The Story of the Shipwrecked Jersey Sailor who became a Monk

The Story of the Shipwrecked Jersey Sailor who became a Monk
By Philip Ahier

Le Comte de Chateaubriand in his Essay on "Les Revolutions Anciennes" (4th Edition, 1826, Vol. II pp. 384-387) told the story of a Jersey sailor who became a monk.

The distinguished French writer visited Gracioza, an island off the Azores on May 6th, 1794. Here he met the Jerseyman: "The chief brother who acted as our guide was a Jersey seaman whose vessel some years previously had struck the coast of Gracioza. He was the only survivor from the shipwreck. Not lacking in intelligence, he had noticed that there was only one occupation in the Island, that of being a monk! He determined to become one and became extremely interested in the lessons given to him by the Fathers; he learnt the Portuguese language and several Latin words. Eventually, because he was an Englishman, this erring sheep was brought back to the fold and made a priest.”

"The Jersey sailor, fed, housed, kept warm and having nothing to do but drink fayal (a kind of wine), found this mode of life much more congenial than unfurling the foresail on the top of a main yard. “

"He often remembered his former avocation. Having been so long without talking his native tongue (de Chateaubriand does not say which?), he was delighted to find someone who could understand it with the result that he laughed, he swore, he told us in truly sailor-like fashion, the scandalous history of Father So-and-So who was likewise present but who hadn't the slightest idea of the conversation which the English monk was regaling us! Then he promenaded us around the Island and took us to the convent.”

(At this point de Chateaubriand gave a description of the Island of Gracioza).

"Evening came, we partook of an excellent repast. Very pretty girls waited upon us with the wines. We gulped, fayal in large quantities. It was easy to see what was going to happen.

By one o'clock in the morning there was not a guest who could be seated in his chair! At 6 a.m. our Jersey monk told us in a stammering hesitant speech, punctuated with an English swear word only too well-known, that he was going to celebrate Mass immediately. We accompanied him to the church, when in less than five minutes the office had been performed ! Several Portuguese assisted very reverentially to the Sacred Office, while on our return we met many persons who bowed most obsequiously to the Monk's habit.

"The impudence with which this sailor, sodden with wine and debauchery, offered his arm to the crowd, amused me, but at the same time, I could not help, from the bottom of my heart, deploring the stupidity of mankind."

Part of the above story was originally reproduced by De La Croix in his "Ville de St. Helier" (p. 132), but unfortunately he gave the incorrect page. This necessitated having to consult the two volumes of de Chateaubriand's work on "Les Revolutions Anciennes" in order to get the complete story as De La Croix did not transcribe it all.