Transcript

From the time I got to Orleans till the first of June I spent my time between Orleans, and Council Bluffs, fitting me up a team, and preparing for my journey across the Plains. I traveled with the camp in Captain Aaron Johnson's Company. – Acted as Marshall of the hundred. The blessings of the lord seamed to attend from day to day.

We often passed the bones of some of the Wretches, who took a part in the Martyrdom of B[rothers] Joseph & Hyram [Hyrum]. After they had acted in that dreadful Tragedy, the most of them had started to cross the Plains, for California, in search of the gold mines, but they generally had died a most miserable Death on the Plains, as it had been predicted apon their guilty heads, recieved no burial or but a partial one, so that the wolves had dug them up, and there they were to be seen, Some of them could be designated by pencil writing, on their skulls, and some of these skulls had been kicked along by the passersby till they were 2 or 3 miles from where had been buried (as some little stick or board, with their name generally marked the hole into which they had been thrown[.] Thus Vengeance overtook them speedily

There was a few cases of Cholera in the Camp as we journeyed along. I always assisted in nursing, and Administering to the sick. I had along with me a few medicines which I was taking to my family – as soon as they were taken, I used to go and fix a dose of Alcohol, Peppermint, No 6, and Laudanum, which by the blessing of God cured a great many and many were healed by the laying on of hands. One case of miraculous healing, I will mention. A Sister Mc Gaw was taken with Cholera in its most dreadful form. I administered to her in the morning, and she seemed to be healed, but after a while it came on again, worse, if possible, than ever – She said if Br. Burgess could lay hands on her again, she would live, if not she must die, I was a mile back assisting some of the Brethren through some bad places of road; but the woman seemed sure she would that she would live if I could adminster to her again, that they sent a horseman after me, in all haste, who was to take charge of my team, while I was gone. I rode back as fast as possible, found her in extreme agony. cramped so that her head, and heels, nearly touched each other. just as I entered her waggon I felt the power of God resting down upon me in mighty power. I layed my hands upon her head, "In the name of Jesus Christ" and by the Authority of the Holy Priesthood I commanded the Destroyer to leave her instantly, and to leave the waggon and trouble her no more. It did so forthwith, but as it retreated I heard it hiss like an adder. The woman was healed and went on her way rejoicing, – Through the mercy of God I reached the valley in safety and found my family alive and well as Br Kimball when he gave me his parting blessing as we stood on the banks of the Elk horn River the morning I took my leave. I now found myself at home again, after an absence of near 3 years.