Chronicles of Notre Dame du Lac
Edward Sorin, CSC -- Translated by John M. Toohey, CSC, 1895

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1841-1842

pg 16        was already in this city a pretty large French congregation, but 
French       the members were neither zealous for the triumph of the truth, 
Congregation nor were they edifying.
                  Generally one is surprised on arriving from Europe to find 
             in a land not long since inhabited by savages, a city whose 
             street and stores might compare, sometimes even favorably, with 
             those of Paris and London.  Although yet inferior in population 
             to those two queen cities of the world, New York cannot fail 
             before long to rival both of them, since it surpasses them in the 
             promise of the future on account of its maritime and commercial 
             location.
                  Departure from New York.  On the third day after their 
             arrival, having purchased their little provisions, the Brothers 
             started for Vincennes, from which they were still three hundred 
             leagues distant.  Mgr. Dela Hailandiere had instructed his agent 
             in New York to hand them $300 for their traveling expenses.  This 
             was more than enough, but they were as sparing as possible.  In 
             order to save expenses, they preferred to take a slower and 
             cheaper mode of travelling, so they did not reach their 
             destination until twenty-five days after their departure from New 
             York.