The missionaries at present engaged in the Indian missions of the Rocky Mountains are these: Fathers Congiato, superior, a native of Sardinia; Gazzoli, a Roman; Joset, a Swiss; Vercruysse, a Belgian; Tadini, a Piedmontese; Hoeken, a Hollander; Menetrey, a Swiss; and Brothers Huybrechts, a Belgian; MacGill, an Irishman; Magrio, a Maltese; Specht, a German; Claessens, a Belgian, and De Kock, a Hollander.
Reverend and Dear Father:
In accordance with my promise, I resume the little story of my long voyage. On my return to St. Louis, I tendered to the Minister of War my resignation of the post of chaplain. It was not accepted, because a new war had just broken out against the Government, among the tribes of the Rocky Mountains. I was notified by telegraph to proceed to New York, and to embark there with General Harney and his staff.
On the loth of September, 1858, we left the port of New York for Aspinwall; it was the season of the equinox, so that we experienced some rough weather in the voyage, and a heavy wind among the Bahamas. We coasted for some time along the eastern shore of Cuba, in sight of the promontories of St. Domingo and Jamaica. On the 29th I crossed the Isthmus of Panama on a good railroad, forty-seven miles long. The next day I had the happiness to offer the holv
sacrifice of the mass in the cathedral of Panama. The bishop very earnestly entreated me to use my influence with the Very Reverend Father General at Rome, to obtain for him a. colony of Jesuits. His lordship especially expressed his earnest desire to intrust his ecclesiastical seminary to the care of the Society of Jesus. New Granada, as well as many
2 From New Indian Sketches. See note to chap. II.
St. Louis, Nov. Io, 1859.2