Labat, Jean Baptiste
Labat, Jean Baptiste
(zhäN bätēst` läbä`), 1663–1738, French Dominican missionary. Sent to the West Indies, he explored the islands, he was largely responsible for the permanent establishment of the town of Basse-TerreBasse-Terre, town (1999 pop. 12,410), on Basse-Terre Island, capital of Guadeloupe, a French overseas department in the West Indies. Basse-Terre is a port that ships the products of the surrounding agricultural area.
..... Click the link for more information. , and defended Guadeloupe against the English. Labat did valuable botanical research and wrote extensively about his travels.