. . . We took the counsel of the brethren to live within our means, we did so. We found that with a fixed determination to get out to Zion, the Lord was good to His word. "He would help them that helped themselves." We found by studying economy and using wisdom in what means we had coming in every week that we not only cleared the deck but was able to get means enough to take ourselves and four of our children the following year as far as Florence, Nebraska, the names of our children being, Thomas, Gabez, Maryanne, and Eliza who was our baby. We also had the charge of the two belonging to the Saints. One of the children named Samuel Bezzant who [we] were to leave at Battle Creek with his grandfather. The other was a young woman by the name of Mary Powell whose father my parents adopted when a boy. He was found at an empty house that my parents had rented and was to be left at Salt Lake. Before leaving England my employer, Mr. Thomas Cooper, was sorry to have me leave his firm. I gave him notice of my going away. He gave me every inducement to stay. He said that I could have my place in his establishment as long as I live. He did not see why I had to leave. I told him that being a Mormon or a Latter-day Saint that when we had a chance to go to a place that we call Zion in America, that it was our duty to go. I thanked him for his kindness to me while in his employ. He, seeing that I was determined to leave, made me a present of thirty shillings for good conduct which I was thankful for. When my wife went to the Latter-day Saint office to pay the balance of our emigration money, Brother [William C.] Stains, who was the emigration agent for the Church, he told another brother who was present that she was the sister who had sent two of her young daughters away to Zion the year before. Brother Stains, he blessed her and all of our family and said that we would get there safe and not one of us should die on the way, which promise was fulfilled to the letter.
One week before leaving England with my family we visited some of the principle places there. One place called Kewbardens [-], the London Docks, the Thames Tunnel, also the monument and other places. Although living in London so many years, I was not able to get out much to see what there was in London, so we enjoyed that week's visit.
We left the London Docks on board the ship, Amazon, first day of June 1863. Very near 1,000 souls on board. My wife's mother and sisters, Mary Ann and Martha and Maria Dolomore, wife of Charles Dolomore, my wife's brother, came on board. They took tea with us. My wife's father sent a half crown, two shilling and six pence, by his wife for us. My mother felt very bad at us going away, at the same time knew we were doing our duty. We took on board a number of Welsh brethren who were going. They composed a brass band so we had some music on the start. Brother George Q. Cannon, he spoke on the ship to the Saints and blessed us so we had a good time in leaving London. We were piloted up the Thames River until we got to the open sea. After leaving the White Cliffs of Dover and getting into the English Channel, we began to get a little seasick. The Saints on board were divided up into wards, and had our weekly meetings, plenty of singing going on, and great rejoicings to know that we were leaving Babylon and going to Zion, which we had been looking forward to so long.
I had to take my turn at nights as guard. During our journey we had nothing but head and contrary winds all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. One night in particular there was a stormy sea. We lost some of our sail, the wind being so strong. I was on guard that night when a sail came down; it made things lively. The sailors did everything they could do, to get it out of the way. I had to hold on to the sails of the companion way, take it all together we had a pleasant journey together over the ocean. I was seasick two days, but my wife, she was prostrate with the sickness a long while. But when we got over it, was as hungry as wolves. It was quite laughable to see the tinware being thrown around through the ship tossing about. The ship doctor ordered my wife to have some pale ale to give her strength, being very low which done her good. I had quite a scramble to get my food cooked for the family. Some days when it was calm and we had a good time. Take it altogether, we had a good and safe journey over the ocean. We were on the sea forty-two days.
We arrived at Castle Garden the 5th of July, ( a large place built on purpose to receive emigrants). We stopped there one [p.5] night, took steam barge with our luggage, and then went to the pier landing for the Hudson Railroad. We then traveled by cars day and night for seven days. We had to stay over at Chicago one day. Being Sunday, all of the stores were closed so we could not get any food. We had some, not much. On account of the Civil War going on we had to rough it. While traveling part of the time was all crowded in sheep cars. They said they were afraid of their good cars being burned by the Confederates. It was bad on account of the children and could not leave the cars to get provisions. Sometimes we were fortunate enough to get some. The Saints were scared at being left behind. We took steamer up the Missouri River as far as St. Joseph. It was a flatboat. We were very much crowded. We were thankful when we got to Florence and met the brethren there. We stayed at Florence a few days before starting for the plains . . . [p.6]
. . . We were in all 10 weeks on the plains, when we arrived at Salt Lake City on the camping grounds of the 8th Ward Square. The friends and relations of different ones would come and take them away to their homes . . . [p.7]
BIB: West, Charles Henry John. Reminiscences, pp. 5-7 (CHL)
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