Transcript

Our troubles were not over upon landing in America, we still had to cross the plains to reach Salt Lake City. We never had a wagon, so like the rest we were going to start with a handcart. But the handcart would only hold the bare necessities for us to make our journey. We thought we would have to leave the trunks behind.

Father still had some of his money left so he bought an ox. Another man also bought one. The two together got a wagon and so we were able to bring our possessions with us. The wagons and handcarts in the company were all filled with provisions so the people just had to walk. I would walk until I became tired, then my father would carry me. Sometimes I rode an ox, other times, on the handcart. This was piled high and it was hard to hang on. We made from ten to twelve miles a day. At night all the wagons would be put in a circle and the men took turns keeping guard during the night.

Often my father went ahead of the company to kill buffalo or other animals for the people to eat. One time when I was tired of walking, he took me with him. He stood me on the foot of a small hill and told me to wait for him. Instead of that, I tried to follow. I was nearly to the top when I slipped and rolled back down. My clothes caught on the brush and were nearly torn from me. I was all scratched up and crying at the top of my voice when Father came and got me. That was the last time he took me ahead. From then on I had to walk and come with the company when he went ahead.

One night a little baby was born to my mother. It lived but a few hours. We camped for a day. The baby was buried and then we went on again. Mother could only walk a few miles a day and we had to travel slow for many days.

It was now October and we were nearing the mountains when one night six feet of snow came and we could not go on. They tramped the snow down to find enough brush to build a fire so we wouldn't freeze to death. Again we ran out of food and had nothing to eat.

One night I was awakened by the people shouting "Biscuits, biscuits, biscuits." A relief party had arrived and brought us food. I can still hear those people shouting "Biscuits."

When we arrived in Salt Lake I could speak the English language quite well.