Ship HorizonLiverpoolMay 23rd/56Dear Father and Mother:

We have arrived safely and are all well so far. We have a very comfortable place on board and go out of dock today. Liverpool is the dirtiest place we ever saw. London is exceedingly clean in comparison.[p. 1]

Provisions on board are of first rate quality and plenty for us but we have 15 pounds of Indian meal, 10 pounds of flour, 4 quarter loaves and cheese, raisins, spice, etc. etc. besides. So we have not faith to starve.

Remember us kindly to all inquirers. Farewell and may God our Father bless you both is the earnest [p.2] prayer of your son and daughter, James and Elizabeth Bleak [Bleake]. [p.3]

Iowa CityJuly 24th/56Dear Father and Mother:

We make use of the present opportunity to let you know how we have fared thus far on our journey.

We had a very pleasant journey of 34 days across the Atlantic. Betsy was not seasick at all and I was seasick one day. The children were all very healthy with the exception of James who had the measles on board. At present all the children enjoy most excellent health as well as ourselves.[p. 1]

We have traveled upwards of seventeen hundred miles by railway to this place, most of the way in first class carriages, with stuffed seats covered with crimson silk velvet which was very acceptable as we had to sleep five nights in the carriages.

Our provisions on shipboard and during our land journey have been of the very best quality and in such abundance that we have not been able to use more than one half of the quantity allowed to us.

We have fared a wonderful deal better [p. 2] than I expected in this respect. This is certainly a most beautiful country. The climate is hotter at the present than in England; but agrees with us. All first rate. We are very brown. For the last fortnight, we have been living in a tent in camp. We expect to start on the plains tomorrow. We have yet to travel thirteen hundred miles before we reach home. The testimony of us both is that we like Mormonism better than ever and we would like all that we [p. 3] respect on the earth to be engaged in the same good cause.

If you know anyone who thinks of coming to America, tell them to come to the western states and not to stay in the eastern cities, as wages are much better in the west than in the east and moving is also cheaper. In this state, Iowa, common laborers get 4 schilling 2 demies a day. Mechanics get 6 schilling 3 demies a day. Flour of the very best quality is 12 schilling 1dem per 100. Ham is 5 demies a pound, butter 10 demies, eggs 4 demies a dozen, cheese 5 demies a pound, beef 3 schillings, and mutton 4 demies a pound for the best parts.

We shall write again when we reach the Valley. Give our love to all brothers and sisters and [-] inquirers [-][-] Bleak [Bleake].[p. 4]

Great Salt Lake CityWednesday, December 3rd /56Dear Father and Mother;

I shall suppose you have received our letter giving the particulars of our sea and part of our land voyage, therefore I shall say nothing but what relates to our journey across the plains and our reception in this city.

We left a place called Iowa City, on the 1st of August and arrived in this city on last Sunday the 30th of November the distance being 1,300 miles. We should not have been so long performing the journey but we were detained on the road in consequence of [p. 1] the snow falling considerably towards the latter part of our journey. . . .[p. 2]

BIB: Moore family. Papers (Ms 7531), item #1, pp. 1-3; item #2, pp. 1-3; item #3, pp. 1-2. (CHL).
(source abbreviations)