Transcript

From Sutters Fort we took the the Trucky [Truckee] River route accross the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on the summit of which we met Samuel Brannon direct from Salt Lake Valley, who informed us that the Church had established Head Quarters in Salt Lake, that the Pioneers had returned to the Missouri River, but several companies were in the valley and more coming this year. This was the first reliable word we had received of the Church's where-abouts which was enthusiasticaly welcomed.

Brannon was the man that had charge of a company of Saints that sailed in the Ship Brooklyn from New York in 1846 to California, anticipating that the Church would gather to Oregon, and his visit to meet President Young was to induce him to settle in California, failing in this, he was returning "solitary and alone", (and very indignant because of his failure), to his home in San Francisco, where he soon became very rich, refused to gather with the Saints in Salt Lake and finally died a pauper.

The next day, I believe, we met Capt. Jas. Brown of the Mormon Batallion [Battalion] and a company of men. You will remember he was sent to Pueblo from Santa Fe, their term of enlistment having expired they were mustered out of Service, but had to go to California for their pay, hence this trip. From his statement of things in Salt Lake, scarcity of provisions, etc., many not well provided were recommended to go back to California and winter, hence many went back with Brown.

The next day we struck the head waters of the Trucky [Truckee] River which we followed to the desert, thence to the Steam Boat hot springs on the overland route, thence to and up the Humbol[d]t River, passing over the Goose Creek Mt. to Snake River and Fort Hall.

Here we left the overland route and struck South (without a trail) for Salt Lake where we arrived during the last days of September 1847, finding the people generally engaged in building a Fort which was at that time about breast high in the highest place. Very little was known about the surrounding country at that time, but all seemed to have an abiding faith in the words of Brigham Young that "this was the place he had seen before he left Nauvoo." and had gone to work in earnest to prepare for winter. The emmigration was mostly all in, when we arrived, many were short of provisions but all seemed sanguine that they would "pull through."