Clisby022 - Revision history

Merv at 03:42, 26 April 2016

2016-04-26T03:42:00Z

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	===Text of the Letter===		===Text of the Letter===
	Very dear Br Director General,		:Very dear Br Director General,

	;[1]: The letter I wrote from London to Fr Matricon<ref>This letter is most probably that addressed to a Marist Father (LO 71) which features as [[Clisby021\|Letter 21]] in ''Letters from Oceania: Part One (1836-1840)'' (pp 38-40).</ref> said that we were about to depart on the 5th of December, but it was only on the 7th, at 9 in the morning. That day all we did was 10 hours on a steamer to join our ship which had gone that distance to take on supplies. From there we took 2 days on the Thames before reaching the Channel. We entered the Channel in 36 hours, a time our captain told us he had never done in the 20 years he had been captaining vessels. Once he had taken only 21 days, and he had regarded that as great good fortune in this sea where you sometimes had to wait up to 6 weeks. It is the most dangerous part of the crossing from London to Sydney. The sea is always very difficult to cross, for you can be becalmed or encounter a storm. These two hazards are very common, but, thanks to Jesus and Mary, we had a very swift and pleasant crossing. You cannot but regard it as special protection when you compare 36 hours with 2 to 6 weeks.		;[1]: The letter I wrote from London to Fr Matricon<ref>This letter is most probably that addressed to a Marist Father (LO 71) which features as [[Clisby021\|Letter 21]] in ''Letters from Oceania: Part One (1836-1840)'' (pp 38-40).</ref> said that we were about to depart on the 5th of December, but it was only on the 7th, at 9 in the morning. That day all we did was 10 hours on a steamer to join our ship which had gone that distance to take on supplies. From there we took 2 days on the Thames before reaching the Channel. We entered the Channel in 36 hours, a time our captain told us he had never done in the 20 years he had been captaining vessels. Once he had taken only 21 days, and he had regarded that as great good fortune in this sea where you sometimes had to wait up to 6 weeks. It is the most dangerous part of the crossing from London to Sydney. The sea is always very difficult to cross, for you can be becalmed or encounter a storm. These two hazards are very common, but, thanks to Jesus and Mary, we had a very swift and pleasant crossing. You cannot but regard it as special protection when you compare 36 hours with 2 to 6 weeks.

Merv: /* Text of the Letter */

2016-04-26T03:41:26Z

Text of the Letter

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Merv: /* Notes */

2008-03-20T03:39:21Z

Notes

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	===Notes===		===Notes===
	<references/>		<references/>


	{\|border=1; style="width:100%"		{\|border=1; style="width:100%"
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	\|-bgcolor=PaleGoldenrod		\|-bgcolor=PaleGoldenrod
	\|[[Clisby021\|'''Previous Letter''']]\|\| align=center \| [[Contents#Clisby - Letters from Oceania\|'''List of Letters''']] \|\| align=right \| [[Clisby023\|'''Next letter''']]		\|[[Clisby021\|'''Previous Letter''']]\|\| align=center \| [[Clisby Contents#Clisby - Letters from Oceania\|'''List of Letters''']] \|\| align=right \| [[Clisby023\|'''Next letter''']]
	\|}		\|}

Merv at 04:21, 15 September 2007

2007-09-15T04:21:49Z

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	[24] PS My dear Br Director, you will realise I haven't tried to be stylish in this long letter, I have told you things as I have seen them. I have spoken simply from the heart. I am overlong but I have no desire to correct myself on this point even when I have the opportunity. I get so much pleasure from speaking to you I can scarcely finish, but I will stop so as not to abuse your patience.		[24] PS My dear Br Director, you will realise I haven't tried to be stylish in this long letter, I have told you things as I have seen them. I have spoken simply from the heart. I am overlong but I have no desire to correct myself on this point even when I have the opportunity. I get so much pleasure from speaking to you I can scarcely finish, but I will stop so as not to abuse your patience.

	==Notes==		===Notes===
	<references/>		<references/>

Merv at 04:21, 15 September 2007

2007-09-15T04:21:05Z

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Merv at 09:57, 12 September 2007

2007-09-12T09:57:53Z

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	[9] Very dear Brother, even though we are well, that doesn't prevent us from looking forward impatiently to our promised land. Oh, if only we had wings to cross the vast expanse of sea. We have seen many fish, especially as we neared the equator, but the most curious ones are those which fly in hundreds like swallows. They do so to escape the jaws of the big fish which are for ever chasing them. The length of their flight is not very far - perhaps 3 or 4 hundred feet at most, about 3 or 4 feet above the surface. We have seen some small sharks and some spouters, that is, a type of big fish which blows water 10 to 12 feet in the air. The sailors have tried fishing but caught only a little shark and another fish called a bonito. The English don't seem to be good at fishing.		[9] Very dear Brother, even though we are well, that doesn't prevent us from looking forward impatiently to our promised land. Oh, if only we had wings to cross the vast expanse of sea. We have seen many fish, especially as we neared the equator, but the most curious ones are those which fly in hundreds like swallows. They do so to escape the jaws of the big fish which are for ever chasing them. The length of their flight is not very far - perhaps 3 or 4 hundred feet at most, about 3 or 4 feet above the surface. We have seen some small sharks and some spouters, that is, a type of big fish which blows water 10 to 12 feet in the air. The sailors have tried fishing but caught only a little shark and another fish called a bonito. The English don't seem to be good at fishing.
	===Paragraph 10==		===Paragraph 10===
	[10] The sailors submit all the new passengers to a ceremony for crossing the equator, but when they had it, we got out of it by making a little donation, though it's not always easy. But as we had long since won their friendship, they didn't want to cause us any trouble. They made faces at one another, but didn't say a single word which might offend the most sensitive ear. We can say for certain that is yet another sign of Mary's protection. The good God has not been content with giving us a captain and sailors to guide us, he has come himself to be our chief pilot. In the scriptures we read that some have angels for guides, but we have had more than an angel, we have had the Creator of angels himself. The work the missionaries propose to do must be very pleasing to Our Lord Jesus Christ for him to favour them so. We don't regard this ship carrying us over the abyss as an ordinary one but as a new barque of Peter. It always seems to me as if Jesus Christ is sleeping in the prow. If a storm threatens us we will wake him up so he can command the wind and the waves to be still.		[10] The sailors submit all the new passengers to a ceremony for crossing the equator, but when they had it, we got out of it by making a little donation, though it's not always easy. But as we had long since won their friendship, they didn't want to cause us any trouble. They made faces at one another, but didn't say a single word which might offend the most sensitive ear. We can say for certain that is yet another sign of Mary's protection. The good God has not been content with giving us a captain and sailors to guide us, he has come himself to be our chief pilot. In the scriptures we read that some have angels for guides, but we have had more than an angel, we have had the Creator of angels himself. The work the missionaries propose to do must be very pleasing to Our Lord Jesus Christ for him to favour them so. We don't regard this ship carrying us over the abyss as an ordinary one but as a new barque of Peter. It always seems to me as if Jesus Christ is sleeping in the prow. If a storm threatens us we will wake him up so he can command the wind and the waves to be still.

Merv: 5 para sections

2007-09-12T09:57:04Z

5 para sections

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	[4] During the first 8 days of our crossing we were tossed about a bit but since then we have had superb weather. The 10th day after our departure we passed the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal. Several days later we perceived several other islands in the distance. I know the names of two of them only, St Antoine and St Luce. These islands are part of Cape Verde which belongs to Africa. Winter passed without our noticing. A few days before Christmas we had to change to summer clothing. The first days of January we bathed as in France in July. When we experienced such warm weather the comment could be heard: "If it is already as hot as this, what will it be like as we get closer to the sun, and when it is actually overhead?" This caused some apprehension, especially for those who were affected by the heat. We crossed the equator on the 32nd day of sailing without experiencing the high temperatures or calms which are very common in these regions. We can say we received a very special blessing. It is not rare to have from 8 to 15 days without wind at the equator and as well be laid low by extraordinary heat, and sometimes there are great storms too. As for ourselves, we have not had any calms to speak of, nor experienced great heat. We have always had a fresh wind, like those gentle spring breezes which first stir sleeping nature. We spend all day on deck in the open air and a great part of the night too. In the daytime we are always protected from the rays of the sun by a thick awning. So we are very comfortable. From the time of boarding up to 1100 leagues from the Cape of Good Hope we were always headed south, but not always in a straight line. The winds often pushed us east or west, but the south has always been our centre. 1100 leagues from the Cape of Good Hope, where we had to put in to take on water, we headed directly east.		[4] During the first 8 days of our crossing we were tossed about a bit but since then we have had superb weather. The 10th day after our departure we passed the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal. Several days later we perceived several other islands in the distance. I know the names of two of them only, St Antoine and St Luce. These islands are part of Cape Verde which belongs to Africa. Winter passed without our noticing. A few days before Christmas we had to change to summer clothing. The first days of January we bathed as in France in July. When we experienced such warm weather the comment could be heard: "If it is already as hot as this, what will it be like as we get closer to the sun, and when it is actually overhead?" This caused some apprehension, especially for those who were affected by the heat. We crossed the equator on the 32nd day of sailing without experiencing the high temperatures or calms which are very common in these regions. We can say we received a very special blessing. It is not rare to have from 8 to 15 days without wind at the equator and as well be laid low by extraordinary heat, and sometimes there are great storms too. As for ourselves, we have not had any calms to speak of, nor experienced great heat. We have always had a fresh wind, like those gentle spring breezes which first stir sleeping nature. We spend all day on deck in the open air and a great part of the night too. In the daytime we are always protected from the rays of the sun by a thick awning. So we are very comfortable. From the time of boarding up to 1100 leagues from the Cape of Good Hope we were always headed south, but not always in a straight line. The winds often pushed us east or west, but the south has always been our centre. 1100 leagues from the Cape of Good Hope, where we had to put in to take on water, we headed directly east.
			===Paragraph 5===
	[5] My dear Brother, if I were to tell you there are crosses everywhere on sea as on land, I would be telling you only what you have long since known, because whatever our position, we all have our crosses. We can do nothing better than to wait with complete resignation and impose silence on human nature which is always inclined to complain. I see that he who bears his cross with joy feels hardly any pain because the good God, always full of compassion for his own, lightens the load considerably. Happy a million times over, the one who stays beside Jesus and Mary! Whatever comes his way, he is always full of joy.		[5] My dear Brother, if I were to tell you there are crosses everywhere on sea as on land, I would be telling you only what you have long since known, because whatever our position, we all have our crosses. We can do nothing better than to wait with complete resignation and impose silence on human nature which is always inclined to complain. I see that he who bears his cross with joy feels hardly any pain because the good God, always full of compassion for his own, lightens the load considerably. Happy a million times over, the one who stays beside Jesus and Mary! Whatever comes his way, he is always full of joy.

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	[9] Very dear Brother, even though we are well, that doesn't prevent us from looking forward impatiently to our promised land. Oh, if only we had wings to cross the vast expanse of sea. We have seen many fish, especially as we neared the equator, but the most curious ones are those which fly in hundreds like swallows. They do so to escape the jaws of the big fish which are for ever chasing them. The length of their flight is not very far - perhaps 3 or 4 hundred feet at most, about 3 or 4 feet above the surface. We have seen some small sharks and some spouters, that is, a type of big fish which blows water 10 to 12 feet in the air. The sailors have tried fishing but caught only a little shark and another fish called a bonito. The English don't seem to be good at fishing.		[9] Very dear Brother, even though we are well, that doesn't prevent us from looking forward impatiently to our promised land. Oh, if only we had wings to cross the vast expanse of sea. We have seen many fish, especially as we neared the equator, but the most curious ones are those which fly in hundreds like swallows. They do so to escape the jaws of the big fish which are for ever chasing them. The length of their flight is not very far - perhaps 3 or 4 hundred feet at most, about 3 or 4 feet above the surface. We have seen some small sharks and some spouters, that is, a type of big fish which blows water 10 to 12 feet in the air. The sailors have tried fishing but caught only a little shark and another fish called a bonito. The English don't seem to be good at fishing.
			===Paragraph 10==
	[10] The sailors submit all the new passengers to a ceremony for crossing the equator, but when they had it, we got out of it by making a little donation, though it's not always easy. But as we had long since won their friendship, they didn't want to cause us any trouble. They made faces at one another, but didn't say a single word which might offend the most sensitive ear. We can say for certain that is yet another sign of Mary's protection. The good God has not been content with giving us a captain and sailors to guide us, he has come himself to be our chief pilot. In the scriptures we read that some have angels for guides, but we have had more than an angel, we have had the Creator of angels himself. The work the missionaries propose to do must be very pleasing to Our Lord Jesus Christ for him to favour them so. We don't regard this ship carrying us over the abyss as an ordinary one but as a new barque of Peter. It always seems to me as if Jesus Christ is sleeping in the prow. If a storm threatens us we will wake him up so he can command the wind and the waves to be still.		[10] The sailors submit all the new passengers to a ceremony for crossing the equator, but when they had it, we got out of it by making a little donation, though it's not always easy. But as we had long since won their friendship, they didn't want to cause us any trouble. They made faces at one another, but didn't say a single word which might offend the most sensitive ear. We can say for certain that is yet another sign of Mary's protection. The good God has not been content with giving us a captain and sailors to guide us, he has come himself to be our chief pilot. In the scriptures we read that some have angels for guides, but we have had more than an angel, we have had the Creator of angels himself. The work the missionaries propose to do must be very pleasing to Our Lord Jesus Christ for him to favour them so. We don't regard this ship carrying us over the abyss as an ordinary one but as a new barque of Peter. It always seems to me as if Jesus Christ is sleeping in the prow. If a storm threatens us we will wake him up so he can command the wind and the waves to be still.

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	[14] The Imitation of Jesus Christ says that he who leaves all finds all, but we have the actual good fortune to experience it. We have left everything and we have everything here to sustain us in our long and difficult voyage. We are the spoiled children of Providence, the privileged ones of Jesus and Mary. We form a little cloistered convent in the middle of the ocean. We have only the roof of our house on which to walk. There we enjoy very comfortable temperatures. Sunrise and sunset are frequent occasions of wonder for us, being much more spectacular than we have ever seen in France. The sun, moon, and stars which appear in Europe in the south are for us at present in the north. The vast expanse of the horizon, at times crowned with little golden clouds, also presents a beautiful sight. In the evening, twilight disappears almost as quickly as day. From time to time we are diverted by the appearance of different fish. Although I told you earlier that the English sailors are not skilled fishermen, yet they caught near the Cape of Good Hope a shark 9 feet long and weighing at least 150 kg. It had 70 teeth. A man's head would have gone down its throat like a drop of water. It was taken on a hook. The flesh of young sharks is eaten, but they aren't good for anything when they are so big. The sea has its beauties but they don't compare with those of the land. I am as happy at sea as one can be because it is God's will I am here, but that doesn't prevent me from yearning to reach our station soon. Although we can find the Blessed Virgin everywhere we wish, I often transport myself in spirit to the hill of Fourvière to thank Mary for having obtained for me what I have so long desired and asked for.		[14] The Imitation of Jesus Christ says that he who leaves all finds all, but we have the actual good fortune to experience it. We have left everything and we have everything here to sustain us in our long and difficult voyage. We are the spoiled children of Providence, the privileged ones of Jesus and Mary. We form a little cloistered convent in the middle of the ocean. We have only the roof of our house on which to walk. There we enjoy very comfortable temperatures. Sunrise and sunset are frequent occasions of wonder for us, being much more spectacular than we have ever seen in France. The sun, moon, and stars which appear in Europe in the south are for us at present in the north. The vast expanse of the horizon, at times crowned with little golden clouds, also presents a beautiful sight. In the evening, twilight disappears almost as quickly as day. From time to time we are diverted by the appearance of different fish. Although I told you earlier that the English sailors are not skilled fishermen, yet they caught near the Cape of Good Hope a shark 9 feet long and weighing at least 150 kg. It had 70 teeth. A man's head would have gone down its throat like a drop of water. It was taken on a hook. The flesh of young sharks is eaten, but they aren't good for anything when they are so big. The sea has its beauties but they don't compare with those of the land. I am as happy at sea as one can be because it is God's will I am here, but that doesn't prevent me from yearning to reach our station soon. Although we can find the Blessed Virgin everywhere we wish, I often transport myself in spirit to the hill of Fourvière to thank Mary for having obtained for me what I have so long desired and asked for.
			===Paragraph 15===
	[15] Dear Br Director, you would certainly be edified if I told you how we celebrated the feast of the Purification. We did nothing out of the ordinary but you will find it very interesting when you consider we are in mid-ocean and among Protestants who have no wish to join in our exercises of piety. The day of the feast, then, rising, prayer and meditation were as usual. As we thought we wouldn’t be having any Mass because of the movement of the vessel, we had Holy Communion at 7 o'clock. At 10 o'clock, the sea having become somewhat calmer, we celebrated Mass. It was Mary, without a doubt, who obtained this favour from her divine Son. At halfpast one we said Vespers and Compline. At 6 o'clock we chanted the litanies of the most holy Virgin, then there was a short sermon, after which we publicly renewed our vows, priests and brothers. The three laymen who had not yet taken vows renewed their baptismal promises. During the ceremony we chanted the psalm "Conserva me Domine, etc" and finished with a canticle in honour of Mary. At 9 o'clock we said the Rosary and finished the day with evening prayer. Every Saturday we sing the litanies of the Queen of heaven and earth to the tune used at Fourvière, so that we imagine ourselves on that holy hill. So you see we have the good fortune of being as free for our exercises of piety as we were at the mother house.		[15] Dear Br Director, you would certainly be edified if I told you how we celebrated the feast of the Purification. We did nothing out of the ordinary but you will find it very interesting when you consider we are in mid-ocean and among Protestants who have no wish to join in our exercises of piety. The day of the feast, then, rising, prayer and meditation were as usual. As we thought we wouldn’t be having any Mass because of the movement of the vessel, we had Holy Communion at 7 o'clock. At 10 o'clock, the sea having become somewhat calmer, we celebrated Mass. It was Mary, without a doubt, who obtained this favour from her divine Son. At halfpast one we said Vespers and Compline. At 6 o'clock we chanted the litanies of the most holy Virgin, then there was a short sermon, after which we publicly renewed our vows, priests and brothers. The three laymen who had not yet taken vows renewed their baptismal promises. During the ceremony we chanted the psalm "Conserva me Domine, etc" and finished with a canticle in honour of Mary. At 9 o'clock we said the Rosary and finished the day with evening prayer. Every Saturday we sing the litanies of the Queen of heaven and earth to the tune used at Fourvière, so that we imagine ourselves on that holy hill. So you see we have the good fortune of being as free for our exercises of piety as we were at the mother house.

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	[19] Kindly tell my brother, when you have occasion to see him, that I pray to the good God for him and strongly urge him to be a good religious to the end, that I am well and very happy, and will write to him from the Bay of Islands at the earliest opportunity. Please remember me also to Fr Matricon and the good Fr Besson. Tell them I will write to them once I have seen Mgr Pompallier and have some news of the mission. In the meantime, dear Fr Matricon knows what I proposed to him in my letter from London. I acquit myself daily of the promise I made. I should tell you that our ship is a very new one and quite sturdy. It is 108 feet long and 27 wide, but only in the centre since the ends are narrower. It has 3 masts of 120 feet with 24 sails. I told you earlier that we had almost never been becalmed, but 600 leagues from the Cape we had 15 days of contrary winds or no wind at all. Since all that didn't contribute much to our progress, we set to praying and almost immediately a strong wind from the right quarter let us do in 7 days the 600 leagues remaining to reach the Cape of Good Hope.		[19] Kindly tell my brother, when you have occasion to see him, that I pray to the good God for him and strongly urge him to be a good religious to the end, that I am well and very happy, and will write to him from the Bay of Islands at the earliest opportunity. Please remember me also to Fr Matricon and the good Fr Besson. Tell them I will write to them once I have seen Mgr Pompallier and have some news of the mission. In the meantime, dear Fr Matricon knows what I proposed to him in my letter from London. I acquit myself daily of the promise I made. I should tell you that our ship is a very new one and quite sturdy. It is 108 feet long and 27 wide, but only in the centre since the ends are narrower. It has 3 masts of 120 feet with 24 sails. I told you earlier that we had almost never been becalmed, but 600 leagues from the Cape we had 15 days of contrary winds or no wind at all. Since all that didn't contribute much to our progress, we set to praying and almost immediately a strong wind from the right quarter let us do in 7 days the 600 leagues remaining to reach the Cape of Good Hope.
			===Paragraph 20===
	[20] We had been waiting for a long time for the pleasure of setting foot on dry land. At the approaches to the Cape we saw birds with heads and bills like ducks on the sea. They are at least 5 feet in wingspan. They love to fly around ships. People call them the Cape sheep. The sailors have often tried to shoot them, but they are almost as incompetent at hunting as they are at fishing. In this country the warmest wind is the northerly, and the reason is simple enough, since it is the one coming from the direction of the sun, like the southerly in Europe, while the southerly here, not coming from the quarter of the sun, is the coldest. On our voyage we will have a taste of all four seasons of the year. We had winter in London, spring off the islands of Cape Verde, summer at the equator, autumn at the Cape of Good Hope, and we will find ourselves in winter again on arriving in New Zealand. At the Cape we have donned our winter clothing again. Winter is not very harsh in the countries we are going to since it never freezes but only has cool winds from time to time. Snow falls only on the peaks of the high mountains. The trees do not entirely lose their foliage since as leaves fall new ones appear. From London to the Cape we have done at least 4000 leagues. That makes it a bit more than half our voyage. We hope that in 2 months from now we will be at the Bay of Islands, our future home.		[20] We had been waiting for a long time for the pleasure of setting foot on dry land. At the approaches to the Cape we saw birds with heads and bills like ducks on the sea. They are at least 5 feet in wingspan. They love to fly around ships. People call them the Cape sheep. The sailors have often tried to shoot them, but they are almost as incompetent at hunting as they are at fishing. In this country the warmest wind is the northerly, and the reason is simple enough, since it is the one coming from the direction of the sun, like the southerly in Europe, while the southerly here, not coming from the quarter of the sun, is the coldest. On our voyage we will have a taste of all four seasons of the year. We had winter in London, spring off the islands of Cape Verde, summer at the equator, autumn at the Cape of Good Hope, and we will find ourselves in winter again on arriving in New Zealand. At the Cape we have donned our winter clothing again. Winter is not very harsh in the countries we are going to since it never freezes but only has cool winds from time to time. Snow falls only on the peaks of the high mountains. The trees do not entirely lose their foliage since as leaves fall new ones appear. From London to the Cape we have done at least 4000 leagues. That makes it a bit more than half our voyage. We hope that in 2 months from now we will be at the Bay of Islands, our future home.

Merv: /* Text of the Letter */

2007-09-12T09:54:42Z

Text of the Letter

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	[18] Very dear Br Director, let me ask you to give me news of yourself and all the Society through the next group to come out. You will let me know if the Brothers are good imitators of the Holy Family in all the establishments, if they are using prayer, kindness, and love of the good God to discipline their children. It seems to me that if they use these methods they make religion very sweet and agreeable for the children. You won't forget to inform me about the two Providences, especially the one in Chemin-neuf. Although I wasn't there for long, I conceived such an affection for the poor children that I would have been sorry to leave them had the good God not been calling me to children even more unfortunate. I have left them in body but not in spirit. I will always remind Our Lady of Fourvière to see to the continuance of what she has begun for those children. If I had stayed in France I would not have asked to leave those children. The Saint Nizier one did not make such an impression on me. But I hope very much that it is also prospering. After I was relieved of that Providence I used to find pleasure in taking a stroll around each day. I loved to see the order reigning there, and especially the happiness evident in the faces if the children. The runaways who had returned couldn't get over the great change that had taken place in their absence. Good Br Aquilas' way of doing things pleased me very much. I saw that he had the firmness of a father and the tenderness of a mother. I am sure his great devotion to Our Lady of Fourvière will obtain for him the graces needed to respond in a satisfactory way to the demands of that difficult post. I say difficult because there is always some difficulty when one wants to do good.		[18] Very dear Br Director, let me ask you to give me news of yourself and all the Society through the next group to come out. You will let me know if the Brothers are good imitators of the Holy Family in all the establishments, if they are using prayer, kindness, and love of the good God to discipline their children. It seems to me that if they use these methods they make religion very sweet and agreeable for the children. You won't forget to inform me about the two Providences, especially the one in Chemin-neuf. Although I wasn't there for long, I conceived such an affection for the poor children that I would have been sorry to leave them had the good God not been calling me to children even more unfortunate. I have left them in body but not in spirit. I will always remind Our Lady of Fourvière to see to the continuance of what she has begun for those children. If I had stayed in France I would not have asked to leave those children. The Saint Nizier one did not make such an impression on me. But I hope very much that it is also prospering. After I was relieved of that Providence I used to find pleasure in taking a stroll around each day. I loved to see the order reigning there, and especially the happiness evident in the faces if the children. The runaways who had returned couldn't get over the great change that had taken place in their absence. Good Br Aquilas' way of doing things pleased me very much. I saw that he had the firmness of a father and the tenderness of a mother. I am sure his great devotion to Our Lady of Fourvière will obtain for him the graces needed to respond in a satisfactory way to the demands of that difficult post. I say difficult because there is always some difficulty when one wants to do good.

	[19] Kindly tell my brother, when you have occasion to see him, that I pray to the good God for him and strongly urge him to be a good religious to the end, that I am well and very happy, and will write to him from the Bay of Islands at the earliest opportunity. Please remember me also to Fr Matricon and the good Fr Besson. Tell them I will write to them once I have seen Mgr Pompallier and have some news of the mission. In the meantime, dear Fr Matricon knows what I proposed to him in my letter from London. I acquit myself daily of the promise I made. I should tell you that our ship is a very new one and quite sturdy. It is 108 feet long and 27 wide, but only in the centre since the ends are narrower. It has 3 masts of 120 feet with 24 sails. I told you earlier that we had almost never been becalmed, but 600 leagues from the Cape we had 15 days of contrary winds or no wind at all. Since all that didn't contribute much to our progress, we set to praying and almost immediately a strong wind from the right quarter let us do in 7 days the ~~6OO~~ leagues remaining to reach the Cape of Good Hope.		[19] Kindly tell my brother, when you have occasion to see him, that I pray to the good God for him and strongly urge him to be a good religious to the end, that I am well and very happy, and will write to him from the Bay of Islands at the earliest opportunity. Please remember me also to Fr Matricon and the good Fr Besson. Tell them I will write to them once I have seen Mgr Pompallier and have some news of the mission. In the meantime, dear Fr Matricon knows what I proposed to him in my letter from London. I acquit myself daily of the promise I made. I should tell you that our ship is a very new one and quite sturdy. It is 108 feet long and 27 wide, but only in the centre since the ends are narrower. It has 3 masts of 120 feet with 24 sails. I told you earlier that we had almost never been becalmed, but 600 leagues from the Cape we had 15 days of contrary winds or no wind at all. Since all that didn't contribute much to our progress, we set to praying and almost immediately a strong wind from the right quarter let us do in 7 days the 600 leagues remaining to reach the Cape of Good Hope.

	[20] We had been waiting for a long time for the pleasure of setting foot on dry land. At the approaches to the Cape we saw birds with heads and bills like ducks on the sea. They are at least 5 feet in wingspan. They love to fly around ships. People call them the Cape sheep. The sailors have often tried to shoot them, but they are almost as incompetent at hunting as they are at fishing. In this country the warmest wind is the northerly, and the reason is simple enough, since it is the one coming from the direction of the sun, like the southerly in Europe, while the southerly here, not coming from the quarter of the sun, is the coldest. On our voyage we will have a taste of all four seasons of the year. We had winter in London, spring off the islands of Cape Verde, summer at the equator, autumn at the Cape of Good Hope, and we will find ourselves in winter again on arriving in New Zealand. At the Cape we have donned our winter clothing again. Winter is not very harsh in the countries we are going to since it never freezes but only has cool winds from time to time. Snow falls only on the peaks of the high mountains. The trees do not entirely lose their foliage since as leaves fall new ones appear. From London to the Cape we have done at least 4000 leagues. That makes it a bit more than half our voyage. We hope that in 2 months from now we will be at the Bay of Islands, our future home.		[20] We had been waiting for a long time for the pleasure of setting foot on dry land. At the approaches to the Cape we saw birds with heads and bills like ducks on the sea. They are at least 5 feet in wingspan. They love to fly around ships. People call them the Cape sheep. The sailors have often tried to shoot them, but they are almost as incompetent at hunting as they are at fishing. In this country the warmest wind is the northerly, and the reason is simple enough, since it is the one coming from the direction of the sun, like the southerly in Europe, while the southerly here, not coming from the quarter of the sun, is the coldest. On our voyage we will have a taste of all four seasons of the year. We had winter in London, spring off the islands of Cape Verde, summer at the equator, autumn at the Cape of Good Hope, and we will find ourselves in winter again on arriving in New Zealand. At the Cape we have donned our winter clothing again. Winter is not very harsh in the countries we are going to since it never freezes but only has cool winds from time to time. Snow falls only on the peaks of the high mountains. The trees do not entirely lose their foliage since as leaves fall new ones appear. From London to the Cape we have done at least 4000 leagues. That makes it a bit more than half our voyage. We hope that in 2 months from now we will be at the Bay of Islands, our future home.

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2007-09-12T09:52:53Z

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