Transcript

On the following day I arose in the morning as fresh as ever and while playing on the river bank my attention was sudingly attracted by a large number of white objects in the distance apperantly gliding slowly a long through the air. I was greatly suprised for I had never even heard of such things much less seen anything like these objects but still they came on and when they drew near what was my supprise to see some 70 or 80 wagons with covers on drawn by from 6 to 8 oxen on each wagon which was called a team. A man with a large wip with each team was called a teamister. In the boxes of these wagons the emigrants soon seated themselves. The temsters drove their teams one by one into a place where al the grass had been warn away by the wheels of the many wagons and feet of so many animels for thousands of people where emigrating west each year. This place about six feet wide wase called a road and after our train of wagons (for such the whole saventy or 80 teams were called) were strung out on the road I noteced two men riding along a short distance from the wagons on horse back and on inquiring I was told they were the 1st and secand captians. Our company numbered I supose in the neighberhood of 250 men wimen and children and the captian whose name was Orson Hide [Hyde] led the train to a place some 6 miles from the river to a place where there was plenty of wood, water and grass when the first half of the train was lead by the first captian to the right and the second half by the second captian to the left each forming a half circle by the first two teams stoping about 16 feet apart opposite each other so as to form an opening large enough to drive lose oxen in at. The next two teams whold stop with their frunt wheels close to yet on the out side of hind wheels of the first two wagons and thus they would continue to form one after another till all the wagons had stoped and in closed a round yard for the teamsters to drive their oxen in to to yoke them when they would be ready to draw the wagons away. This formation was called a camp.

We remained in camp bout 14 days while the ship returned to St. Joses [Joseph] for the luggage of the company and while we were thus wateing my dear little sister Eliza Jennett passed a way and poor mother seemed as though she would never seace fretting and we had many sypathising friends one of whom made a small box out of a little ruf lumber that he obtained in some mistiereous way for I had not seen a bit nor did any of us know of a single foot of lumber to be had either for love or money and al though this little box was a little short we felt very greatful for it for she was the only one out of 16 that died before we reched Salt lake city that was even put in a box they all being rolled in a blanket or buried in the close [clothes] they wore.

But mother [Susannah Tonks Hill] was not the only one that wept for we all had tender recolections of the many loving playful little kind actions and in fact the whole beutiful charicter of the sweet little rose bud that had only been permitted to remain on earth the short space of 2 and one half years and though her stay was short yet such was her charicter as to make a loving impresion that remained in the hearts of her parents as long as they lived and even now aug. 4th A.D. 1904 while reflecting over the sad little seane I am all most ready to shed a tear but I supose we have consolation in the thoughts that she is a tresure thats laid up in heaven and the jem her sweet spirit still lives. She had been very flechey when in good health but the short 2 weeks sickness had brought her down to almost skin and bones. A little hole about 6 feet deep was made in the ground a short distance from camp and regular funeral severises were held. When our luggage came and was carfuly loaded in the wagon the captain told us that on the morrow we would brake up camp and start on our long jerney so Father took me to take a last fond look at the little grave where Eliza Jennett nestled so lonely and to my suprise the little mound had settled and the top of the grave had became a little hole. Father examened the ground al round. The grave had not been dug into by wild animals and we concluded that the lid of the box she was layed in must have fell in and alowed the deart to settle down on her beside during the short time we were wateing their had been some very heavy thunder storms the lightning of which mother was very mutch afraid was very bad so I supose some of the loos dirt on the top of the grave had been washed a way by the heavy rain. It indeed seemed hard to leave her al alone on that wild prayery.

About 7 o.c. AM the sound of the bugle was heard by us the first time playing do what is right let the concequence follow. Battle for freedom in spirite and might and with stought hearts press ye forth till tomorrow God will protect you in doing what is right.

Then the train started the first half being lead in to the road by the first and the last half of the train being lead in to the road by the Second Captians. As the oxen moved a long very slow the strong of our company amused themselves by walking sume distance a head of the train and to a voide walking to far a head would sit down by the road side and wate till the train overtook us. Our instructions were to not leave the train as we would be more safe from Indains by being close to the train.

As we moved along we saw in the distance small cream white cottages perhaps the home of hardy fruntears men but thes were fewer in number each day and in a few days the only ones were stage stations and once in a grate distance a government post. I supose we traveled between 16 and 20 miles each day but rested the teams on Sunday and had religious serveses. Soon after we were fairly out on the plains we came to and camped a number of nights on the shore of the plat[te] river which was very low and in order to get water that was in any way fit to use we had to dig in the sand when it would run in al round the hole like a spring. There was also a few wild ducks and chickens along the river and father [Aaron Hill] used to take an old musket that he had brought along for protection and by using shot instead of a bullet he would sometimes kill some small game but we broke the rules sometimes in our egerness to obtain it for one day I perswaded father to take me with him and we walked as far a head of the train as we dear and then left the road and went down on the river hunting but although father got severel chanceses he was unfortianate for he never killed one duck or chicken that for noon and we got so far behind the train that we did not overtake it till it stoped for diner. I sometimes think how unwise we were. Had a band of indians fell upon us we would have been an easy pray and I was so tired that I almost give out befor I got to the train again. It was the last time father took me hunting with him but a little welch man whose name I do not remember was out with Father one day traveling along the river when two antilope sprang up and bounded along through the tall grass. Father fired at them but as the gun was loded with fine shot it did not stop them but the little welch man exclaimed oh see the whild sheep run. One day father shot a hauk a crow and two nice ducks and he gave hauk and crow to the welch man and we cooked and eat the ducks which were quite palitable and the next day I asked the little welch man how he liked his game and he said they were so tugh that he could not eat them. One object that seemed to attract considerable attention was a larg rock some miles ahead called chimley rock [Chimney Rock] for it appeared like an old fire place and chimley and it loomed up in head of us for a number of days but at last we pass by it. Another object of suprise was the large a mount of large cat fish could be seen floundring in small ponds of water where the water had nearly all dryed up and left them their to die. Some of these I believe would weigh over 100 pounds a peace. When we came to laramey [Laramie] we crassed the river and on account of bad water we suffered badly and as I said befor 15 of our company died. It seemed as though the strongest were the first to go. Mother was taken sick and no doubt she to would have been numbered with the dead had not a kind friend of fathers given him a pint of brandy with instructions how to use it and mother declaired it saved her life. It was indeed trying to see these poor people die be roled up and put in the ground with out a coufen.

The Buflo had been driven from the road by so many trains of emigrents but there were many heads scattered a long the road and their were some antilope killed and we obtaned a little fresh meet. Our provitions consisted of Bacon, flour, suger tea and we cooked our bacon which was very fat and afterwards made slap jacks and cooked them in greese which made them rise and become quite light. These with a little fruit once in a great wile were (all) I can remember of our food. As we drew near to south pass some snow fell on the distent hills and the nights was pretty cold but large sage brush was plentyful and we made large fires at night. A day or to befor we entered Ecco [Echo] kanyon we were meet by James Shorten and Hanah the oldest daughter of Wm. and Rachel Thacker my Uncle and Aunt but mother would not leave the train though they had a horse team and would reach Salt Lake a day or two a head of the oxen but mother prefured to stay with the small children for as our team was coming down parleys kanyon the old wagon tiped over on a hill side with my Sister Elizabeth in the wagon and mother ran to the wagon and cut a hole in the wagon cover when Elizabeth cralled out through the hole unhurt. The cause of the tip was the tung broke and the frunt wheels run off a small dugway. My cusen hanah took me and we reached Salt lake about 2 days in head of the train where I was intraduced to my uncle and aunt Wm. and Rachel Thacker, and cusens Elizabeth, Ann, Maria, and Wm. Thacker and by them intraduced to the children of salt lake City.