This vessel was built in France, under the auspices of the friends of Catholic Missions in the Pacific. She sailed on the 15th of November, 1842, having as passengers the Bishop of the Sandwich Islands, seven missionaries, seven mechanics, and ten nuns. " All told," were 42 persons on board. One nun died on the passage to the Island of St. Catherine's, S. A., and was buried when the vessel arrived in port. During their detention at that island a native Sandwich Islander died, who had been educated in France, and was returning to his native land. The Jose Maria left St. Catherine's on the 23rd of February, and was spoken a few days after at sea, but otherwise she has not since been heard of. The opinion is generally entertained that she must have foundered at sea, probably off Cape Horn.

The American brig Delaware, from Boston, touched at St. Catherine's about a month after the Jose Maria had left. On board the Delaware was Mrs. Sullivan, wife of Captain Sullivan, master of the vessel, concerning which no satisfactory intelligence has been heard since the above mentioned 23rd of February. The Delaware arrived at this port, via Tahiti, on the 23rd of July. The hope has been cherished that the brig must have been compelled to put back in distress, or that she had been detained in visiting intervening ports; but the length of time already elapsed, and the repeated arrivals from Valparaiso, Tahiti, &c., leave but a slender foundation for the belief that she will ever be heard of.-

Sandwich Islands Paper, Feb. 15, [1844]

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