Transcript

After a protracted voyage of three weeks we made Council Bluffs where we made our home for a short season in order to procure an outfit to cross the plains to Utah. Being a single man I agreed to drive team for E T Benson who was now preparing to start. About two months was occupied in getting ready when we rolled out of Cainsville about twelve miles and Camped until July the 28th 1849[.] Being unacustomed to driving oxen the journey proved a hard task owing to so much guarding by the way. Although we were very late in the season were not subjected to any very severe accidents by the way only one snow storm engulfed us in the south Pass where we laid during a snow storm of forty eight hours[.] A number of cattle were lost in this place but no lives lost by Cold neither frozen limbs to my knowledge[.] Proceeding on our journey and arrived in Great Salt Lake City October 11th[.]