Everything went wrong. On the voyage across the Atlantic there
was a prolonged calm, followed by a heavy squall. Several ships
were struck by lightning. A magazine on the Mars blew up, killing
ten and wounding twenty-one men. Pestilence broke out. As a
crowning misfortune, the fleet was scattered by a terrific storm.
After great delay d'Anville's ship reached Chebucto, then a wild
and lonely spot. The expected fleet from the West Indies had
indeed come, but had gone, since the ships from France, long
overdue, had not arrived. D'Anville died suddenly--some said of
apoplexy, others of poison self-administered. More ships arrived
full of sick men and short of provisions. D'Estournel, who
succeeded d'Anville in chief command, in despair at the outlook
killed himself with his own sword after the experience of only a
day or two in his post. La Jonquiere, a competent officer,
afterwards Governor of Canada, then led the expedition. The
pestilence still raged, and from two to three thousand men died.
One day a Boston sloop boldly entered Chebucto harbor to find out
what was going on.
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