Transcript

{Annotations reflected in this transcript were created by Andrew Jenson.}

In the spring of 1848 I was taken sick and was not able to do, myself, what had to be done, and in order to leave for the mountains I wrote to my Brother Chapman Duncan, who was then at Council Bluffs, to come and attend to my business and help me to move, so that I could start in May for the mountains. He came with an ox-team and loaded three wagons; (which) The first one was driven by Chapman Duncan; Myself,  wife {Asenath Melvina Duncan} and three children {Julia, John and William} were in the second, and Henry Meacham was in {occupied} the third wagon untill we reached Council Bluffs. We stoped at my Brothers Chapmans House on Little Mesquito about ten days when we started with his Family for Florence Nebraska getting there sometime in June In crossing the Missouri River to Florence, {nebr.} I was {being} very thirsty and drank all the Muddy Missourie {Missouri} River Water that I could and from that time my health was good. We stopped at Florence about ten days, when, we left for the Elkhorn, and remained there until the 7^th of July, 1848, when we started for the Valley, with Barney {Barnabus Lathrop} Adams  {as} captain of fifty, and Chapman Duncan  {as} Captain of ten. There was nothing of intrest occured until we reached Deer Creek.  campt on the Platt{e} River a short distance from Deer Creek, and drove our cattle over the bluffs Eastward into {to} Deer Creek to feed. {the} Next morning, {when} we went for our cattle, and Sidney Tanner’s little white cur dog went with {followed} me which he never  {had} done before nor  {did} afterwards. when we got to the timber, some one cried out ‘Bear’. I was alone, except for the dog. I soon saw the  bear, and the grizzly {which} saw me He {at once} started for me. and I ran as fast as I could, but  {while} the dog stayed {remained} where he was. when I run.When I had run {after running} a few rods, I had to bend down to {stoop in order to} get under a leaning tree, and as I bent down I looked back to see where the bear was. and When I looked back  {in doing so} I saw the little dog catching the grizzly by the ham, and run  {away and} in the opposite direction, {followed by} from me with the bear after it following} This was the last I knew for that I knew for I don’t know how long as {for}when I attempted to to {pass} under the leaning tree, I struck my head {against force great it with}in it and fell {to ground stunnded.} When I came too, I got up and went out of the timber, I there came across to {and met two} negroes, who belonged to the Company. and they had their guns well loaded took one and went back and when I reached {to}the place where I first saw the bear, {here both found i} the little dog, was there and as I looked I saw {and}the bear standing about ten rods from me.

I raised the gun, an old British Musket flint Lock, waist high, leveled it at the grizzly and pressed the trigger, intending to run if I did not hit her {the animal} The instant I shot {the bear} she jumped into the air, I think all of six feet, {then ran around} in a circle about ten or fifteen rods, {till it} fell dead. I have always considered this an act of Providence, the bear certainly would have killed me if the dog which never went with me before or since had not turned her {it} in another direction.

There was nothing of much importance happened just common every day camp life and travel until we reached {Great Salt Lake Valley through} the mouth of Emigration Canyon on the 16^th day of October {16,} 1848.