. . . We remained in Manchester until the fall of 1854 when in November 16th 1854 we received word to be at Liverpool on the 20th to set sail on the 23rd. We arrived all safe on the 20th at Liverpool and on the 22nd embarked on the ship Hollies for New Orleans after we had all got on board and had gone to bed during the night a terrible gale came from the Irish Channel and took our ship, anchor and all and took over to the New Brighten side of the River Mersey as we was in the River ready for to set sail in the morning and a tug boat was crossing the river in the night and the wind took the boat and dashed her into our ship damaging her very much. On the morning of the 23 when we was expecting to sail we found her to be on her side when the tide went out and was a difficult matter to get her righted however in the afternoon as the tide came in a heavy gale came from the Irish Channel and took a small ship called a brig loaded with wheat and sent her direct [5] [paper torn; two or three words missing] breaking our bulwarks and while the two ships was in this condition [word missing] craft or black flat and the wind took her in between the two ships and it was a terrible job to get them all apart it took two [p.6] hours to clear them away so we could start that day and the ship sprang a leak and some government inspectors came on board to see what damage she had sustained and the word was given that she was not fit or prepared to stand the voyage so we was brought back into Port and we went hunt up lodgings and we remained in Liverpool until the 17th of January 1855 when we embarked on the fine clipper ship named Charles Buck and on the morning of the 17th bid farewell to the old country that gave us birth after we had been out on the sea 3 weeks the sailors said we would be in New Orleans in about 5 weeks but not so for I remember on a Sunday morning when we met together on deck to hold meeting the captain came out in his tarr poling suit and called aloud all hands on deck and I tell you there was not much time for a black squall came up and it was awful wind and rain first mate said it was as bad a storm as he had ever seen and it lasted 6 days sea rolling mountains high and our little craft rolled about like a piece of wood and the crew was afraid we was doomed but I had no fear then for I was too young to realize the danger we was in but I should fear now as I can look back and wonder how in the would those ships ever made the trips but the Lord as ever watched his people in crossing the sea since the year 1837 for none has ever gone down either sailing or steam vessels but all has crossed safe up to the year 1905. We arrived in New Orleans on the 15th of March 1855 making 8 weeks and 4 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean. We remained there for two days. When we arrived or before we tied up to the wharf. Land sharks in the [6] shape of men came along the side of the ship in little small boats and climbed up on board and they came so thick and fast that Brother Ballantyne had to station a [p.7] guard to prevent them from going down in among the passengers and some of them were very impudent and was going down any how but the guard made a stand and said if any one tried it he would do it at his peril but they did not go down or there would have been bloodshed.

On the evening of the 17th commenced piling our luggage down the gangway on to the steamboat Michigan there was between 5 and 6 hundred passengers on our ship and about 400 from another that set sail from Liverpool the same time of day that we did. Her name was Tempest and besides the two ship loads there was other passengers first cabin & steerage making in all not less 1,1000. We had a time to find our Luggage all piled together. Night came on and we had to sleep the best way we could for that night. Next we had to hunt around and find our things. It took us about 12 days to get to St. Louis as there was a heavy current. River was rising ice breaking up large trees coming down the river the Mississippi & Ohio and Missouri Rivers all rising made a large steam and a heavy current and the trees would get into the wheels and smash them. Then we would have to stop and repair and altogether made us about 3 days longer than we should have been however we arrived at St. Louis on the 29th of March in the evening dark and we had to get off the boat and get our luggage on the wharf and fix the best we could for the night to sleep. Mother, two sisters and myself got our boxes and walled them around and spread a tent over and then we got inside and laid there till morning. The tent we had was made on sea coming along Mary Ann and Sarah after making or help to make 40 or 50 tents kept one so we made use of it as I mentioned. The next day the 30th of march [7] cousin Benjamin Broomhead came down with a team and took us up to his [p.8] house. He and his wife Sarah made us very welcome and was as kind as could be. They had been here in St. Louis about 3 years and was very comfortable. We remained there about 6 days and recruited up a little and the folks did some washing &c. On the 5th of April we embarked on the steamboat Golden State and in the afternoon we started up the great Missouri River after traveling slow as the water in some of the places was very shallow there was one of the boat hands was at the front of the boat throwing a lead attached to the end of a rope to see how deep the water was. Sometimes he would say no bottom but not often the next throw would 5 feet then 4 then sometimes on the sand bar then what a work to get her off the sand bar but we arrived at Atchison on the 9th of April. Atchison was just laid off for a city but there was only about 6 houses there then and no landing for the boat but we got off her all right and about one hour about 3 teams came to move us out 2 miles to make our first camp. This was the first time I ever saw oxen work and I asked the man to let me drive. He gave me the whip but the old fellows did not care to be drove by a green horn however we got to our home or Camp and pitched our tent and in a few days felt quite at home. We had four more besides ourselves making 8 in number, in a few days we commenced to work making a landing for boats and making streets some working at saw mill and at different kinds of work we worked for about 6 weeks in Atchison in company with 2 others. Went over on the other side of the river to work in Missouri [8]. We was ferried over we was there one week only and came back then. The emigration commenced coming in boats every boat brought a load of Saints till we soon numbered thousands and our company [p.9] move about 5 miles to Ickery Grove [Possibly, Hickery Grove]. We called it Mormon Grove and we commenced working on the large farm some plowing some planting corn and some making a ditch around the farm. It is a beautiful farm rich land this taken for the outfitting post to cross the plains. There was about 3000 Saints emigrated that year 1855 there was three independent companies started before our company got ready however just before we started some of our relatives came on the last ship and came to the grove 2 weeks before we started. There was old grandma Robbins over 93 years old Aunt Nancy James Joseph Mary Cyrus Robbins we was the first of the 13 Pound Company. Our relatives came in the second company. We started on our journey on the 27th of June and then started the fun. Green cattle and green drivers made it amusing. Cattle running away wagons upsetting however I was very fortunate myself as I had drove cattle ever since I came to Atchison and I found it a good thing. . .[p.10]. . .we felt thankful that we arrived this was on the 27 day of September 1855 after being on the way for about 10 months. [p.12]

BIB: Bailey, Charles R. Autobiography (Ms 8237 1 #10), pp. 6-10,12. (CHL)
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