Jewels from Jane, January 17

Today, January 17, 1836:

"The little brave company confided themselves without fear to the waves of the ocean January 17, St. Anthony Feast, 1836 in the morning. They all go to Chapel of Our Lady the Star of the Sea. Father Fontbonne celebrate the Holy Mass and all the Sisters go to holy communion. They come back, take breakfast, thank Madame Dodard for her kindness. She give them a big jar of jelly, a bottle of liqueur she had, fraid that we be sick on the ocean.

"The traverse was long, dangerous and painful. They remain 49 days on the ocean. Some were very sick but others were able to wait on the sick.

"We had some nice people on board; some children, three young men that had finished their study in Paris for Doctor were going home. They said to a Seminarist (Seminarian) that was with us that if he would take the medicine that they would give to him he would not be sick. He took it. It made him so sick that he was almost dead. The Sisters had to take care of him. He got better.

"When the weather was good they go on deck, there they say their prayers, lecture and meditation, and also take their recreation.

"Sometimes the sea was magnificent with the billows of waves dashing on the deck as if the vessel [The Natchez] was going down in the abyss. Then during the tempest some big monsters of fishes were swimming around the vessel. Once a Sister say that she could not live without her Mass prayer book. Then the Supr. Say - Why Sister, could you not live without your missal? She answer - No Mother. Then she said - give it to me. It was pretty old. She took it, put fire on, burn the book, throw the ashes in the ocean. The Sister feel pretty bad....The others say to the Sister - now you must use some other books. But when Father Fontbonne heard it he go down and bring a nice prayer book to the Sister - a grand new one. You may think how the Sister was glad to receive it.

"They begin the Lent on the ocean and for some it was the first time they were oblige to fast. They had permission to eat meat but it was no need because they had plenty other things to eat. The Captain was very good to them. When passing near some Island he bring them some bananas, oranges and other fruit, he bring it on the deck for them to eat.”

From Sister St. Protais Deboille's manuscript. She never mastered the English language very well.