From a Watery Grave: The Discovery and Excavation of La Salle's Shipwreck, La Belle [Hardcover]

James E. Bruseth (Author), Toni S. Turner (Author), T. R. Fehrenbach (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2005

On a frigid, stormy day in February of 1686, a small French sailing ship lost control and ran aground in Matagorda Bay. The crew had braved an ocean voyage, attacks by pirates, raids by Native Americans, and ravaging diseases under the command of famed explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, hoping to establish a colony in the New World. Pounded in the Texas bay by gale winds and storm surges, La Belle finally slipped beneath the water and sank to the bottom, where it would remain for centuries.

More than 300 years later, Texas Historical Commission archaeologists discovered La Belle’s resting place. Using cutting-edge technology and scientific innovation, investigators excavated the shipwreck and salvaged from its watery grave more than a million artifacts, including bronze guns, muskets, trade beads, axes, rings, bells, dishes, medicines—everything a new-world colony needed for survival.

Authors James E. Bruseth and Toni S. Turner use vivid photographs and engaging descriptions to share the excitement of discovery as they piece together both the ship and its tragic story. For those interested in history, archaeology, or the quest for clues to the past, From a Watery Grave tells a riveting tale of nautical adventure in the seventeenth century and reveals modern scientific archaeology at its best.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“From a Watery Grave represents a solid and lasting triumph of nautical archaeology. James E. Bruseth and Toni S. Turner tell the amazing story of how a dedicated team of scientists and researchers rose to the challenge of preserving the fragile remains of La Salle’s 300-year-old ship La Belle–from the innovative planning and building of the coffer dam to enable excavation on “dry” land through the dismantling, transporting, and reassembly of the ship’s hull. Truly an astounding analysis of the rarest of finds–a ship laden with the items needed for founding a colony in seventeenth century America, from trade beads to buttons, carpenter tools to cannons–the report stands as a high-water mark to be striven for in all such efforts in the future.”--Robert S. Weddle, author of The Wreck of the Belle, the Ruin of La Salle

(Robert S. Weddle, author of The Wreck of the Belle, the Ruin of La Sal )

About the Author

James E. Bruseth is director of the archaeology division at the Texas Historical Commission, which sponsored the excavation of La Belle. Bruseth directed the excavation and serves as the project’s principal investigator.Toni S. Turner is a freelance writer and fund raiser who assisted in many aspects of the recovery of the shipwreck.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: TAMU Press; 1 edition (March 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585443476
• ISBN-13: 978-1585443475
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,153,688 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Collector's Item, August 25, 2009

By 

Dick Stanley (Austin, TX, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: From a Watery Grave: The Discovery and Excavation of La Salle's Shipwreck, La Belle (Hardcover)

I bought this both to read and to give to my young son. It's a treasure for any Texan and those who simply find Texas history fascinating. It's also a pleasure to have the artifact photographs, especially if you don't live near any of the coastal museums where the items are on display. And the drawings and artwork complement it all. Well done.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Job Well Done, September 25, 2005

By 

John B. Quinlan (Garland, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: From a Watery Grave: The Discovery and Excavation of La Salle's Shipwreck, La Belle (Hardcover)

As I say, this is a job well done. The story of the discovery and excavation of La Belle is presented in a way that keeps you interested. I have visited 5 of the 7 locations where artifacts from La Belle are housed. The story of the expedition itself is a great read, and the discovery and excavation is even more so. Also there is the great photography. All around a very fine book.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Story and a Beautiful Book!, November 1, 2011

By 

John - See all my reviews

This review is from: From a Watery Grave: The Discovery and Excavation of La Salle's Shipwreck, La Belle (Paperback)

From a Watery Grave is the story of a shipwreck, the Belle. But this beautifully illustrated book nicely tells the story of how French explorer La Salle lost the ship during his exploration of North America, then describes the discovery and subsequent excavation of La Belle from within a steel cofferdam. The story is well told by the archaeologist who headed up the investigation, Interested readers should also check out a related book by Robert Weddel, The Wreck of La Belle, the Ruin of La Salle.The Wreck of the Belle, the Ruin of La Salle (Number 48: Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University)