Letter from Samuel Brannan, 26 December 1845
New York
Dear Brother Woodruff. With a very bad pen
and in great haste, I imbrace the opportunity
that this evening to answer your kind letter, which
very unexpectedly came to hand this morning.
The Saints in the eastern country are all alive
in the cause of gathering across the mountains
moreso so than they have been heretofore in
gathering to Nauvoo. I have heard nothing
said by the Twelve concerning what course
would be persued by the saints in England, nei-
ther of your stay or return, but I pre-
sume it will be much cheeper for the
saints their to emigrate by water—for it
is a great deal cheeper for the eastern
saints to emigrate from here by water and
of course it will be for you. I have chartered
a Bark of 450 tons for $6000. I shall
take about 200 tons ^of^ freight for the san
Sandwich Islands at 16 dollars per ton
which will reduce the expence about to
about 3800 say four 4000 dollars
I shall carry about 126^5^ saints with me,
which will be more ^less^ than one half of the
expence than going by land. Brother Sherrill
was in here this evening having just arrived
