He landed in Martinique, 29 January, 1694, and was entrusted with the care of the parish of Macouba, where he remained two years. In 1696 he went to Guadeloupe, and on his return was appointed procurator-general of all the Dominican convents in the Antilles. Owing to his scientific knowledge, the French government appointed him engineer, and in this capacity he visited the whole chain of the French, Dutch, and English Antilles from Grenada to Santo Domingo. He served for two years as engineer in Guadeloupe, and when the English attacked the island in 1704 took an active part in the defense, firing several cannon with his own hand. He also invented new methods for the manufacture of sugar, which are still in use in the colony.

In 1705 Labat was sent to Europe as deputy of his order, and after spending several years in Italy he went to Paris in 1715 and occupied himself with the publication of his travels and other literary works. Although Labat did not consider himself a botanist, his description of the flora of the Antilles is very complete. The genus Labatia, of the family of Ebenaceae, was named in his honor. His books that deal with America are "Nouveau voyage aux iles de l'Amerique" (6 vols., Paris, 1722; 2d ed., 8 vols., 1742; Dutch translation, 4 vols., Amsterdam, 1725; German, 6 vols., Nuremberg, 1783-'7); and "Voyage du Chevalier Demarchais en Guinee, iles voisines, et a Cayenne, fait en 1725, 1726, et 1727" (4 vols., Paris, 1730).

LABAT, John Baptist, clergyman, born in Paris in 1663; died there, 6 January, 1738. He entered the Dominican order at the age of nineteen, and taught philosophy and mathematics at Nancy as well as exercising the functions of a preacher. In 1693 he was in the convent of the Rue St. Honore, Paris, when he determined to devote himself to foreign missions. He landed in Martinique, 29 January, 1694, and was intrusted with the care of the parish of Macouba, where he remained two years. In 1696 he went to Guadeloupe, and on his return was appointed procurator-general of all the Dominican convents in the Antilles. Owing to his scientific knowledge, the French government appointed him engineer, and in this capacity he visited the whole chain of the French, Dutch, and English Antilles from Grenada to Santo Domingo. He served for two years as engineer in Guadeloupe, and when the English attacked the island in 1704 took an active part in the defence, firing several cannon with his own hand. He also invented new methods for the manufacture of sugar, which are still in use in the colony. In 1705 Labat was sent to Europe as deputy of his order, and after spending several years in Italy he went to Paris in 1715 and occupied himself with the publication of his travels and other literary works. Although Labat did not consider himself a botanist, his description of the flora of the Antilles is very complete. The genus Labatia, of the family of Ebenaceae, was named in his honor. His books that deal with America are "Nouveau voyage aux iles de l'Amerique" (6 vols., Paris, 1722; 2d ed., 8 vols., 1742; Dutch translation, 4 vols., Amsterdam, 1725; German, 6 vols., Nuremberg, 1783-'7); and " Voyage du Chevalier Demarchais en Guinee, iles voisines, et a Cayenne, faiten 1725, 1726, et 1727" (4 vols., Paris, 1730).