Ship America, Belise, mouth of the Mississippi River, March 13th, 1847.

Dear Brother Spencer,--I write to inform you of our safe arrival in this place. We arrived here on the 10th instant, after a passage of thirty-six days, all enjoying a tolerable degree of health, and rejoicing that through the merciful interposition of our Heavenly Father, we are thus far on our journey, and safe on this side of the great Atlantic. We have had a very pleasant voyage; we never had to "tack ship;" and, with the exception of once for a few hours, never furled a sail. We have had the most pleasant time that I ever experienced at sea, and we have made the voyage in less time than any other vessel. There are several ships here which sailed two or three weeks before us, have only just arrived. The reason of our having been detained here so long is in consequence of foggy weather, which prevented us crossing the bar at the mouth of the river. We, however, start today at noon, and have the joyful anticipation of soon joining our families and friends in the Camp of Israel.

I have nothing particular to record concerning the voyage that will be interesting. We saw a great number of dolphins, porpoises, flying-fish, and two or three whales, and outsailed every vessel that we saw on the route. We are now here [New Orleans], well and happy. . . . [p.161]

. . . P.S. -- I am in St. Louis. All well at the camp. I expected a pioneer company have started to the mountains. They were to go the 15th of this month. The Twelve who are there go, with them.

J.T. [John Taylor] [p.164]

BIB: Taylor, John, [Letter], Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 9:11, (June 1, 1847), pp.161, 164. (CHL)
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