the french built their fort prudhomme, or prud'homme, at one of the chickasaw bluffs in 1682. rené-robert cavelier, sieur de la salle (1643–87) was a french explorer. in 1682, la salle led a canoe expedition to explore the mississippi river basin. the expedition landed to hunt, when one of their members went missing. the armorer pierre prudhomme was assumed captured by chickasaw indians.