Jan^'y 1^st. 1848. Division of fees for the last month $15.3 bits. The year just closed has been an eventful one in my career. Its beginning was clouded with doubt and uncertainty as to the result of my negociations [sic] with Lord Grey, which however terminated successfully, leaving me free to look about for laborers for the Apostolic vineyard of British Guiana. Providence selected for me a community of Ursuline nuns and with them, six professed and two lay sisters, I returned to Demerara. I was sorely disappointed on my arrival at finding the house I designed for a Convent still in possession of Mr. Wolseley, Gov^'t Sec^'y, to whom J. Reed hired it in my absence. The nuns were in consequence compelled to occupy the Presbytery, whilst the priests and myself had to look for other quarters.

On the eve of S. Augustine's Day, 27^th. August, having got possession of the house, I conveyed the nuns thither, placing the establishment under the patronage of S. Joseph, by whose name it is henceforward to be called. Besides sundry repairs and alterations made in the interior of the Convent, I surrounded the whole with a lofty and expensive close paling, which is very much admired.

1848. Georgetown. January4^th. Received colonial stipend, being for the quarter $458.35, 125 dollars of which is for house rent, and the half of this sum I give to my two curates.

Received from Revd. Mr. O'Connor $235.25 for Father Joachim deducting $ therefrom $36 for the time of his suspension.

Handed to Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. O'Connor $31.25 share of house rent.

Received from Revd. J. Fitzgerald $53.75 in liquidation of his debt, making with the former payment $80.

I have taken over $36 from Revd. Messrs. Fitzpatrick and O'Connor to be kept for them.

Subscribed to the Guiana Times for six months.

5. Enclosed $30 to the Receiver General to be placed to the credit of the Colony, being restitution money, which he refused to receive before.

6. This morning between 40 and 50 received the Holy Communion at S. Joseph's, the retreat having terminated last evening.

1848. Georgetown January 6^th. Restored to Mr. O'Connor the $36 kept in deposit.

This evening the Retreats had a procession at S. Joseph's, after which I gave them Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

10^th. The Schools of S. Joseph reopened. Several new pupils and some of the most respectable class - Miss Wolseley, Miss Van Waterschoodt, Miss Davison, Miss Barden, Miss Beete.

13. Our dear Revd. Mother's health for the past two weeks has been very delicate, indeed so much as to alarm me very seriously. God grant it may soon mend, for should any thing happen, it would be the breaking up of the Establishment of S. Joseph's.

A visit from Mrs. Geoghegan, who has prevailed on her miserable husband to send her daughter Eliza to school.

The pupils are now twelve in number.

15. This evening the mail came in bringing me letters from Mr. Jerningham, Mrs. Grantley Berkeley, and Mr. Ahern - also letters for the Nuns from their Sisters of Athlone etc.

1848. Georgetown. January 18^th. Wrote to Mr. Jerningham, ordering the Tablet for Revd. J. O'Brien and C. Heyliger, and the Rambler for self. Notified to him that I would forward an order on the Bank for £50 in favour of Revd. D^r Taylor.

Wrote also to Mrs. Grantley Berkeley. Asked for Mr. Berkeley's interest with Government to procure a Gov^'t situation for [my?] brother Thomas.

To Mr. Robert Ahern in reference to the refusal of Revd. Moriarty to receive him at All Hallows.

Wrote to D^r Woodlock in reference to same, and rescinding commission previously given to him for selecting students for this Vicariate.

Also to Choiselat-Gallien.

Revd. Mother and some of the Sisters have forwarded by this Packet a large package of letters.

A letter from Mr. Cullen with presents of Buckpot [pepperpot] and *Goglets* which I sent over to the Convent. Wrote in reply to Mr. C.

1848. Georgetown. 19^th. January. Making arrangements for starting tomorrow on a mission up the River Demerara as far as the Third Island, where I understand a large number of Catholics are located.

Placed in a morrocco [sic] leather case which I intend sending over to S. Joseph's to be kept during my absence by Revd. Mother, my Will, Colonial and British Guiana Banknotes to the amount of $440 - Colonial Bank deposit receipt $2,500 (qq Murdoch), British Guiana Bank deposit receipts for $3,500.

Leaving in chamber a bag of dollars $800 in tin canister - ditto containing $330 in wardrobe - in dressing case a few sovereigns ['13' entered later]- from 12 to 15.

About £4,100 in the 31/4 per cent British funds

Plantation Geneve

S. Joseph's Convent

20. Breakfasted at the Convent - hired Neptune at 10 dollars per month.

A very disagreeable conversation occurred today at dinner, relative to getting up of *chaia*, in which Mr. O'Connor behaved so intemperately and disrespectfully that I was obliged to withdraw his faculties, which I subsequently restored on his asking pardon. He and Fitzgerald have little or no principle, neither gratitude nor gentlemanly bearing. They have both lent themselves to the intriguing maneuvres of Cullen to sow disillusion and discontent.

21. Wrote to the Town Council a second letter in reference to the paling around S. Joseph's.

No account of the folks from up the River.

22. Took this morning from the green morrocco case a £10 note.

Breakfasted at S. Joseph's.

24. Neptune came this morning and set to work.

Received from Revd. Mr. O'Brien $50 in part payment of his debt.

The scholars are gradually increasing at S. Joseph's - today Mrs. Blair, Mrs. Beete and Mrs. Luthers called and arranged for two children.

25. Father Joachim has come to town, and as usual becomes excited and unmanageable when spoken to about the discharge of his duties and the interests of his mission.

Father Joachim's baptisms in Essequibo amount to 67 - marriages 9.

26^th. Handed $197.25 to Revd. Mr. O'Connor to pay over to Fr. Joachim, which he did accordingly.

Forwarded returns to Gov^'t Secretary respecting education, office and emoluments etc.

Yesterday interrogated Fr. Joachim about raising subscriptions towards erecting a church in Essequibo - he very tartly replied that he did nothing in that way - that monies had been collected before, and nothing was known of their application - that it would not be proper in him to apply to managers or others for that purpose and more to the same effect. I had to drag it from him that not a stiver reached my hands and that the malappropriation of it occurred under D^r Clancy.

Today he sought a private interview, which I granted. When after other matters I alluded again to his want of zeal in not exerting himself to raise subscriptions for the erection of a church - he most impertinently told that I had not commissioned him, that I had appointed Mr. Reed to receive subscriptions etc - in venturing to remonstrate with him and warned him of the consequences he became so excited as to tell me that he was not to be frightened by me and other impertinences. He is evidently meditating a flight.

27. Fr. Joachim still here.

About 1/2 past 3 o'clock met him on the gallery and asked him when he was about leaving for Essequibo. Instead of answering me he asked for a private interview. I again and again desired him to answer me when he was leaving for his Mission? - but he would not tell me. On retiring to my room he endeavoured to force himself in, but I refused to have any thing to say to him in private; upon this he raised his voice and became greatly excited. Seeing what he was bent on, I sent him a written command to be off for his Mission without further delay, under pain of Suspension.

1848. Georgetown. January 27^th. At dinner (Fr. Joachim being absent) Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. O'Connor informed me that he had been plaguing them all day to receive a certain sum of money which he acknowledged to have received, contrary to his repeated declaration that he had not collected any thing. Mr. Fitzg: moreover shortly before dinner informed me that [he] had received intelligence of Fr. Joachim's having sold his effects on the Coast previous to his coming to town.

28. This morning after returning from S. Joseph's received through the boy Candido a letter from Fr. Joachim and $118 dollars and 2 guilders subscriptions for the Essequibo mission. In his letter he declares his intention of quitting at once without leave etc - $118 dollars 64 cents for Essequibo Mission.

29. St. Francis de Sales Day, the feast of Mother Assistant Molony - breakfasted at the Convent.

No further account of the movements of our Portuguese Priest.

1848. Georgetown. January 30^th. Fr. Joachim made his appearance in church today and yesterday. He talks of going to N. America, but it is merely for the sake of misleading. He is taking with him some five or six hundred dollars.

Received into the Church this morning conferring on him conditional baptism a Mr. James Alexander Cocken, native of Bahama, and head Compositor for the Royal Gazette. He appears very sincere and well disposed and will, I think, prove an acquisition. His wife and sister have been also speaking to Mother Regis on the subject of Religion and will, I am sure, soon follow his example.

Married a Maltese couple, Joseph Gallio and Rosa Farrugia.