March 31st Monday At the office. Letter record one from Brother Anderson from the barque Julia Ann giving a full account of the wreck. Of said barque the following is a [-] [-] as received per schooner "Gazelle."

[-] Tahiti Feb. 22 1856Dear President -

I write you these few lines [p. 46] to let you know a little of what has befallen us since we parted with you on board the Julia Ann (which is now more). A little after you left, we gathered between the poop and steerage house to sing, we sang or attempted to sing. The gallant is under way, which seemed to me ridiculously done, more like a funeral hymn then on the occasion it was. We all began to take dinner but several of us sickened and threw up that which we had taken. My family and others were sick little or much all the time. We were on board of the Julia Ann. The food we were served with was not at all fit for seasickness. There not any oatmeal on board which was a great want to the sickly. We seemed being hungry but could not eat what there was for us. We got some Indian cornmeal, which was a good thing for us as the most of our living. As for our faithfulness or the faithfulness of the company there [p. 47] was to all external appearance unity and strict adherence to our most holy faith up to the time of the wreck. Then appeared a very different aspect. The 3rd of October with us but the 4th with you in Sydney. We were getting rapidly on with good wind. We were talking of soon being able to get to San Francisco but alas we little what was to happen to us before another days sun. About half past eight o'clock she struck an a reef of coral rock; it would be about half past four o'clock with you in Sydney, this was an awful event in course of our lives. There was four of our children in bed and asleep. There were very few in the steerage chiefly on the steerage house poop &c. I had been asked twice or three times why I was not out was I well enough, yes, well enough thank you but lazy or something she it appeared or seemed a foreboding of what took place, there was in the steerage Sister Harris, Sister Lagia, my [p. 48] wife and myself at the moment. The Julia Ann struck, my wife run to me and said O what shall we do I said do not think there is much the matter compose yourself. William Owens 2nd mate he come in and told us to be composed ourselves and all will be right in a little. So it would have been for me in a few moments more would have been on the other side of the [-] words come out from someone for the passengers to go to the cabin and by the time I get the four children out of bed the water was knocking about the boxes. I got my leg very much bruised with a large box with defiantly we gained the cabin and in about ten minutes after we left house galley and boxes was all over board. Preparation to go on the rocks to assistance whether we could get any footing, as there was no land in sight. The ship was breaking up quite fast. I must be briefer. [p. 49]

We were abandoned to our fate the sailor and captain, Brothers McCarthy Eldredge, Lagia and two Penfold's, Sister Humphry, Harris, and all my family with the exception of Jane there was another family whose husband and father had abandoned a wife and six children and gone to the rocks. I had passed my wife up and expected she was gone to the rocks with the others a long time elapsed and hearing all quiet I told the children to hold on till I went on board to see what could be done. When I went there I found not a soul there but my wife whom would not go without her children I there got up children to her and I had to hold them. Agness, Sister Humphrey and Harriss and children were still below with Brother P. Penfold, Maria Harriss and Frank Humphrey was passed to us which kept me from looking after anyone else so my Marion was put out of his place and got drowned. [p. 50] Sister Humphrey and her daughter Mary, Sister Harriss and her baby got drowned also — We passed a miserably night not knowing whether we could reach land or not. At daylight land was discovered about ten mile off we lived, two month on that and more on this and no appearance of getting off we all send our love to you and all the Saints —

from your Brother A. Anderson

[AUGUSTUS FARNHAM THEN WRITES IN THIS DIARY A BRIEF RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER]

After reading the above with Brother Fleming I called on Brother James, Evans, Bennett & Brother Cobb and communicated the entelegram to them and Brother James [-]. He had a son on board the ill fated Julia Ann. This communication worried these elder for the purpose that we might in the advance of the papers as intended to put it in the papers the next day. . . . [p. 51]

BIB: Anderson, Andrew [Letter], IN Dairy of Augustus Farnham, (Ms 7392c, folder 2) pp. 46- 51. (CHL)
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