We have no account of the journey from Rome to England and we can only make inferences about the progress of the travellers from the letters written by Gregory in July 596. All save one of these are letters to churchmen or laymen who would have been in a position to help. The one exception is a letter in which Gregory encouraged the travellers not to turn back from the task which they had begun, but to complete it with determination and enthusiasm. They were not to let themselves be deterred by the difficulties of the journey or by the tongues of evil-speaking men. On the return of Augustine, their prior, whom Gregory had now appointed as their abbot, they were to obey him humbly in all things. It seems to be an inescapable inference from this letter that after the travellers had got so far on their journey they found themselves deterred by formidable obstacles and were becoming doubtful of their ability to complete the work which they had begun. Evidently Augustine had gone back to Rome to discuss his problems with Gregory. A journey from Rome to a pagan people living in the furthermost corner of the world would certainly be beset with many difficulties and dangers, yet Rome itself in the sixth century knew all too well the consequences of warfare, siege and famine.