_How Saint Lumanus Sailed against the Wind and the Stream._
And Saint Patrick, having sailed over from Ulidia, came unto the
territory of Midia, at the mouth of the river Boinn, among barbarians
and idolaters; and he committed his vessel and its tackle unto his
nephew, Saint Lumanus, enjoining him that he should abide there at the
least forty days, the while he himself would go forward to preach in
the interior parts of the country. But Lumanus, abiding there the
messenger of light, and being made obedient through the hope of
obtaining martyrdom, doubled the space of time that was enjoined unto
him, which no one of his companions, even through the fear of their
lives, dared to do. Yet was not this child of obedience disappointed
of his reward. For while he received the seed of obedience, he brought
forth unto himself the fruit of patience, and deserved to fertilize
strange lands, even with the seed of the divine Word, to the
flourishing of the flowers of faith and the fruits of justice; and the
more devotedly he obeyed his spiritual father, the more marvellously
did the elements obey him. And having fulfilled there twice forty
days, and being wearied with the continual expectation of the saint's
return, on a certain day, the wind blowing strongly against him, he
hoisted the sails, and, trusting in the merits of Saint Patrick, even
by the guidance of the vessel alone passed he over unto the place where
he was appointed to meet him. O miracle till then unheard and unknown!
The ship, without any pilot, sailed against the wind and against the
stream, at the bidding of the man of God, and bore him with a
prosperous course from the mouth of the Boinn even to Athtrym; and He
who formerly turned back the stream of Jordan unto its fountain did,
for the merits of Patrick, guide the vessel against the wind and
against the stream.