Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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)