Girard0001

12 Oct 1836 - 18 Jan 1837 — Travel Journal of Fr Claude Bret

Translated by Fr Brian Quin SM, August 2006

[1] 12 October: Stay in Paris. The ship Dauphine [sic – later Delphine - translator’s note] on which the Bishop [Pompallier] had booked his passage was due to sail on the 25th. At that time the loading had not been completed. Fathers Chanel and Bataillon and Brother Marie-Nizier were sent to Le Havre on the 27th to make some purchases.
[2] November 11: Departure from Paris.
[3]12: Arrival at Rouen. Visits to churches. Accommodated at the major seminary. The Bishop pays a visit to the Cardinal Prince of Crois. Departure for Le Havre. Father Servant and Brother Michel stay in Rouen.
[4] 13: Arrive at Le Havre. Stay with Madame Dodard. Guests: Bishop Pompallier and his group, 3 Picpus missionaries and one Brother, one Jesuit, Father Ladavière.
[5] 14: Arrival of Father Servant and Brother Michel, and of Bishop Blanc, Bishop of New Orleans; also staying at Madame Dodard’s with some Jesuits.
[6] 15: Rain, hail, lightning, thunder.
[7] 16-17: Rain.

[25] 24 [December]: It is snowing, freezing. The wind is from the north-east, what we have been awaiting for 2 months. Our captain has given the signal for departure. At 9 o’clock we went on board. [...] At 12 noon we were in the harbor. The pilot and those who had come with him left us. As we left the harbor, seasickness. — The bishop, Father Chanel and Brother Joseph took a longer time to get over it. [...]

[33] 2 [January]: Calm. The captain was worried all night long. In the morning his worries only increased. An accident affecting our rudder forces us to seek a port for shelter. — When we left the harbor basin at Le Havre, the port captain had stretched a large rope from one end to the other of the basin entrance to prevent the ships from leaving all together. This rope became entangled in our rudder and the rear of the ship. Since no one knew what was keeping us from leaving, all kinds of force were used to disengage from the hindrance, and, once the ship was freed from it, no one was concerned about knowing if there had been some harm. However, of the 4 studs which attach the rudder to the ship, 2 were broken and the third severely damaged. Only today was this noticed; when the captain saw that 2 studs were missing, the third fell off. Only one is left; the rudder is attached so as to keep it from falling into the sea. An emergency rudder is made in case the main one should be lost. The ship goes toward the Canary Islands to seek shelter. We are about 80 leagues from land.

[39] 8: We are finally before Santa Cruz, about a quarter of a league. The Blessed Virgin has protected us. For 8 days we had calms, bad weather or contrary wind; at any moment we could have lost our rudder and would then have remained exposed to every subsequent danger.

[42] 11. Heavy seas. — Our rudder, once removed, is found to be damaged; a new one is being made.

[43] 12. Several slept very well despite the tempest. At least 8 more days will be needed to make a new rudder during this rainy season. ...