Wednesday, March 22. The barge Julia Ann, Commander Davis sailed from New Castle, with a company of Saints (numbering 63 souls) on board, under the direction of William Hyde, Mr. Pond, the owner of the vessel was also on board, and the destination of the ship was San Pedro, California. Following is a brief account of the voyage:

After the brethren were assembled on board a special conference was called, when Elders Charles Stapely, Senior, and Richard Allen were appointed counselors to President William Hyde. During the first few days of sailing the wind was favorable and the ship skipped through the waters at the rate of ten knots an hour. Considerable seasickness prevailed at first among the passengers, and also the measles, which some of them brought with them from land; but as the voyage proceeded both soon wore away.

On the 29th Sister Allen gave birth to a son. About this time a strong breeze blew up which by the 5th, 6th, and 7th of April, augmented to a gale. Sister Allen, who had taken a slight cold, was by Elder Hyde's advice taken in the cabin, where she was faithfully watched for over a week, when she thought herself able to return to her room and was permitted to do so.

On the 16th of April the ship put into Huahing, an Island of the society group, about 90 miles (leagues) northwest ward of Tahiti, for the purpose of taking in a fresh supply of water. The heat of the sun was intense and had a bad effect upon Sister Allen, who on the 17th about noon was found running very low, and so sudden was her relapse that at sunset, her life was despaired off, and on the 18th, at 9 o'clock, she died. She was buried in a respectable manner on the 19th. Elder Hyde preached the funeral sermon and the scene was truly impressive; every possible respect was shown by the officers and all on board. As soon as the funeral services were over, the sails of the Julia Ann were again hoisted and the vessel put to sea.

On the 9th of May, the Sandwich Islands were sighted and on the 10th the emigrants found themselves sailing along the coast of Oahu; a boat was sent on shore for a supply of fresh provisions. While there Elder Hyde learned that Elders George Q. Cannon and Snider were on the island, and he left a letter and a few numbers of the "Zion's Watchman" for them. After a detention of about 24 hours, the ship was again plowing the deep, but now contrary winds were encountered, which drove the vessel to the north and west and it was the 12th of June when the Julia Ann dropped anchor in the harbor of San Pedro. During the voyage meetings were held every [p.1] Sabbath, and generally once or twice during the week. Prayers were also held every night and morning. Three or four of the sailors who never before had heard the gospel, became converted during the trip, among whom was the first mate. The officers of the ship, generally speaking, were kind and courteous to the Saints.

June 13, 1854, Elder Hyde left his company at San Pedro and started on the back of a mule for San Bernardino, where he arrived the following day.

On the 16th teams were started for the coast for the emigrants and on the 21st they all had safely arrived at the beautiful valley where a colony of Saints were engaged in building up San Bernardino. Rooms were immediately rented, in which the Australian emigrants were comfortably quartered and most of them were soon busily engaged in assisting the Saints to secure their grain. Soon afterwards William Hyde started for Great Salt Lake Valley with the mail company and arrived in Great Salt Lake City, August 14th 1854. His company in the mean time remained in San Bernardino, awaiting further instructions. After his return home, Elder William Hyde reported his mission to Australia to the editor of the "Deseret News" as follows:

Australia MissionGreat Salt Lake City Nov. 23 1854.

To the Editor of the Deseret News:

Dear Sir.- By request, and deeming it a interest to your readers, I furnish you a short sketch of mission to Australia, and of my labors in the ministry during the last two years.

I took leave of my family and the home of the Saints on the 20th of Oct., 1852, and on the 8th of January following arrived in the city of San Francisco, where, after tarrying for about three weeks, through the goodness of our Heavenly Father, and the kindness of noble and generous hearted men, the way was opened for the various missions who had thus far traveled in company to prosecute their journey.

On the 2nd of February I left San Francisco in company with the brethren of the same mission, on board the barge "Pacific," bound for Sydney; there were one hundred and forty passengers on board, mostly bound for the gold fields in Australia, from many of whom, on our first putting out to sea, we received much unkind treatment, but it did not take many days for our undeviating and unruly course of conduct to show to all that we were not the individuals that the lying scandals put in circulation by designing men had represented the Saints to be. Before we left the vessel, the passengers formed an attentive congregation to which we had the privilege of preaching the gospel in its plainness and simplicity, and some of the most foremost of our persecutors came to us and apologized, and begged pardon for their ungentlemanly conduct.

We were 56 days on our passage; stopped three days at the Island Upola, one of the navigation groups, and on the 30th of March by the vessel's time and 31st by Sydney time, we reached the mouth of the harbor seven miles from Sydney, and after laying in quarantine nine days, were safely landed.

We found on our arrival some thirty-five of forty Saints in Sydney and its vicinity. We tarried in Sydney two weeks instructing the Saints and making preparations for our future labors, &c; then having blessed each other, we separated for our respective fields of labor. I journeyed north 150 miles, and commenced my labors in a section of country afterwards known as the Hunter and William's River district. Previous to my visiting this section there had been some fifteen or twenty baptized, but I found them in great need of instruction. I traveled over five or six different townships and wherever a door could be opened for preaching there I was found and there my voice was heard bearing record to the fact that God had committed to many a message of eternal truth. In all my administrations the power of God was with me in a manner which I had never before realized, and in all things I could see the promises fulfilled which were made me before I left the home of the Saints, and I feel safe in saying the same in reference to my brethren.

I continued my labors in the above named section of country for over ten months, during which time I delivered 120 public discourses, and three branches were organized, one consisting of thirty-six members, one of fourteen, and one of ten, and at another place were sixteen not organized.

During the time there was forwarded to Australia [-] Liverpool, by Elder Samuel W. Richards, some six or eight or hundred dollars worth of books, and pamphlets which received a general circulation, and every possible measure was made use of by President Farnham, and the elders for the spread of truth throughout the country.

President Farnham visited me before the close of my labors and was much pleased with the course I had pursued. The Spirit of the Lord was with him, and his cheerful countenance, connected with his faithful testimony to the truth were ever cheering to the Saints, but on seeing that my health was fast declining he was decided that I should wind up my labors if I ever expected to leave that land. The idea of letting my body remain till the morning of the resurrection upon that heaven forsaken portion of the earth found no place with me, still I found that wisdom should be used.

I visited Sydney every three months, as at this place our Quarterly Conferences were held, at which times as many elders as circumstances would permit were assembled, and our meetings oft reminded us of the meeting of the sons of Mosiah, after they had been separated for a long time among the Lamanites. I visited a section of country south of Sydney some fifty or sixty miles in company with Elder Farnham, a small portion of the country through which he, and Elders Flemming and Eldridge had been traveling, though the most of Elder Farnham's time was required in Sydney, and I found that the elders were laboring with all the powers they were in position of to do a good work in the name of the Lord, but truly they are in the midst of a perverse people whose god is gold, and who worship the at shrine of Bacchus.

At a conference held in Sydney on the 1st of January 1854, it was unanimously agreed that a company of Saints should be in readiness for emigrating on, or before, the 1st of April following, and that I should be in charge, accordingly on the 10th of March I found myself comfortable situated in company with sixty-three souls on board the barge Julia Ann of San Francisco. Capt C. H. Davis of New Bedford in command.

On the 22nd of March we put to sea and on the 16th of April touched at the island Huahina called Uhana, one of the Society Group, 30 leagues west of Otahita in south latitude 16 degrees, 44 minutes and west longitude 151 degrees. I was informed, while on [p.2] this Island that Elder Noah Rogers had visited it during his mission to the Society Islands. At this place we called to bury a sister by the name of Esther Allen, wife of Richard Allen, she was buried on the island in a very respectable manner and much kindness was shown us from the whites as well as from the natives on the island. After tarrying three days, having taken on board a fresh supply of water and provisions, we again weighed anchor.

On the 9th of May we touched at the Oahu Island, stopped one day and on the 12th of June the vessels safely anchored in the harbor at San Pedro, California. During our passage every possible respect was shown us by the captain and officers. We had preaching every Sabbath and prayers night and morning, and the satisfaction before leaving the vessel that the captain and first mate were fully convinced of the truth.

On the 22nd of June the company arrived safe in San Bernardino, teams having been sent out for their convenience, and in a few days they were all comfortably situated.

On the 27th of July I again found myself under way on mule back en route for Great Salt Lake City, in company with Messrs. Copen and Hope who were in charge of the mail for this place. After fighting Indians and suffering much from the heat and fatigues of the journey, owing to my then feeble state of health, on the 14th of August I again found myself in the circle of a kind family and in the midst of those who love righteousness, and I now have the satisfaction of being able to state that through the goodness of God and my Heavenly Father and the blessings of the Saints, together with the healthy air which I here inhale, my health has been in a good degree restored, for which blessing I am not ungrateful.

Yours truly,

William Hyde [p.3]

BIB: Australian Mission, Manuscript History, March 22, 1854, pp. 1-3. (CHL)
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