LOUISIANA. 3 



and of war, and to embark with ns, in order to 

 lay his complaints before the fovereign. He 

 arrived here very ill, and his misfortunes af- 

 flidl him to fuch a degree^ that I fear very 

 much, he will not be able to come to the throne 

 of the bed of kings, but fmk under this un- 

 cxpedted reverfe of fortune, at the latter end of 

 his life * ; you will perceive by the following ac- 

 count, that without the experience of this old 

 officer, we (hould have perilhed, being one hun^ 

 dred and fifty of us in the Ihip Medea of twelve 

 guns, commanded by Captain Cochon, The 

 Englifh fleet which had taken Martiniqiie^ was 

 attacking the Havannah in Cuba. It is known, 

 that in order to fail from Louifiana to France^ 

 the ihip muft get fight of that ifland* 



This brings on a very natural refledlion* Was 

 it not jufl, that the governor of LGiiifiana fhould 

 communicate to Captain Cochon thofe advices, 

 which he had received, that he might not ven- 

 ture imprudently, as he afterwards did^ to touch 

 B 2 at 



* M. de Belk-IJldy being overwhelmed with grief and 

 fatigue died at Paris, the fourth of May 1763, regretted by 

 many good men. His kindnefs gained him the efleem and 

 friendlhip of every officer. He never difcontinued the pious 

 cxercifes in his family and gave the beft example to the 

 whole colony. His wife and daughter foon followed him to 

 the grave. 



