Jewels from Jane, May 7

Saturday, May 7, 1870 Leaving San Diego

"The wagon was too small for all to ride inside, consequently one was obliged to ride outside with the driver. Sister Ambrosia volunteereed to make the great act of mortification and humility. It is beyond description what she suffered in riding two hundred miles like this, without protection from the rays of a tropical sun. Yet poor Sister did this.

"About 10:00 o'clock we passed a white post that marks the southwest boundary of the United States. We dropped a few tears at the sight of it, then entered Lower California. At noon we halted and took lunch in a stable 12 miles from San Diego.

"Sister Maxime and I went in search of gold; seeing quantities of it, we proposed getting a sack and filling it. Just think, a sack of gold! -- but we soon learned from experience that "all is not gold that glitters."

"We camped, about sunset, at the foot of a mountain; made some tea, and took our supper off a rock. All were cheerful. We wished Rev. Mother could see us at supper. After offering thanks to the Giver of all good, we retired to rest -- Mother, Sisters Euphrasia and Martha under the wagon, others inside where there was room only for two to lie down.

"Sisters Euphrasia and I sat in a corner and tried to sleep. We had scarcely closed our eyes when the wolves began to howl about us. We were terribly frightened and recommended ourselves to the safe-keeping of Him who guides the weary traveler on his way. We feared they would consume our little store of provisions and thus let us perish in the wilderness, but the driver told us not to fear. During the night Sister Euphrasia was startled from her sleep by one of the horses licking her face. She screamed fearfully, and we concluded she was a prey of the wolves."

From the Trek of the Seven Sisters: Diary of Sister Monica Corrigan

Jewels from Jane, April 27

Wednesday, April 27, 1870 Entering California

"About 6:00 o'clock a.m. we passed a place called Cape Horn. It is an ugly, dreary place. The railroad track runs along the side of a mountain that rises on the right and left. About five or six feet from the track there is a precipice said to be 300 feet deep, which extends about a mile along the railroad. On the opposite side of this precipice are mountains from whose sides issue several streams flowing into the chasm beneath, where, uniting, they rush along with an awe-inspiring impetuosity. At 8:00 o'clock we reached the California gold diggings. They are subterranean; consequently we did not see them. We dined at Colfax with Rev. Father Kelly, who took a fatherly care of us. We then parted with him, and in bidding us farewell, he presented us with a five-dollar gold piece, with strict injunctions to telegraph him in case we needed any funds, as he would not fail to supply them. He gave us an introductory to Rev. H. Gallagher, San Francisco, who rendered us important services when there. Father Kelly said he would apply for a colony of our Sisters for Salt Lake City, were it not that he purposed leaving the mission to enter the Congregation of Lazarists. He is the first pastor of that mission and has been there 15 years.

"At 7:00 o'clock p.m., we presented a beautiful sight after our week's journey, without arranging our toilet, the distance from Omaha to San Francisco being 1914 miles. At 7:00 o'clock p.m. we reached San Francisco. Mr. Deobeck saw us in the bus, and attended to our baggage, but owing to some mistake in the address, we did not reach the hospital until 9:00 o'clock p.m. We were received most cordially by the good Sisters of Mercy, who did all in their power to make us comfortable. We were sadly in need of rest, as we were completely dizzy from the motion of the cars."

From "Trek of the Seven Sisters" - Sister Monica Corrigan's diary