Transcript

Correspondence from the Plains.
BIG PAPAU, Sept. 4, 1856.

PREST. TAYLOR,—Dear Bro:—I sit down at our first camping place to write you a few lines, to inform you of our good health and the general good spirit of the company, we were all greatly hurried during the last week that we were obliged to spend in Florence; Bros. Franklin and Spencer have had a vast amount of settlements to accomplish in completing the forwarding to the hand-cart and cattle-cart companies. The emigrants all went off in the best of spirits notwithstanding the lateness of the season. I think I never saw more enthusiasm or determined faith in any companies of Saints that I ever had the privilege of seeing start across the plains.

The crowd of business obliged Bro. Snow to come out with us thus far, and is with Bro. F. D. R. and Br. Spencer, are now closing up the last of the business connected with the P. E. F. emigration. Bro. Walker is still back with ten wagons loaded mostly with extra freight belonging to the hand-cart companies. Bro. Jos. A. Young went out to meet him and returned last evening reporting him to be seventy miles back, on Tuesday last. Our company is composed of fourteen persons, five wagons, and twenty-five animals—horses and mules; the names of the brethren are as follows: F. D. Richards, Dan. Spencer, C. H. Wheelock, G. D. Grant, W. H. Kimball, J. Van Cott, Jas. McGaw, J. A. Young, J. McAllister, W. C. Dunbar, Capt. Dan Jones, C. G. Webb, J. Ferguson, and N. H. Felt. We are in hopes of going to the valley in thirty days, and be there at the conference of the 6th Oct. Excuse this hasty scrawl written on a log.

My kindest remembrance to yourself, kind regards to Br. George, Stenouse and Dulin, and all the Saints in New York. I remain yours in the Gospel. N. H. FELT