Transcript

We entered upon the prairies of the Great West in June 1854. Here, we obtained an outfit for our overland journey. At that early day, our teams were principally oxen, sometimes mules and horses, but oxen stood the journey quite as well and were much cheaper.

We arrived in Salt Lake City, September 29, 1854, being a little over three months on the Plains, as we call them. But it was a healthy exercise and we enjoyed ourselves around our camp fires at night. Although we were in Indian country, still we felt all right. The Lord was with us. On these great Plains, you could see the buffalo by hundreds and the antelope and deer in herds, free as the air, free to any that needed food or venison. The principle with the Latter-day Saints was not to kill any game unless they needed it for food.