Life of Felix de Andreis. Chapter 04

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Author: Joseph Rosati, C.M. · Year of first publication: 1900.

Journey of Father De Andreis and Companions from Rome to Bordeaux and thence to Baltimore.


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ON the 27th of December 1815, Father De Andreis arrived at Placentia, where he had the pleasure of again meeting a number of his former fellow students, professors and superiors. He preserved, during the whole course of his life, for those who had been his first guides and directors, the same esteem and affection which he felt for them at the very first. He frequently spoke of them with pleasure, recalling the virtues he noticed in them, and mentioned particularly Fathers Alliora, Giordana, De Petris and Girodi.

On the 3oth, he left Placentia, taking with him Brother Martin Blanka. He arrived at Turin on the 2d of January 1816, at Montpelier on the 17th and at Bordeaux on the 3oth. From this place he wrote im­mediately to the vicar-general of the Con­gregation of the Mission, and, to avoid re­petition, we will give his own account as contained in that letter, dated Bordeaux, February 1st, 1816.

“VERY REVEREND SIR :

“I have the honor to inform you of our safe arrival, on the 3oth ult., having left behind us, at Toulouse, our companions who started from Rome two months before we did, and who will not be able to reach Bordeaux for five or six days, on account of the disasters they experienced during their sea-voyage. I cannot express the consola­tion I received on meeting them at Tou­louse, after having felt so much grief at Montpelier, when I bad reason to fear that they had been shipwrecked ; so much so, that I had interiorly offered their loss as a sacrifice to God. May he be continually blessed, that good God, Qui mortificat et vivificat, deducit ad inferos et reducit; he desires to detach me from everything. . . As far as I am myself concerned, the journey has been most beneficial, notwith­standing the difficulties we encountered among the mountains of Savoy, on account of the cold weather and the almost incredi­ble amount of snow which had fallen. On one occasion, we were obliged to take the horses from the carriage, and remain in the vehicle during a terrible storm, which threatened to overwhelm us ; we were also compelled to go part of the way on foot, and, the snow being above our knees, we almost perished. But, after all this, when we traversed Dauphiny, Provence, Languedoc, and Gascony, there was not an inch of snow on the ground, and the weather became quite mild. . . . The excellent and saintly bishop of Bordeaux was kind enough to give me lodging in his palaee, and a seat at his own table ; he appointed me chaplain of the prisons. My companions are placed with different pious persons, and some of them in the houses of the Sisters of Charity, the three Sister-Servants of which houses, came to visit me to-day; they are ready to follow us to Louisiana, and I intend to make arrangements on the subject, with Father Hanon at Paris. . . . The affairs of the Con­gregation in France, are taking a favorable turn, the Court having issued a decree for its re-establishment, and several priests, with a few novices, have already joined Father Hanon. I beg you to recommend us to the Lord, and to ask our good fellow missionaries, to do the same, so that I, by my sins and my pride, may not spoil the work of God, that I may learn to humble myself, thoroughly, and thus become an in­strument in the hands of God, to perform whatever his divine providence has decreed, zit sive per vitam, sire per mortem, women. Dei glorificetur, etc.”

Other more minute particulars of the journey are narrated by Father De Andreis in some of his writings ; we will give them here, in order to describe more fully some things that he has barely mentioned above. The following are his own words:

“On the 5th of January, we went to Susa, and, the next day, being the feast of the Epiphany, having availed myself, literally, of the privilege ante aurorant, by saying Mass at a very early hour, we set out to climb Mount Cenis, which was covered with snow, the weather being pretty cold. The 7th, which happened to be Sunday, was a memorable day for us. It had been snow­ing all night, and, the wind being very high, blew the snow in all directions; how­ever, we started before day-light ; but, when we had gone two or three leagues, we were compelled to stop, for besides the great fatigue of the horses, which were knee deep in snow, and lashed continually by the icy gusts, there was danger of falling into the precipices, which, in Savoy, nearly always border the public roads; and the snow was now so deep, that it was difficult to distin­guish the road from the rest of the neighbor­hood. In this extremity, the driver saw no other hope of safety, but in taking the horses from the coach, it being impossible for us to turn back, as there was no means of moving the vehicle. He, therefore, left us in this plight, between a mountain on one baud, and, on the other, a precipice into which the wind might easily blow the coach; and, though the latter seemed her­metically closed, the snow came in, imper­ceptibly, through the openings, annoying and covering us, without our knowing whence it came. When we bad been for two hours exposed to the danger of rolling into the snow, and being buried therein, the driver re-appeared, and, having rehar­nessed the horses, took us on a few_leagues further to the town of Bramante, where we dismounted at a miserable inn. I inquired immediately if it were possible to say Mass ; but our hostess told me that the church was far off, and, that, in consequence of the weather, it would be out of the ques­tion to convey me there. Her husband en­tering a short time after, I repeated my en­quiry, and he replied that the church was not distant more than a stone’s throw, telling me he would go on before, and that we might follow him. We set out then, up to the waist in snow, without any path, our eyes completely dazzled, and our breath taken away by the wind and drift. After a few steps, our guide, who was accustomed to run like a greyhound, soon disappeared, leaving us quite bewildered in the midst of a sea of snow, unable to distinguish the place whence we started, or that to which we were going ; since the wind and the snow, failing in torrents, prevented us from opening our eyes. Almost frozen to death, though covered with perspiration and pant­ing from our efforts to struggle against the wind and snow, we were, for an instant, breathless ; and thinking that death was inevitable I could not refrain from blaming my own imprudence. At length, it pleased God to let us reach the church. But we were more dead than alive, and were at least a quarter of an hour recovering our breath. Our clothes were, externally, cov­ered with a thick coating of ice, as hard as stone, while interiorly, they were wet with perspiration and with the snow, which melted under the influence of our natural heat. The church was full, and the pastor was most urgent in his request that I should preach. Besides the fact that I was not yet sufficiently master of the French lan­guage to be able to preach ex abrupto, I was then in such a state, that the depart­ing prayers might have been read over me. Without a fire or a place to rest, it was in the bread of the strong that I sought my refuge. I said Mass then, and could hardly believe that I left the Church alive. The following day we went to San Michele. . . . On the 13th, I said Mass at Valence, in the cathedral, which contains the relics of Pius VI., enclosed in an elegant marble shrine, which would show to advantage, even at St. Peter’s. On the i7th, we arrived at Montpelier, where our disappointed wish of saying Mass, caused us to remain fasting until five in the afternoon. The bishop gave its lodging in the seminary, where we rested until the loth.

“I was most anxious to -receive tidings of my companions, who, under the protection of Father Rosati, were coming on by sea. A lady who visited me, in order to enquire after Bishop Dubonrg, told me, that out of twenty-one vessels, that had sailed for the southern ports of France, nineteen had per­ished. Such news as this combined with the fact that we had been so long without hearing from them, made me conceive the most lively apprehensions concerning their safety; and God only knows what a night I passed, beholding them, in imagination, shipwrecked on the stormy waves. On the 24th, we went to Toulouse, and great in­deed was our joy in embracing all our be­loved companions, who, on their side, had been equally distressed on our account. We spent two days with them at the Grand Seminary, and then we started for Bordeaux, which place had been selected as our abode until our embarkation. Having crossed the province of Gascony, we arrived at the last named city on the 3oth, and it would be difficult for me to describe the warm and cordial welcome given us by the saintly Archbishop, the Most Reverend Charles d’Aviared Du Bois de Sanzai ; he had the kindness to keep me with him for the space of four months and a half, and appointed for each member of our two parties, a lodg­ing in some community, or in the house of one of his clergymen. He gave me, at once, all the faculties, and came himself to install me as chaplain of the prison of Chateau du Ha, where I used to say Mass on festival days, preach, hear confessions, etc.” (Journal written by Father De An­dreis. )

The zeal of Father De Andreis was not limited to the comfort and spiritual direc­tion of these prisoners ; its effects were felt in all the functions of the holy ministry which he fulfilled. As he became known in the place, many sought him out, some for counsel, others for direction, and all classes of this large city derived immense benefit from the ample powers granted him by the excellent Archbishop. But, in speak­ing on this subject, we shall no longer be able to refer to the words of Father De An­dreis, always so reserved with regard to himself ; we will, therefore, have recourse to Bishop R.osati, who was an eye-witness of the good he did.

“The servant of God visited the jails, comforting the poor prisoners, with all the consolations that religion affords, according to the counsel and example of his holy founder St. Vincent. He said Mass for them on feast-days, preached the truths of the gospel, instructed them in all their religions duties, and, having thus prepared their hearts, gave them a retreat of some days, by means of which a great number were led to confess their sins with lively sorrow, and receive the most holy Eucharist. The Sisters of Charity, founded also by St. Vincent, seeing him so zealous and skilful, in the discharge of all these works of mercy, would send for the ‘Italian missionary’ to assist every one of these poor wretches. They, likewise, thought themselves most fortunate in having, within their reach, a priest, who seemed a living portrait of St. Vincent ; and the continual acts of virtue, of which lie gave them the example, induced them to treat him with the utmost veneration, while they tendered him the kindest assistance. They consulted him as a father and director, being desirous of learning the most perfect manner of dis­charging their holy duties. The servant of God condescended to their pious wishes, and, though they were already very virtu­ous, they gladly derived much benefit from his instructions and guidance.

“Father De Andreis attended to these good works, and many others besides, with­out the least ostentation, and, as much as possible, wished to be taken for some un­known traveller. He rejoiced in this ob­scurity, which was so dear to him, and which is always so much desired by the children of St. Vincent ; but, in spite of his desire, his reputation and the esteem in which he was held by the most eminent persons, continually increased. The Vicars-general of the Archbishop, the Canons of the cathedral, the prieSts of the city and those of the country, whose business took them to Bordeaux, sought his acquaintance, had frequent interviews with him, and never left his presence without being deeply im­pressed with his eminent qualities. One would admire the depth of his knowledge, another the holiness of his life, and all, the suavity and prudence of his demeanor. Their admiration amounted to enthusiasm when they heard him speak of the Church in Rome, and the heroic sufferings endured by Pius VII., who was then just -liberated from the species of slavery to which he had been subjected. They pressed him with questions on the number and form of the different pious institutions then existing in Rome, and also desired him to tell them about the various devout practices which are observed in Italy. To all this he replied with such clearness and precision, accom­panied with so much affability, that they were scarcely able to part from him. They often returned to listen to him, anxious to learn something new. To satisfy their wishes, he one day gave them a pathetic description of a devotion, which was then quite popular in Italy, and was called, The Three Hours of Chlr Lord’s Agony. ‘It is usually made,’ said the servant of God, ‘on Good Friday, and is begun at twelve o’clock, to be concluded at three. A Cal­vary, with the representation of our Saviour nailed to the cross, on the point of expiring, is erected in the sanctuary of the church. The assembled crowd sing some hymn, in a mournful strain, on the first words of our Lord on.the cross. This over, the priest ascends the pulpit, repeats the words and comments upon them by some pious reflec­tions of a nature to touch the hearts of his auditors ; after this, he reads a short medi­tation upon the same subject. All listen to him with the utmost attention, and in pro­found silence and recollection, reflect upon the thoughts suggested to them ; some prayers follow, and then another hymn is sung on the second words of our Lord on the cross, and so on, until the seventh word ; and between the hymns, meditations and readings, the auditors are excited to feelings of love, gratitude and repentance, according to the extent of the preacher’s ability.’

“While Father De Andreis was relating the above,” continues Bishop Rosati, “the Archbishop and his Vicars experienced an ardent desire to introduce the holy practice which he described ; and, having prepared all that was requisite in one of the con­ventual churches, they entreated Father De Andreis to superintend the arrangements and to preach. Crowds attended the ex­ercises, which created such a sensation that, though they were performed for the first time at Bordeaux by the servant of God, during the following years they were introduced into several other churches of France.

“The favorable impression which the sermons of Father De Andreis produced upon all, induced the Archbishop to confide to him the duty of giving the usual retreat to the seminarists and the candidates for ordination. The servant of God endeavored to avoid this charge, alleging .that he had not his manuscripts with him, besides which, he declared that he was not as yet sufficiently familiar with the French lan­guage to be able to address persons of edu­cation. But the orders of his superiors made him overcome his reluctance, so that he applied himself to the undertaking that was required of him, and succeeded so well that all these young aspirants to the priesthood were penetrated with the sacred and sub­lime truths which he imparted to them.”

In the meantime Father De Andreis did not forget the companions of his mission, either those he brought with him from Rome, or others who came subsequently to join the Apostolic expedition. He revived their zeal by his frequent exhortations, and so animated their courage that they felt ready for every peril they were about to, encounter, heartily resolving to die for the glory of God ji in a word, he made of them so many intrepid apostles. While he was thus encouraging them by his fervid discourses, he received a letter from Bishop Dubourg, wherein the Prelate informed him of a great change that he was com­pelled to make in their destination. He no longer intended that they should proceed to New Orleans, situated about a hundred miles from the mouth of the Mississippi, but to St. Louis, which is on the banks of the same river, about twelve hundred miles above. The principal reason that induced the bishop to make this alteration in their route, was the great advantage which, he trusted, would be derived from it, both by the Catholics who, almost destitute of religious succor, were dispersed throughout the country, and by the Indians, who are more within reach at St. Louis than at New Orleans. It was on this account that the first house of the Mission with its seminary was built there, and, as both English and French were spoken at St. Louis, the bishop concluded his letter by saying that it was absolutely necessary that the missionaries should learn the former language.

This unforeseen determination did not discourage Father De Andreis ; on the con­trary, it met with his entire approbation and was, in all, conformable to his own views. He joyfully announced it to his companions, “Now then,” said he, “let us take courage, gentlemen ; I see that the English language will, indeed, be indis­pensable to us.” “When he spoke thus,” adds Bishop Rosati, (who was then only a missionary, ) “I recalled to mind what he had told me, some years before, in Rome : That the English language would, one day, be necessary for vs both, as we should be obliged to preach in that tongue, and that it was, therefore, more mcessary for me .to learn it than Hebrew, which I was then studying. His prediction was verified to the letter. I perceived it in the circum­stance of our change of destination; and my esteem for the servant of God was, in con­sequence, very much increased ; in him, I beheld a living saint, to whom the Almighty vouchsafed to reveal the future. But he took care not to remind me of what he had Said, for his humility always prompted him to conceal his supernatural gifts.

“On the 22d of May, the eve of the Ascen­sion, Bishop Dubourg arrived at Bordeaux. He was accompanied by a band of young men, partly ecclesiastics and partly secu­lars aspiring to. the sacerdotal dignity, all equally longing to embark for America, in order to share in the holy enterprise. We were reanimated by the presence of this distinguished Prelate, who confirmed our resolution of going to St. Louis, and took immediate measures to prepare the depart­ure of the first band, of which Father De Andreis was the head, the bishop intending to set out shortly after with the second division of our company.”

The servant of God announced these occurrences to the vicar-general in Rome, by a letter of the 28th of May, of the follow­ing tenor :

“A few days ago, Bishop Dubourg arrived here ; he constantly endears himself more and more to us all. A real father could not show us more affection, or be more solicitous for our welfare. Besides this, all the inhabitants of the city, especially the clergy, overwhelm us with kindness, and have bestowed many considerable presents upon us. The Sisters of Charity treat us as brothers, and volumes would not suffice to record the benefits which we have re­ceived from them. Happening to find all the superiors together yesterday, I took the opportunity of delivering your message, which they received with much pleasure. In a word, Providence showers down its blessings upon our mission, so much so, that I am covered with confusion at the sight of my incapacity for so great an en­terprise. Through just and prudent motives, our plan has been changed, and instead of going to New Orleans, the capital of Lower Louisiana, we are going four hundred leagues higher, to St. Louis, the capital of the upper part of the province. I have, therefore, been obliged to apply myself seriously to the study of the English lan­guage. We shall go to Philadelphia, or Baltimore, and thence by land some eight hundred leagues farther, through the woods, among inusquitoes, wolves, bears, panthers, rattle-snakes, and savages almost more ferocious than the wild beasts themselves. We shall be obliged to sleep tinder trees, making large fires around to keep off in­truders. I regret that we shall have to change our costume for the secular dress, but this will be only for a while. Four of the priests who came with us from Rome have left us ; but we have been more than compensated for their desertion by many others who have joined our band. This morning, the bishop will conclude his bar­gain with an American captain for our speedy departure ; we are to form the van­guard, about twelve in number, and shall remain a short time in Kentucky to await the bishop, who is not to leave Bordeaux until October, and who, consequently, will not be with its before next year. Our new destination possesses many advantages over New Orleans; climate is healthy, the manners of the people simple, and, as yet, free from European vanities. St. Louis is also a trading-point for all the Indian nations, and offers many resources for our establishment. As for me, I am in one continued transport of delight and admira­tion on beholding how Divine Providence has, by anexplicable, and stupendous ways, led me to the summit of my desires, those very desires with which he himself had in­spired me, which he fostered in my heart, and towards the accomplishment of which he guided me imperceptibly during so many years. It seems to me that we are all well resolved to become good missionaries, and to seek nothing else in this world but God and the salvation of souls.”

As Father De Andreis said in his letter, the arrangements for their departure were to be concluded on the 28th of May, with the captain of an American vessel ; but some difficulties having arisen, the contract was broken off, and hence, to the disap­pointment of all, their embarkation was de­ferred for a few days longer. Father De Andreis tranquilly resigned himself to await another opportunity. It was, shortly after, known that this vessel having been assailed at a little distance from Bordeaux, by a furious tempest, was lost, with all be­longing to her ! Father De Andreis often related this sad occurrence, with the remark, that, under human opposition, God always conceals designs of particular mercy towards his servants.

The final arrangements for their journey were taken with the master of a brig called the Ranger; and everything being satis­factorily concluded, the Missionaries em­barked on the 12th of June. Bishop Du­bourg, who was obliged to remain in France for the affairs of his diocese, accompanied them to the harbor, and while bidding them farewell, exhorted them, in the most press­ing manner, to be obedient in everything to Father De Andreis, whom he constituted, not only superior of this band, but also his vicar and representative in all that related to the concerns of his diocese. They were moved to tears at his words, and before leaving, he embraced and blessed each one of them ; then, entering a small boat, they were conveyed to the ship, where they spent the night. As the next day was the feast of Corpus Christi, and the ship could not set sail, for want of a fair wind, Father De Andreis and his companions went ashore, where he celebrated the holy sacrifice of the Mass, and gave them all holy communion. Soon after their return to the ship, the wind changed in their favor, and the sails were set. The following are the names of those who accompanied Father De Andreis : Fathers Rosati and Acquaroni, both priests of the Congregation of the Mission ; Fathers Carretti and Ferrari, secular priests from the city of Port Maurice on the river Genoa, the former being Canon of the collegiate church ; Messrs. Francis Xavier Dalnnen, Joseph Tichitoli, Leo Deys, and Casto Gon­zalez, seminarists ; Brother Martin Blanka, of the Congregation of the Mission ; and three young laymen, Francis Moranviller, Medard Di Latre, and John Flegifont, who had some intention of entering the Congre­gation as lay-brothers.

The Missionaries were almost the only passengers on board the vessel ; for their convenience, a small cabin had been con­structed, in which each one had his own berth. In the centre was a table on which they took their meals, namely, dinner and supper. This room soon became a little seminary or rather a sanctuary, for Father De Andreis, who was a great lover of order and regularity, drew up some rules which all, even those who did not belong to the Congregation, made it their pleasure to follow exactly ; so that the whole band seemed transformed into a religious com­munity. In the morning at an appointed hour, the signal was given to rise, and half an hour after, meditation was begun by the reading of the usual points. Then the altar being prepared, Mass was cele­brated, if the accidents incidental to a sea-voyage did not prevent it, meditation was concluded by the Angelus and the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus. The Breviary was recited in common, at its proper time ; there were also hours set apart for reading the New Testament, and other pious books ; also for moral conferences, and the study of theology. A certain portion of time was allotted to silence, another to recreation, particular examination, and part of the Rosary, in which all joined. Sacramental confession and a spiritual conference took place every week, Father De Andreis being the soul and director of these pious ex­ercises ; all his companions were dependent on him and we may say, in a word, that they formed but one heart and one mind. The captain of the ship was struck with admiration at their manner of life, and seemed never weary of contemplating their union and recollection ; he testified the utmost respect towards each one of them, and sought to alleviate, as much as lay in to come and enjoy the fresh air and fine weather. They often had spiritual reading there, or recited part of the Rosary which they ended by singing the Litany of Loretto. All those that composed their little band were gifted with good voices and acquainted with music, so that the chant was really harmo­nious and delightful to the ear. And, if they sometimes delayed it, the captain would beg them to begin, telling them how much it pleased him ; and they, as they sang, implored her who is the star of the sea, to protect from all shoals and perils of the deep, the mariners who put their trust in her.

On Sundays and festivals, Mass was sung in the Gregorian chant, in two choirs. Father De Andreis expounded the Gospel, and those who could not celebrate, went to communion. ‘Vespers were solemnly chanted in the same way, so that the vessel, thus transformed into a church, resembled the bark of the Apostles, into which our Lord so often entered. With the same solemnity, they celebrated the feast of St. Vincent, and, as their voyage was progress­ing but slowly, on account of adverse winds, which caused it to be feared that their pro­visions might not hold out in case of much delay, Father De Andreis proposed that all should make, in honor of the saint, a vow by which they would bind themselves to solemnize the day of his death, namely, the 27th of September, by fasting on the eve of that day, and preparing for its celebration by a novena. All were delighted at the proposal, and agreed to it with joy.

St. Vincent soon vouchsafed to manifest his satisfaction at the vow, for almost im­mediately, the wind became favorable, and on the 23d of July, land was seen ; they soon entered Chesapeake Bay, and on the 26th, landed at Baltimore. But before going ashore, they chanted theMass Pro gra­tiarum actione, with feelings of love and gratitude which can more easily be im­agined, than expressed.

The above description of this journey, such as Bishop Rosati gives it, being very short, necessarily omits many interesting details ; we have, therefore, thought that it will be well to give also the Journal written by Father De Andreis, just as lie sent it to Rome in 1819. We might, certainly, have inserted it above, by making, of the two, but one narrative. But we feared that some of the beauty belonging to the original, might be lost in passing through our hands, aid might also seem less worthy of credi­bility ; we will, therefore, give all particu­lars, in the very words of the Journal, even though, by so doing, we may repeat some circumstances already mentioned. Father De Andreis writes, then, as follows :

“On the 12th of June, having put on the customary dress of the American clergy, consisting of a short coat cravat and round hat, we embarked on the Garoinne, in a sloop which conveyed us to the American brig “Ranger,” lying at Poliac. Our bag­gage being already on board, we ascended the sides of the vessel by means of rope lad­ders, our number amounting, to thirteen ; five priests, four seminarists, one lay-brother and three postnlants, who, by-the-by, all three of them, subsequently left us. Berths had been prepared for us in a large airy room around which each one had his own place, all being arranged like the shelves in a library. With the exception of a young Quaker from Baltimore, we were the only passengers. The captain professed no re­ligion ; he and all his crew were Americans. Among the sailors were two negroes and an Indian. The captain, although a Protes­tant, facilitated as much as he could, the performance of our religious exercises ; he always treated us with respect, and took pleasure in assisting at divine service, and in hearing us speak on religious subjects ; but, at the conclusion of our discourse he would say candidly, that he cared more for his dollars than for his soul, and that the business of this world seemed to him of more importance than that of the next ! What lamentable blindness !

“The day after our embarkation, being the festival of Corpus Christi, as we were still near land, four of us went ashore at break of day, in the sloop ; two said Mass. and the others approached the holy table. We then returned in haste to the ship ; at eight we set sail, and arrived, towards even­ing, opposite Rohan. On the i4th, we availed ourselves of the privilege granted us by the Sovereign Pontiff, and said Mass in the ship, having with us all the sacred vessels, and a good supply of altar-bread, wine, and tapers. Each time the most holy sacrifice was offered,, a priest, in surplice and stole, stood beside the celebrant, with his hand on the base of the chalice, after the consecration, in order to prevent any accident. When we began our journey, the weather was delightful, but we soon ex­perienced the effects of a sea-voyage. Being all sick, we had no Mass on the 15th ; on Sunday, the 16th, we had two, and the same number every succeeding day, except when the ship was tossed about too violently. Fathers Rosati, Carretti, and the two pos­tulants, were sick the whole time. I suffered less than any one. We had some stormy weather, particularly during one night which we spent in prayer ; it seemed as if that night were destined to be our last. So furiously did the waves lash against the vessel’s sides, that the planks seemed, every moment, ready to give way. The sailors were terrified and the captain himself ex­horted us to redouble our prayers. The Almighty was pleased to deliver us from this peril, that our sufferings might be pro­longed. The victims were ready, but the blow was deferred, He alone knows why !

“Before we left Bordeaux Bishop Du­bourg gave me a patent of Vicar-General, and another to Father Rosati, iu case any accident should happen to me. The arch­bishop of Bordeaux, as littoral Bishop, gave us full faculties as far as Baltimore. While passing the coasts of Spain we saw some whales, and other marine monsters, which came within some little distance of us. We also admired the flying-fish, which in some respects resembles a bird. One of these fishes having fallen one evening upon the table in our room, we eat it and found it excellent. It was something like a small cod-fish, and its membranous wings, were sufficiently extended to enable it to fly from time to time. We also noticed with wonder and admiration, a large tower constructed in the midst of the ocean, several miles from land, and seeming to rise above the waves, without any visible rock to support it.

“We made the Novena of St. Vincent, and it happened that, on the very day of his feast, a negro slave, for relapse into theft and drunkenness, was to undergo the chastisement which was customary in such cases ; namely, to be thrown into the sea attached to a rope which passed under the ship. It being drawn up on the other side, obliged the poor wretch to pass under the vessel, once or several times, at the immi­nent risk of losing his life in the process. We told the captain that it was a great festival for us, and begged him to pardon, for the sake of our Saint, the unhappy de­linquent. Luckily, we succeeded in obtain­ing our request.

“We had now been about forty days at sea, and had made very little progress, owing to calms, and adverse winds ; the captain complained that the provisions would soon be exhausted, and he feared that, in consequence, we should die of hunger ; we were about three hundred miles from Baltimore, and, if we did not go back every day, at least we did not advance ; we resolved then, to make a vow, in honor of St. Vincent, at the First Vespers of his feast, and it was expressed in the following terms ;

We, the undersigned missionaries of Louisiana, amid the perils which, surround us, being firmly convinced of the influence and special ,favor which thou, 0 glorious and illustrious hero of Christian Charity, St. Vincent of Paul, dost enjoy, before the throne of the Divine Majesty ; on this day, dedicated by the Church to the celebration of thy glorious triumph; prostrate at thy feet, implore thee by the zeal which inflamed thy heart for the glory of God, the salvation of souls, and the welfare of those who con­secrate their lives to promote these ends, to accept the vow we joyfidly offer thee, and by which we bind ourselves to celebrate, in the best possible manner, the day of thy happy death, on the 27th of September, 1816, to prepare for it by a novena, and a .fast on tiro eve; in the hope that thou wilt obtain for us a favorable wind, and a safe termination of our voyage, together with an increase of that apostolic spirit, which was so conspicu­ous in the whole course cf thy holy life.—Amen.’

“As some of our number were French, the above words were translated into that language, and all joined in making the vow. We celebrated the feast of St. Vincent, with all possible solemnity; our little room was hung with sheets festooned with fringes, and decorated with reliquaries, Agnus Deis, etc. Each one of us celebrated the holy sacrifice, the last Mass being chanted ; we also had Vespers, a sermon in French, etc. These exercises were performed with heart­felt delight by every one.

“It was not long before we experienced the effects of our vow. A day or two after, to the great surprise and joy of all, we be­gan to perceive the continent of America, which seemed at first only like a dark line, dotted here and there with clusters of green trees. We soon entered Chesapeake Bay, from which we had so long been kept away, by the current flowing from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean, like a large river, bearing along with it, masses of sea. weed and other marine formations. When we entered the bay, a schooner came, according to custom, with a pilot on board, to take command of our brig, and steer her through the difficult passes. The captain imme­diately came to tell us that the pilot was a Catholic, which was, of course, sufficient reason for an interchange of mutual con­gratulations. On the 25t1.1 we drew near land, and, Father Acquaroni, impatient to go ashore, asked my leave to avail himself of the opportunity ‘presented by the return of the schooner. He went ashore, and came back the same evening, to the ship. Our landing took place on the 26th of July, the octave day of St. Vincent, about ten o’clock in the morning.”

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