The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-10-31
A MISSIONARY BISHOP
IN THE PHILIPPINES
THE FOLLOWING LETTER FROM
BISHOP o'DoHERTY OF zAMBo-
ANGA TO A PRIEST OF THE
ARCHDIOCESE OF ST. PAUL
GIVES ONE AN IDEA OF THE
HARDSHIPS OF MISSIONARY
LIFE IN THAT PART OF THE
FAR EAST.
The Bishops House,
Zamboanga, P.

1t seems a long time since June
21st when your last letter was writ
ten, but in this period l have had the
most trying experiences that have
fallen to my lot in the Far East, and
this will palliate somewhat my long
delay in writing to you. l fell seri-
ously ill towards the end of May and
spent all June trying to recuperate,
and without very much success.
At the beginning of July l was
hesitating between going to the cool
mountains on vacation or finishing my
Visitation in part of my diocese,
where my presence was much desired
and badly needed. l decided to go on
Visitation, moved by the considera-
ton that owing to the rainy season
and to the wild seas of the winter
months, | could not go for another
year, if | did not go then. / found
afterwards that | should have gone
on vacation rather than to the heavy
work of Visitation. l spent 3 days
on small steam launch going to the
port of Davao: it was most uncom-
Portable, and at times dangerous.
There were no cooking arrange
ments and only a chair to sleep on,
and finally when four hours from port,
we met such a wind, that probably
would have shipwrecked us, according
to the captain, had we encountered it
on the high sea.
But we got to port and all dangers
were forgotten for the moment. A few
days afterwards the launch was set
ting out again to the parishes that
wished to visit, and / started on a
further journey of one hundred miles.
The same tossing about commenced
again, only worse, and the people on
the deck were in water up to their
waists time and again. | escaped this
to great extent, as | was on the
bridge with the captain. Things grew
worse as we proceeded, and finally
the boat had to be put on half steam,
which did not improve matters much.
The launch was submerged time after
time, and on one occasion, felt sure
it was not going to rise any more, so
much SO that | made all preparations
to jump into the sea. But God came
TO our aid and after this experience
the captain resolved to stop the jour
ney and turn the vessel round if he
could. After few anxious moments,
we had safely turned and were on our
way back to Davao. When we arrived
we discovered that the Governor had
received a telegram from the Observa-
tory of Manila, telling him that a
typhoon was coming and not to allow
any sailing, but we had sailed an hour
earlier. Needless to say that he was
delighted to see us back safe again.
What increased our danger was the
fact that we had several boxes of
tossed about in such a way by the
waves on the deck, that it is mystery
to me, why they did not explode. We
lived to make the journey some days
later On landing | found myself four
days journey over mountain trail
from the nearest priests house.
The first day we got on pretty well
with the aid of horses, but the next day
we were on foot with line of eight
Moro baggage-carriers. 1t was very
| trying. Sometimes we had to pull
ourselves up and along the trail by
| hanging on to the tree roots, and or
the other side we had to let ourselves
down the slippery path of the dense
| damp forest by kind of alpen-stock
Whenever we rested we were attacked
| by the mountain leeches who spring
from the boughs and leaves of the
trees on the unsuspecting passer-by
After some time the pain only dis
covers their presence. Finally my
chaplain became exhausted and
pushed on with most of the men tt
send back hammock from the mex
village, but | arrived late and those
l sent did not hurry, with the resul
that Father Sauras had to spend the
night in the mountain forest, with al
it's disagreeable inhabitants, in com
pany of two native boys. He overlook
me at the next village next morning
none the worse for his sufferings o
the previous day and night. On thu
fourth day, we arrived at the frs
rectory and it was a great pleasure t.
rest there few days. Then we trav
elled as far more up the coast ant
commenced Visitation and the return
| journey. The difficulties were thu
same but we made it in easy stages
as we had to remain for confirmation
in nearly all the villages.
Until / had the actual experience,
could not believe that a horse cal
walk up and down the almost per
pendicular trails, that he had to cover
Sometimes we were on the mountain
summit, sometimes hanging on to tn,
side of sea cliff. again picking foot
holds on the rocky beach or wadin;
wide stony rivers infested with croco
dies. July to August 20 to visi
three priests.
There are only three priests TO
this almost impossible coast line, an,
it generally takes three or four days t
Icall one of them, in case of seriou
illness. The sad result is that in tn
outIyfng villages nearly all the peop1
die without the sacraments. They ar
dead or well. when the priest comes.