Transcript

. . . landed at Council Bluf[f]s on the 20^th of May where I found 2 of my bros. Andrew & Jesse N. who was also Preparing to Emigrate west[.] here we completed our outfit for the West and on the 20^th of June we struck our tents & arrived at the cotton wood slough on the 22^nd where we Remaind until the 4^th of July when we again took up the line of march[.] crossed the Missouri River & camptd until the six[th.] we then bid a dieu to all half civilized people and took up our line of march across the plains & weary deserts, and after a long tedious & toilsome march encountering storm of rain hail high winds, Muddy Roads, one stampede After an other, gitting many of our Cattle killed & crippled then comeing to a more dry & sandy Desert county[.] we Suffered for water & feed for our animals then to the rockey [Rocky] mountains where many of our animals gave out in their feet & could not travail then to the salaraty [Salaratus] beds on sweet water where many of our animals were alkalied & died, & the roaming wolves were prowling around us by day & by night seemingly read[y] to devour us[.] After encountering all those Difficulties together with the travailing in large trains & many others two tedious to mention and which would only serve to horrow up the souls of men, we landed in the salt lake Valey on the 20^th of Oct <49> after a tedious march of 4 months. Bro. Wilson J. & Wife & two Oldest sons having died in July Aug. & Sept. previous to our arrivals.