a handsome, large, strong, rich, and celebrated city of France, capital of the territory of Aunis, with a very commodious and safe harbour, a bishop's see, a college for humanities, an academy, a school for medicine, anatomy, and botany, and a mint. The houses are fine, and supported with piazzas, under which persons may walk in all weathers; and the streets in general as straight as a line: there are several handsome churches and other structures, besides a remark- markable pump in the square of Dauphiny, which throws out the water through several pipes. There are no remains of the old fortifications, except on the side of the harbour, where there are bulwarks and strong towers to defend the entrance. The new fortifications are in the manner of Vauban. The inhabitants carry on a considerable trade, especially in wines, brandy, salt, pepper, linen-cloth, and serge. Lewis XIII. took this place from the Huguenots in 1628, after a 13 months siege. It is seated on the ocean, in W. Long. 1. 11. N. Lat. 46° 10'.