La Belle (ship)
 Construction drawing of the La Belle
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The La Belle (dt .: "the beautiful") was a historic sailing ship with three masts.
She was part of an expedition of the explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle , who founded the French settlement Fort St. Louis in 1685 in Matagorda Bay in what is now Texas . During an expedition along the coast the following year, 37 crew members of the ship, including her captain Richaud, were killed by Indians . In February 1686, the La Belle sank in a storm in Matagorda Bay. Six survivors reached Fort St. Louis in canoes three months later. The loss of the ship meant the end of the colony, as the connection to the outside world was cut off. La Salle was killed while trying to get help, Fort St. Louis was conquered by Indians in the winter of 1688/1689.
wreck
In June and July 1995, scientists from the Texas Historical Commission conducted a search for shipwrecks in Matagorda Bay. The La Belle was the most significant archaeological archaeological site, which was discovered on this occasion. After positive results of a preliminary investigation and the clear identification of the ship by a cannon, the "Texas Historical Commission" carried out a complete excavation in 1996. As the wreck was only a few meters deep, the site was drained by a coffer dam . The remains of the wreck were embedded in mud in which the artifacts were superbly preserved.
During the excavation, a large amount of equipment and parts of the cargo were found, such as three cannons , muskets , ropes, ceramics and goods that were apparently intended for trade with Indians. These included bells, rings, bronze needles and glass beads. The lower part of the ship was also very well preserved; Barrels with trade goods were still in their places in the hold. Skeletal remains of victims of the shipwreck were also discovered. In total, more than a million objects were recovered. An exhibition with the finds of the La Belle is to be shown in the new Texas State History Museum in Austin . Due to its historical importance and the wealth of finds, the La Belle is now one of the most important shipwrecks in North America. The search for the flagship La Salles, the L 'Aimable , which has also sunk , has so far been unsuccessful.
Web links
- Texas Historic Commission
- La Belle at the Bullock Texas State History Museum
- 3D-animated detailed film "Construction virtual de La Belle "
Coordinates: 28 ° 26'53.2 " N , 96 ° 19'20" W.