Transcript

It happened, however, that we found a man whose name was [Samuel] Byrd [Bird] who wanted to go West, but had no way of transportation. When he found that we had no driver for our wagon, he offered to drive our team of oxen. Byrd brought us across the plains.

One year after leaving Nauvoo found us camping in our circle of wagons. Everyone had gone to bed. The cattle had been brought into the correll for the night. During the night something frightened the cattle, and they all rushed for one side of the correll. There was a bawling and bellowing and stamping of hoofs. They piled up against the wagons in attempt to jump over. Many of them got away, many were killed and others were badly hurt. In cases where the oxen were killed, people had to yoke their cows.

Part of the time while crossing the plains we traveled four wagons abreast for protection.

In the forepart of October, 1847, we arrived in Salt Lake Valley.