Transcript

The oxen finally came and we started on our long journey across the plains in P.O. Hansen's Company. Our wagon was quite heavily loaded and we all had to walk, unless some of us were sick, in which case we would ride till we were better. When we camped for the night we young folks would go and gather buffalo chips, (all the Pioneers who crossed the plains with ox teams or hand carts know what they are.) We had to cook our supper with them, as wood was very scarce in some places. After supper was over, we would talk of the experiences of the day, after which we would sing hymns and have a dance occasionally. We would then have prayers and retire for the night.

After travelling for some distance, we were surrounded by Indians and had to give them flour and sugar, or whatever we had to keep peace with them.

One day we came to a large herd of Buffalo. They had been down to the river to drink and were returning to the hills. There was such an immense herd that we could feel the ground tremble for quite a distance as they passed over the road. Our oxen became so excited that they ran away but not one was injured. One of the men killed a buffalo, which provided us with fresh meat for a while.

We waded all the rivers till we came to Green River, which was so swift and deep that we had to cross the river in wagons and the water would almost take the oxen off their feet. After crossing Green River, we had not travelled very far when my mother was bit on the wrist by a scorpion or poisonous insect of some kind. Her arm began to swell until it went up in her body. She was very sick all the rest of the journey until one evening we reached Salt Lake Valley and my mother passed away the next morning without seeing the great Salt Lake Valley that she had gone through so much to reach. This was the later part of September 1855.