I bought one yoke oxen paying $50.00[.] returned home & bought 4 or 5 head cows then went energetly to work prepareing to emigrate to the Valley[.] Father Sanders had left an old wagon & I purchased another & with Some assistance repaired them up[.] I made Ox bows & wagon bows & excellent ones[.] hired Br [Jared] Porter to make yokes[.] he being on experenced hand we laid in our Supplies & was ready to Start with others that were going from our neighborhood[.] I was to have the yoke cattle although I did not claim them but I had three cows two of which I yoked up the day before we Started letting them run in the yoke[.] but for fear that they would get into trouble tied their tails together & at night when I went to take of[f] the yoke forgetting the condition of their tails let the near one out of the Yoke & being on a Steep Side hill She Started down draging the other with her & I had to Speedily cut the bush of tail in order to Separate them[.] I had in my team 1 yoke Oxen & yoke cows].] John had for a team three yoke cows[.] in a few days made leaders of my cows & my worst trouble with them was that they were to ambitious[.] when organised Warren Foot was Captain of one hundred & O[tis] L[ysander] Terry Captain of the fifty that we traveled in[.] I think that Jared Porter was captain of ten[.] this was the year 1850[.] the Cholerea was bad & a portion of the Journey was performed in Sorrow & much mourning[.] the first death with that decease was in our hundred was in the other fifty from the one I was in but as we camped within a mile or two of each other I visited the camp & was there at the burrial & was censured by Some for thus exposeing myself[.] Sickness Soon assailed our camp[.] persons would take suddenly Sick & in a few days hours be dead[.] but think sickness had abated by the time we reached Laramie[.] the desease Seemed to be in the air & their were some nights that I would go to bed Sick & could hardly avoid vomiting & as that was the way Cholera commenced I would exercise all the will power I could Command[.] say nothing to my wife for fear of frightenning her[.] had a tea Kettle filled with tar at our heads[.] would fumigate with that to counteract the stench in the air & when my wife got to Sleep would get up and walk around with the guard until my Sickness would pass of[f.] do not know how many out of our company but remember that there was nine died out of one family leaveing but the father & one daughter[.] their was little enjoyment during the time that the disease lasted[.] I Still think that it was my exertion of will that prevented me from haveing it[.] after getting into the Buffalo district we would lay over occaisionaly a day & ten or a dozen of the best hunters would be Selected to go out & Kill game[.] I was always of the number[.] on one Such occaision we were paired of[f] & [Thomas] Wesley Rose was my companion[.] Wagons were sent along to bring in the game & to carry water in case of thirst[.] we wandered of to such a distance that we did not know which direction to look for a wagon[.] I Killed a very fine Buffalo Cow when Rose & myself were seperated[.] but in hearing so that when he heard me shout he came to me & we dressed the Bufalo[.] we were very thirsty but I considered that their would be no better meat obtained that day & was anxious to Save this[.] it therefore became a question which should go to hunt up a wagon[.] he declared he could not stay with the meat for fear that he would perish with the heat & his thirst[.] I stayed & in looking around & noticed a damp looking Spot about a half mile & thought I might posibly by digging obtain water[.] I Started but got but little ways before the wolfs were around my meat & I had to Speedily return & run them off[.] I made other attemps but the wolfs were on the allert & I had to give it up[.] Rose was so long returning with wagon that the meat was spoiled by the time we got to Camp[.] as we neared the Valley David Sanders Came out & met us which was the first news we had heard from the portion of the family that had come out the year before[.] I then learnt that three of my Oxen had died the past winter & the wagon was used up[.] it was a disappointment to me as I had thought that upon my arrival I should have a good team to go to work with[.] I afterwards learned that Father Sanders had took on freight for others on the road for the sale of the pay until he had team & wagon & the Oxen were so wore out that they were unable to winter on the range[.] as we were nearing the valley a young man by the name of George Madsen came out to our Company to meet his Mother[.] he persuade the Officers of the Company that he could benefit them greatly by showing them cutt offs & his offer was accepted & we traveled two or three days through Sage brush & sand makeing it much harder on our teams each day[.] I protested[.] I had let others use my cows in their teams that were more in need than I was as the Oxen that I used proved to be good & I finally one evening told the officers that I would not travel the cut offs any longer & they giveing me no satisfaction[.] John Sanders & myself got up our Cattle Soon in the morning hitched up & started for the road[.] others Seeing what we were up to undertook to go with us but were for various reasons detered[.] one man that had a surplus of team furnishing two or thee yoke cattle for the general good of the company had got them all up with the intention of going with us was Stopt by force[.] others were promised that the Company would take to the road again & try no more cutt offs[.] but this was after we had left & the Company did follow our tracks out[.] we traveled alone ten days or two weeks gaining all the time on the Company & our cattle gaining in flesh & strength but we met an express Sent out by Prest B Young informing us that their were some Indians in that region that were disposed to do mischief & it was unsafe to travel in Small Companys & we were advised to Stop until a Company came up[.] we done so[.] our own company being the first[.] I think we laid over nearly two days while we were traveling along & had campt for the night[.] a footman came along & asked for Something to eat[.] we gave him his Supper & Supposed he intended staying with us during the night but as it was growing dark he stole off[.] we thought we were remiss in not asking him to Stop with & John & myself Started out to overtake him & bring him back Supposeing that he would not go far before takeing up quarters for the night[.] we had each taken a gun with us[.] we went half or three fourths of a mile when he suddenly sprang into the road & run like a deer[.] I for a moment thought of giveing him a race but considering that he was frightened my chaseing him would tend to increase his fright refrained from So doing intending him no harm[.] on our return to the wagons we ran across two bear on a Side hill near the road[.] we debated about Shooting at them but concluded as it was too dark to See the Sights on our guns that we would pass them by[.] we had Some difficulty getting our former posission[position] in the company in Second ten some contending that we should fall in the rear[.] but we were obstinate & took our places & nothing more was Said about it at least that came to my ears[.] Mother Amanda Sanders about this time took Sick with Pluresy in the side & growing worse it was hurting her very much to ride in the wagon[.] when we arrived at the Weber I was getting concerned about her & concluded that I would come in on horse back & induce Father Sanders to take a Spring vehicle & go out & meet the Company that she might ride with more ease[.] I engaged a horse at in the evening & arose early in the morning & started expecting that I would reach my destination that night but was disappointed in the endurance of the horse[.] when I got between the two mountains east of Salt Lake he tired out & I was compelled to Camp for the night[.] I made an early Start the next morning & after traveling a short distance daylight comeing on I noticed on ahead Wolfs at a carcass one hundred yards or more from the road that I was traveling[.] they were large & white Such as were called the Buffalo wolf[.] they looked so near of a Size & color that I counted them eight in number & rode on giveing myself no more concern about them until I came even with them[.] when I happened to cast my eye that way & was Surprised to see them comeing towards me in as good a line as a company of Soldiers all abreast[.] that was something new in my experience[.] I threw myself from my horse took rest across the saddle & snaped without dischargeing the gun[.] it being a flint lock I thought the fault was in the flint[.] took out my pocket knife & pecked the flint[.] snapped again[.] the Wolfs still comeing on very deliberately[.] I suppose I snapped the gun two or three more times[.] they came up within ten or twelve steps of me then turned to the East[.] I then took time to examine my gun & found that the primeing had been jolted out of the pan the powder being fine & the pan not shetting [shutting] very close[.] I primed & gave them a parting Shot wounding one & breaking up their soldierly ranks[.] I have thought that if I had have run they would have given chase & made a Serious affair of it; I arrived at Father Sanders place 12 miles South of Salt Lake City on Jordan river & he went & met the Company[.] David Sanders had been left with my team[.] I remained at my mothers until the company got in[.] I then turned the Oxen over to Father Sanders leaveing me three cows & no team.