"During the voyage we had one birth, eight marriages, and thirty deaths, seven of which occurred coming up the river. During the whole passage we were favored by our Heavenly Father in having fair winds, and in making, I presume, the quickest passage ever known at this season of the year. We arrived at New Orleans on the 11th January, where we were met by Elder [James] McGaw, our agent, making the voyage in thirty-six days. In fact nothing seemed to have the power of hindering us.
On our arrival in New Orleans we were equally fortunate. We took our passage on board the Oceana eighteen hours after our arrival. On arriving at the quarantine ground, where steamers with emigrants are compelled to stop and undergo medical inspection, causing a detention of one or more hours, we only stopped a short time, and succeeded in reaching this city on the afternoon of the 22nd instant.
The Saints are, on the whole, in good health and spirits; the deaths were, as you will perceive by the list handed you, almost entirely among children, owing to the measles having been brought on board. . . .[p.185]
BIB: Foreign Intelligence [Summary of Letter], " Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 17:12 (Mar 24, 1855) p. 184-85. (CHL)
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