we passed through Vandalia ^Indiapnapolis^ the People threatened us said we should not pass through their town but we went thr[ou]gh
undisturbed the people seemed filled with fear at night we encamped on illegible where we lost one horse
we forded White River.
Sunday we arived at the state Line of Illinois. we had no meeting to
day but attended to Baking, washing, & preparing to resume our Journey which we did do on Monday , and at night were
aroused by the continual threats of our Enemies who were breathing threats against us yet we did not fear neither
did we hesitate to prosecute our Journey for God was with us and his angels for they were seen & went before us &
the faith or the little band of valiant men was vary great.
we arived to day at the deep River Kaskaskia
whare we found two skifts which we lashed together & on which we farried over our Baggage we then swam
our Horses & waggons & as soon as the Horses reached the shore men stood ready with ropes & drew them out
of the water and up the steep bank some of the Brethren fall trees across the stream upon which they cross all
got over safe.
we arived at Decatar another Horse Died. we encamped 1 mile from Jacksonvill & made preparation for the sabbath.
Sunday we had preaching to day and many of the people
came to hear. Elder John Carter formerly a Baptist Preacher spoke in the morning & was followed by 4 other
Elders who had been preachers for varios ^de^nominations when the inhabitants herd those Elders they appeared
much interested & were vary desireous to know who we were. many questions were asked but no one could learn
our names profession, business or Destination. althoug they suspected we were mormons they were very civil
our Enemies had threatened that we should never cross the Illinois River but on Monday the we were ferried
over without any difficulty the ferryman counted de& declaired there were 500 of us yet our true number was
ownly about 150. our company had been some increased by brethren from various Branches as we pased al[on]g
we encamped over the bank of the river untill Tuesday the . During our Travels we visited many mounds
trown up by the Ancient Inhabitants the Nephites & Lamanites & this morning we went onto a high mound near
the river Joseph & many of the Brethren went up this mound was vary high from the top of it we could over look
the tops of the treese as far as our vision could extend and the scenery was truly delightful. On the top of
the mound were stones which presented the Appearance of three Alters having been erected one above the other
according to the Ancient order of things & human bones were seen upon the ground. we had taken a shovel
along with us Brother Joseph wished us to dig into the mound we dug into it about 1 one foot & kame upon the skeleton
of a man almost entire and an Arrow was found sticking in his back bone Elder Milton Holmes picked it
out & brought it into camp with one of his legs bones which had broaken He put the leg bone in my waggon
& I carried it to Clay County Missouri. Brother Joseph feeling Anxios to learn somthing concerning this man
prayed to the Lord & the Lord gave him a vision in open day while lying in his waggon this man & his history was
placed before him His Name was Zelph He was a white Lamanite the curse had been taken off from him
because of his faith & righteousness He had embraced the gospel He was a short stout thick set man He had been a
great warrior Had Joined the Nephites & fought for them under the direction of the great Prophet Onandagus
who held sway & command over the Armies of the Nephites from the Hill Cumorah & Eastern Sea to the
Rocky mountains though the Book of Mormon does not speak of him He was a great warrior leader Guard
& prophet. Zelph Had his thigh bone broaken from the sling of a stone while in battle in the days of
his youth He was killed with the Arrow sticking in his back bone the vision of the great slaughter of the
people at the time that Zelph was killed was opened to the prophet Joseph & there bodies were heeped upon
the Earth & that great Mound of near 300 feet High placed over them. I felt anxious to bury Zelphs thigh
bone in the Temple Block of Jackson County Missouri but I did not have an opportunity & I buried it
in Clay County near the House owned by Colonel Arthur ocupied by Lyman Wight
^The arrow head is now in possession of his wife Emma Woodruff^
we passed through Indianapolis the People threatened us said we should not pass through their town but we went through
undisturbed the people seemed filled with fear at night we encamped on [illegible] where we lost one horse
we forded White River.
Sunday we arived at the state Line of Illinois. we had no meeting to
day but attended to Baking, washing, & preparing to resume our Journey which we did do on Monday , and at night were
aroused by the continual threats of our Enemies who were breathing threats against us yet we did not fear neither
did we hesitate to prosecute our Journey for God was with us and his angels for they were seen & went before us &
the faith or the little band of valiant men was vary great.
we arived to day at the deep River Kaskaskia
whare we found two skifts which we lashed together & on which we farried over our Baggage we then swam
our Horses & waggons & as soon as the Horses reached the shore men stood ready with ropes & drew them out
of the water and up the steep bank some of the Brethren fall trees across the stream upon which they cross all
got over safe.
we arived at Decatar another Horse Died. we encamped 1 mile from
Jacksonvill & made preparation for the sabbath.
Sunday we had preaching to day and many of the people
came to hear. Elder John Carter formerly a Baptist Preacher spoke in the morning & was followed by 4 other
Elders who had been preachers for varios denominations when the inhabitants herd those Elders they appeared
much interested & were vary desireous to know who we were. many questions were asked but no one could learn
our names profession, business or Destination. althoug they suspected we were mormons they were very civil
our Enemies had threatened that we should never cross the Illinois River but on Monday the we were ferried
over without any difficulty the ferryman counted& declaired there were 500 of us yet our true number was
ownly about 150. our company had been some increased by brethren from various Branches as we pased along
we encamped over the bank of the river untill Tuesday the . During our Travels we visited many mounds
trown up by the Ancient Inhabitants the Nephites & Lamanites & this morning we went onto a high mound near
the river Joseph & many of the Brethren went up this mound was vary high from the top of it we could over look
the tops of the treese as far as our vision could extend and the scenery was truly delightful. On the top of
the mound were stones which presented the Appearance of three Alters having been erected one above the other
according to the Ancient order of things & human bones were seen upon the ground. we had taken a shovel
along with us Brother Joseph wished us to dig into the mound we dug into it about 1 one foot & kame upon the skeleton
of a man almost entire and an Arrow was found sticking in his back bone Elder Milton Holmes picked it
out & brought it into camp with one of his legs bones which had broaken He put the leg bone in my waggon
& I carried it to Clay County Missouri. Brother Joseph feeling Anxios to learn somthing concerning this man
prayed to the Lord & the Lord gave him a vision in open day while lying in his waggon this man & his history was
placed before him His Name was Zelph He was a white Lamanite the curse had been taken off from him
because of his faith & righteousness He had embraced the gospel He was a short stout thick set man He had been a
great warrior Had Joined the Nephites & fought for them under the direction of the great Prophet Onandagus
who held sway & command over the Armies of the Nephites from the Hill Cumorah & Eastern Sea to the
Rocky mountains though the Book of Mormon does not speak of him He was a great warrior leader Guard
& prophet. Zelph Had his thigh bone broaken from the sling of a stone while in battle in the days of
his youth He was killed with the Arrow sticking in his back bone the vision of the great slaughter of the
people at the time that Zelph was killed was opened to the prophet Joseph & there bodies were heeped upon
the Earth & that great Mound of near 300 feet High placed over them. I felt anxious to bury Zelphs thigh
bone in the Temple Block of Jackson County Missouri but I did not have an opportunity & I buried it
in Clay County near the House owned by Colonel Arthur ocupied by Lyman Wight
The arrow head is now in possession of his wife Emma Woodruff
