The Devil's Punchbowl and Natchez

The Devil' Punchbowl is a place that was written about in my book. It is located just north of Natchez past Natchez Cemetery. It was created by nature and is a deep semi-circular hole that cut's deeply inward into the bluff. It was hollowed out by the Mississippi River over time. It's been used as a hideout by pirates in the past or other outlaws that wanted to elude those chasing them. It has it's place in Natchez folklore as a mysterious place. When I was growing up, I heard all kind of tales about the bowl. I was told a goat like creature roamed about in the bowl, half human and half goat. I heard about rituals performed at night and people disappearing, never to be seen again. When you matched that with the turning angel and the other legends and folklore of the Natchez area, your young imagination could really run wild.

The 70's and 80's were really a fun time to grow up in that area. Lot's of memories in that historic town. My friends and I did a lot of exploring, many of the areas are no longer there. Places have been torn down and new buildings now stand in their place. There are many books about the Natchez area to read.

The Mississippi Steamboat Era in Historic Photographs: Natchez to New Orleans, 1870-1920 by Joan W. Gandy and Thomas H. Gandy

Antebellum Natchez by D. Clayton James

The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles

And don't forget about my book, Lafitte's Black Box!



The Devil's Punchbowl is privately owned and that information needs to be shared with the readers.

Buccaneer's

Buccaneer is a French derived word that is now synonomous with pirate. Buccaneers ravaged the Gulf coast and the Carribean during the late 17th century. They mostly attacked Spainish ships, plundering them of their treasure. Buccaneers were usually licensed by the English crown with a letter of marque giving them permission to attack the foreign ships as a way to do battle with Spain, England's main rival at the time.

Jean Lafitte considered himself, not a pirate, but a privateer (buccaneer). He controlled a fleet of men who looted Spanish and foreign ships, collecting the bounty which they would evenly divide up amongst themselves. From their pirate colony located near the mouth of the mighty Mississippi at Barataria Bay, they ruled the Gulf coast in the early 1800's.

Read more about Jean Lafitte and Buccaneers at your local library. Check out my book, Lafitte's Black Box.

Here's a quick link for a little info on Jean Lafitte (copy and paste)

http://www.freebase.com/view/en/jean_lafitte

Map of French Quarter

This is the map from the book. The map highlights the areas of interest from the book. To follow the adventures of Devereaux, Sam, and Emily. You could, if you want, take the St. Charles streetcar on Louisiana Avenue and get off on Canal. Then follow the map into the Quarter!

Book trailer for Lafitte's Black Box

Inspiration for Black Box

This place is down near the levee in Baton Rouge. It is surrounded by an old cyclone fence and is overgrown and nearly hidden. This place helped inspire where Devereaux finds the black box.