was never even a question. While it is nonfiction, even fans of historical fiction would enjoy this particular work. Written by a young man in his 20s, it’s style exhibits all the wonder and irreverence found in someone of that age, whether 18th-century bourgeoisie or a representative of today’s world. His youthful accounts of the joys and trials of travel in that time, of his amorous adventures with the fairer sex both on the ship and in the colonies, his horrific descriptions of war, torture, and capture by Native Americans both before and during the Natchez war, are true to both his chronological age and the spirit of the times he lived in.The editor, through her footnotes, does an excellent job of placing the journal in its historical context. The translator keeps the book’s youthful spirit alive through the use of slang in some of her translations. The publisher, The Historic New Orleans Collection, has produced a beautiful physical object with this book. Well illustrated and containing three sets of plates drawn by the author in full color, it is indeed a joy to own and read. I heartily recommend this book.

this is a beautiful book and a lively story. the illustrations are very nice. the paper this book is made from is high quality. the story itself is funny at times and sad at times. a very interesting look at our past. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the history of New Orleans and our young country. outstanding in quality.

This is a very interesting and detailed account of life in 18th century Louisiana. I was particularly impressed with the quality of the French translation, editing, and the very thorough footnotes. Explanations are provided about the history of Caillot's family, his early life, his life after Louisiana, and the account of Caillot's manuscript and how it came to be acquired by The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC). Caillot's manuscript provides details on certain aspects of Louisiana history not found elsewhere (e.g., the earliest documented account of Mardi Gras celebration in 1729 in Louisiana). Kudos to THNOC for making this most useful publication available to genealogical and historical researchers, scholars, and anyone else interested in early Louisiana and the Mississippi Valley.

I very much enjoyed A Company Man. I am a descendent of French men who came to the Louisiana Colony in 1720 and had wondered what their life looked like in those years. If you are a native of Louisiana this book will be of great interest to you. I think anyone who has a passion for history will enjoy Caillot's account.

High-quality production, starting from the paper the book was printed on. Nicely reproduced images and good translation. It's an interesting "read." Thanks.

The book is masterfully put together. The translator, Teri Chalmers, was able to capture the nuances of the time through her faithful translation and ability to capture the ideas and times. A wonderful tale, artfully put together with illustrations.

Not as good as I thought it would be. a Lot of Annotation, which though needed ,made the read less enjoyable.