April 18 we arived in New orlene {New Orleans} on the 22 we left and ar{r}ived in the City of St Lewis {St. Louis} may 2nd I then went to work in a coal mine to optain {obtain} means to continue ower {our} jerny {journey} west ward, we remained there until April 1853 I was then chosen as Capta{i}n of 12 wagons but more famelys as many had to join two famely to one wagon in that way we traveled to councelblufs {Council Bluffs} we then joined in with others and a pointed Daved Wilkey {David Wilken}, as ower Che{i}f Capta{i}n. We ar{r}ived in salt lake City September 3d having been on the road 5 months.