Beloved Brother,--It is with joy and gladness of heart I make known unto you our safe arrival in New Orleans, on the 18th instant, after a passage of eight weeks and four days; indeed it was too fine to be speedy. We may truly say it was a pleasure trip, having nothing more to encounter than a good breeze, except a few light squalls, accompanied by showers of rain, which occasioned seasickness, as a natural consequence. But those who were well administered relief to the sick; so the power of God was truly manifested in our midst. Therefore it is with grateful hearts we offer our thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father, for blessing us with a passage that comparatively few have hitherto experienced. Union prevailed in our midst as much as we could expect considering our condition. The cooking seemed to try our patience most, but according to the manner in which our company was organized, accompanied with the diligence of the presidents of each section, order and peace prevailed, and the whole company could have tea and be on deck by six o'clock, when the songs of Zion were sung more or less, which caused cheerfulness to beam on every countenance. Thus were our evening generally passed, until the signal was given form prayers, which were attended to by the presidents of each section, at eight o'clock in the morning and at the same hour in the evening, after which preparations were made for rest; our watch taking their stand at the different hatchways, so that none were admitted form deck to disturb our repose, and in a very short time silence was only broken by the breeze passing through our rigging, or the lonely foot of the sailor pacing the deck.

We had preaching twice a week, and a church meeting every sabbath, generally on deck, which was well attended by all on board, as the labors of the sailors were generally suspended during our service. We are in duty bound to express our feelings regarding Captain Mansfield. His conduct towards us has truly been praiseworthy, giving us privileges considerably more than we could have expected. He was much interested in the welfare of all on board, and was always ready to administer to those who were sick; and, as a proof of our esteem towards him, we presented him with a memorial which represents the feelings of the whole company.

Our records, during our voyage, contain five deaths, one birth, and two marriages, as follows: - Married, on the 24th February, 1850, Louis John Davies, of Glamorganshire, to Sarah Roger of Pembrokeshire, Wales. Also on the 10th March, 1850, John Carver, of Herefordshire, England, to Mary Eames of Herefordshire.

Deaths - On the 28th February, 1850, Jonathan, son of George and Ellen Matthews, aged 10 months, from the London Conference. On the 27th March, 1850, Ann, the daughter of Hannah Hughes, aged 10 months, from Wales. On the same date, Rachael, the daughter of David and Mary Riggal, of Gosberton, [p. 189] aged 14 months, not in the church. On the 30th March, 1850, John, the son of George and Elizabeth Hay, aged 14 years, from Cheshire, England. On the 15th April, 1850, Damina, the daughter of Robert and Rebecca Smith, aged 10 years from Lincolnshire, England.

The wife of Robert Norris gave birth to a daughter on the 2nd April, 1850, they are from Manchester.

The general health and spirits of our company are truly flattering. Joy and cheerfulness marks the satisfaction of all as they open their eyes upon that land which they have longed to see. We are about to prepare, under the guidance of Brother M'Kenzie, to go up the river, and trust that our Heavenly Father will prosper us in the latter part as he has done in the former part of our journey.

May God bless every instrument of power in His kingdom, that the gospel may find its way to the remotest parts of the earth, that in due time the honest in heart may find themselves safe on the land of promise, is the prayer of your brother,

Thomas Day. [p.190]

BIB: Day, Thomas. [Letter], Latter-day Saints Millennial Star 12:12 (June 15, 1850), pp. 189- 90. (CHL)
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