[October 20, 1873]. . . I left and took [the] train for Liverpool and there was many of the Saints that come to the station to see me off. I arrived at 42 Islington. Was received by Brother Carrington very kindly and he said that he would of liked me to of stayed another year but Brother F. [Franklin] D. Richards had been to President Young and got him to send my release on account of the state of affairs in the settlement over which I presided at home. So he had to let me go.
22 - Got all on board the Idaho. Here I was appointed president of the company with Brother John Neff and W. [William] Barton, returning missionaries, to assist me. We got together and organized the company into 4 wards with bishop and teachers over each ward.
All things appeared to move on well, we arrived at Queenstown on the 24 about 6 o'clock in the morning; Had quite a number seasick. [p.99] Here we took more passengers on board. Set sail again about 10 o'clock. Seasickness continued very bad up to the 28th when it began to abate.
Seasickness continued more or less up to the 4th but although they felt so sick they rejoiced that they was on their way to Zion. About 11 o'clock we came in sight of land. This give great rejoicing to the Saints to have a sight of the land of Joseph. We began to sing the songs of Zion and it appeared as though the very heavens reverberated with the shouts of prayers and songs of joy.
5th - About 11 o'clock we passed the doctor and custom house officers and went on ashore to the Castle Garden, all rejoicing to be on land again. I was very sick all the way. President Carrington returned as far as New York with us. We had on board about 12 hundred souls, 774 Saints out of the number. Brother Staines, our emigration agent, was here to meet us and we was treated very well all the way by the captain and the crew Brother Staines give me 130 dollars to buy bread for the poor.
6th - We left Castle Garden and took the cars for the remainder of our journey. About 5 o'clock in the evening, Brother Edwin Watson's wife was delivered of a fine son and they called his name John Hart Watson in memory of myself.
8th - About 8 o'clock in the evening we changed cars at Logenspoort. We had 11 passenger cars and 3 baggage cars. We traveled on to Omaha, changed cars again, and traveled from thence to Ogden. We arrived here on the 13th, all well about 11 o'clock at night.
14th - I went to Salt Lake City. Here we was welcomed by President Richards [--] and others of the brethren [-] our wives and [p.100] kindred all rejoiced to meet each other.
14th - I took the company to Salt Lake City. Here we were meet by Bishop E. Hunter and Saints and others of the authority and friends of the Saints. All was welcomed with joy. . . . [p.101]
BIB: Hart, John Isaac. Autobiography and journal (Ms 5181), pp. 99-100. (CHL).
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