We breakfasted early, and prepared to mount our mules, which were not as good as those previously hired by Mr. Peck. . . We soon learned that we had to ride men’s saddles, which we mounted reluctantly, with hearts almost sunken within us. Poor Sister Mary Ignatia shed bitter tears. We were all ready to start about eight o’clock, thirteen ladies and six gentlemen made our company. We kept pretty well together until about two o’clock, when we stopped at a bamboo shed, in order to get a drink. The mules did not travel so well after this; consequently, some of our party were left considerably behind.
The roads from Crucis to the halfway house were miserable; impossible to describe them. In some places were deep holes worn in the rocks by the mules’ feet; in other places there were descents from five to six feet. We feared that the mules would break their limbs and stumble every moment. Other places had immense rocks thrown confusedly in a narrow pass, here the poor animal would stop, as if to consider, and then proceed, stumbling and regaining his footing. Some of the poor animals fell and were unable to rise until they were dismounted, this happened to the Sisters more than once. The saddle came undone on another occasion and a Sister fell on some rocks.
In the afternoon it commenced to rain very heavily, and one would suppose, that the torrents, pushing through the narrow passes, would certainly carry mules and drivers away with them. Having no protection from the rain, our cornettes soon became shapeless, so we had to take off the outside, which served while in shape to protect our faces from the briers and brushes, but afterwards they scratched the poor faces unmercifully. Being completely drenched, we stopped at an American shed, where we got an egg shell full of hot coffee, which warmed and strengthened us to continue our awful journey.
Alas! night came on ere we reached our destination, which rendered the mules rather startled; we had to trust ourselves entirely to their guidance. During the darkness, the Sisters became separated from one another, Sisters Frances, Fidelis and Honorine forming one party. Sister Frances’ mule laid down in the mud, but she held on to him by the neck so when he arose, Sister was drenched with rain and covered with mud. Sister Fidelis in the exuberance of her joy, commenced to sing the “Hal Holy Queen,” the stillness and darkness of the night adding to it an air of grandeur.
Having emerged from the woods, our joy can be better imagined than described, on seeing several lights in the distance, which place, we were told was to be our resting spot during the night. It proved to be no repose for the poor body, but it served as a protection from the night wanderer, and also relieved the mind somewhat. Yet poor Sister Frances had neither. Two of the Sisters, Corsina and Bernice were missing, and this was to her, and all of us a torture; but we were obliged to hope for the best. Sister Frances sighed and prayed. Her prayer was soon answered. Sisters Bernice and Corsina arrived. They had been told that it was dangerous to proceed on account of the rain and darkness.
We took some ginger tea, after which Sisters Fidelis and Mary Sebastian lay down on a cot, the former in her wet clothes, the latter wrapped herself in a blanket, but in the morning was obliged to put on her wet clothes. Mr. & Mrs. Peck, and the other three Sisters sat at a cheerless fire all night in their wet clothes. Sister Honorine was taken with the diarrhea about one o’clock, and continued to grow worse every hour.
