2-109 (Raw)

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My DEAR MR BARBER
I had not time to write to you to mention the day of our departure from Upool - to thank you & my dear good Sisters at Salford for their many kindnesses to me. Of course you would hear of it in due Season. We have now commenced our 6th week and the time has passed quite as pleasantly as I could have anticipated, except as regards some circumstances of which you will hear at a later date. The weather is extremely hot - the thermometer stands at 85 in the shade. We enjoy nevertheless a breeze which is very refreshing I cannot say I am much incommoded by the heat, but poor Bede Sumner is quite in a melting mood, & Mr. Cotham is not much better. We are all quite well & in excellent health & - for which God be praised. Quite united amongst ourselves & on good terms with our fellow passengers. We live in some sense Conventualiter. We meet three times each day for Office; have our meditation and Spiritual lecture together. I have commenced a course of Moral Theology with the young men; and the priests and myself hold a conference on the Sacrts three times each week. Tuesday and Thursday are half recreation days. Such is our present course of life, which we commenced as soon as we recovered from sea sickness and have never interrupted one day. We received the Holy Commn for the first time on Maundy Thursday, and again on Easter Sunday. I proposed saying Mass on that great festival, but the water was so rough we could not meet except for Office. To my shame I must say, I am as much inclined to laugh when I ought to be serious, by sea as by land: indeed, more so. Such queer things do sometimes happen. For instance, I was giving the blessing at Prime on Easter Sunday, and just as I said the word disponat the Ship gave a lurch and seated me on the floor of my cabin. Bede was thrown to the side opposite to that on which he was sitting, and no sooner there than another lurch sent him back to his first position. [29]
Then we are so curiously habited. I, of course, am dressed a l'ordinaire - but of the rest, one in jockey coat, another without or else panting like expiring oysters. I celebrated Mass last Sunday and again today assisted by the Priests. Thus assisted, there is small risk. I am sure you would enjoy the voyage extremely. The Captn is extremely civil & kind - our provisions hitherto as good as could be expected. The quantity of water is somewhat restricted - we have each half a pint for washing and by the time we reach Sydney I shall be enabled to wash in a thimblefull - I am slung up each night in a thing called a Cott. It swings about 2ft from the ceiling. How I should like to see you try to ride this most skittish horse. It goes to and fro like the pendulum of a Clock for a quarter of an hour after you are in, but the danger is in getting in or of either going over or tumbling out. I have had two accidents. At one time the ropes at the feet broke & another those at the head - down I came & only hurt my toe. We have not had any stormy weather - the ocean generally presents a wild melancholy spread of water, monotonous as a whole, tho each individual part is in motion. We passed in sight of Antonio, one of the Cape Verd Islands, the only land we have seen ever since we bade adieu to Cape Clear. We have not observed many fish. Two or three whales, and some binitos - one was speared two days since and we [had] it for dinner. Gregory, who lives in the same Cabin with me, saw yesterday a Shark astern. We hope to catch one shortly. It is delightful to witness the Shoals of flying fish about the size of a herring which sometimes take a course thro the air to avoid their enemies. One came into the Cabin of a Passenger. I hope all are quite well. Do write to me a long letter - direct Sydney, New S.W.
Something is paid with the letter - 8d. in London. How is the arbitration going on? I do not think I shall have time to write so fully to Downside as I could wish - please therefore to send this letter and also mention to the President with our united respects and love and wish all that is kind to our good Sisters. My hand is shaking with the heat and the motion of the vessel is so great I am afraid you will scarcely make out this,
EVER MOST AFFLY YR CONFRERE/+ J.B. POLDING
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