Ship Marshfield, New Orleans, May 29, 1854

My Dear Brother William--I hail with joy this privilege of acquainting you of our arrival at New Orleans this morning, after a passage of 51 days from Liverpool, and I rejoice in having to say that our voyage has been more like an excursion from London to Margate, or Herne Bay, than a voyage across the vast Atlantic. I presume that I shall be perfectly safe in saying that a more pleasant, healthy, and happy voyage has never been known in the history of transatlantic emigration, for, [p.446] although we had a few days' seasickness, we have been entirely free from disease, with but one exception -- Orson William Neild, son of a brother Neild from the Oldham Branch of the Manchester Conference, and who died on Sunday night, 23rd April, aged five months. As regards myself and family, I might say we have been first-rate. Jane has been a little poorly a day or two, and William was seasick one day, I had an attack twice of my old complaint, which brought me to an anchor one day, but all that is nothing. We are well now, and in first-rate spirits, thanks to our Heavenly Father.

Well, now for some information which may be useful to you as you come along. As regards provision, they have been of the best quality. I have been greatly deceived both in quantity and quality, both have been so very good. I bought one cwt. of biscuits, one third would have been enough. Half the bacon would have been plenty. The tea is quite sufficient to use twice a day. If you use coffee for breakfast, you save half your tea; and although the pork seems small per week, yet in a family, and in these warm latitudes, it is really more than you can use. I brought a quarter cwt. of flour; I could have used half as much more, for if you have flour you have soft bread every day. The cooking arrangements are very good, the company is divided into eight wards, and each has its turn or use of the galley alternately during the day, which makes the wards differ in their dinner times, but all goes on well.

A few red herrings, and a good supply of potatoes, are very acceptable. The potatoes relish the pork. The pork was very good; some we have had as good as you would buy in the shops in Liverpool.

I have found your little barrel very useful. In hot weather we have had frequent showers of rain, which has supplied us plentifully for washing our clothes. Some baking powders, carbonate of soda, and sherbet, are very useful, also some mustard, lime-juice, plums, currants, caraway seeds, spices for puddings, pickles, and a few pounds of sugar. Be sure to bring some preserves, and you may reckon upon having tarts all the voyage, which are very nice in these hot latitudes, for it is hot, and no mistake. Our only bed-covering is a sheet, and that is soon kicked off when we are in bed.

Well, now, a word about our Church government on board, for I presume you wish to know all. Elder William Taylor is our president, and a first-rate fellow he is--a better man, and one who feels more for the interests of the Saints, I never met with in my experience. I thank God I have the happiness of his acquaintance and friendship. Elder Gilbert Clements, another most excellent man, is one counselor, and your humble servant is the other. As I said before, the whole company was divided into eight wards, or, you may call them, branches of our Conference. Each ward had its president. Four wards on the starboard side were under my superintendence, while the other side were under Elder Clements'. President Taylor over the whole. We have had occasionally our council meetings, and sometimes to try offenders, for you must understand that offences will come. You would be astonished to see the wickedness of some men and women calling themselves Saints, when they are, like us, thrown into close quarters. Let no Saints attempt to gather, unless they are fully determined to love God, and work righteousness. All our company are not such. I have learned and seen more of the feelings and dispositions of the human heart in this short voyage than in the whole course of my previous life. O, how precious are wisdom and patience. But, upon the whole, we believe a better company of Mormons never crossed these seas.

Now for something about our ship and her officers. Our ship, if I know anything about ships, is about as good a one, for strength, ventilation, and every other qualification, as ever crossed these waters. Our captain is a perfect gentleman, in the fullest sense of the expression; he has been a captain in his ship, a father and a friend to his passengers. May God bless him. The mates and the seamen have behaved with the greatest kindness to all. I can say truly before God, that while I have been on board I have been treated as a gentleman by the captain, officers, and crew. Two of the crew--the carpenter and a sailor, are going with us to Zion. They have been engaged as teamsters by some of the passengers, and will be baptized after leaving the ship. It is not prudent to baptize seamen on board -- it has been proved that they sometimes get baptized on board merely [p.447] to assist in their designs upon the honor of our sisters. We might have baptized all our crew, mates and all, but President was too old for them.

We have had two marriages and two births on board.

From your affectionate brother,

Thomas F. Fisher [p.448]

BIB: Fisher, Thomas F. [Letter] Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 16:28 (July 15, 1854) pp. 446-448. (CHL)
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