seat of government to New Orleans. They were immediately carried into effect. In June, De la Tour and Pauger, led the way, by sailing a loaded vessel through the mouth of the river. As soon as word was brought to Biloxi that they had passed the bar, other vessels followed with building materials, ammunition, and provisions.
Under De la Tour's supervision, the city took form and shape. The church and government houses were built, levees thrown up, ditches made, a great canal dug in the rear for drainage, a cemetery located, the old St. Louis of to-day, back of Rampart street, and a quay constructed, protected with palisades. Bienville arrived and took up his residence there in August. But, in the midst of the building and transportation, the September storm came on with a hitherto unexampled violence. For five days the hurricane raged furiously from East to West. The church and most of the new edifices were destroyed, and three ships were wrecked in the river. And then, as if to complete the disasters, a fever broke out which devastated the population as the storm had the buildings. The indomitable Bienville himself fell ill, and for a time his life was despaired of. But the momentum once acquired, the city advanced steadily, as over slight obstacles. The prostrate buildings were re-erected, and incoming population filled the vacancies caused by deaths. For still they continued to arrive, those ships loaded with all the human history of France of that day, adventure, tragedy, comedy, lettres de cachet, the Bastile, houses of correction, the prison, with an occasional special cargo of misfortune. Voltaire relates that among the German emigrants sent
