Letter to Orson Pratt, 28 May 1856
Great Salt Lake City,
Dear Bror. O. Pratt,
As I commence my first letter in the Historian's Office,
I feel that you are the person that I should write to.
You may be aware that on Monday, the day before I parted with
you at the mouth of the Kanyon, that I had an ox die suddenly,
and in my endeavors to save the hide, while skinning it, I casually
scratched my left arm with a rib, and a few days afterwards the place
inflamed; a swelling rose on the spot, the poison virus got inoculated
into my system, which caused me 3 to 4 weeks' sickness, and which came
very near costing me my life. About the first labor on my recovering
so as to be able to get out of doors, was to be called up about midnight
on Thursday the 15th. inst to administer to your wife Sarah; I promised her
in the name of the Lord that all should be well with her and her child,
and she should be blest in her labor. In 15 minutes after she was
safely delivered of a very fine daughter, weighing 12 lbs. I have seen
her several times since, both she and her daughter are doing well.
I have now so far recovered from my sickness as to be able to attend
to business.
Eighteen days ago the mail arived from the East, being the first
news by way of the South Pass since last November; the Carrier only
brought in about one half of the bags sent from Independence [Using] that
line; the other half being cached somewhere between there and
here; perhaps left at Fort Laramie to amuse the U. S. soldiers with
our news and correspondence during the winter evenings.
The California mail has arrived pretty regularly this winter; by that
mail we receive the Western Standard, and letters from Bro Rich
