At one o'clock we sailed with the steamer "Aurora." We had a pleasant voyage and arrived at Kiel the 18th in the morning at six o'clock. We came to the railroad and arrived at Altona. It took four hours, it is 14 miles. We stayed there seven hours. Was transported aboard in a little or coast [UNCLEAR] together with our baggage and was towed out to the large emigrant ship. We came aboard in the evening and got bunk together with Sister Karen and came to house. I was glad and happy because the Lord had [p.40] blessed me with a good wife to whom I could present my love and assistance. She was able to comfort and make sweet unto me life with her sincere heavenly love.

April 1862, 19th. We fixed our baggage

20th. The Sabbath. We had meeting aboard. District Presidents were appointed and I was appointed as overseer over the lanterns. My beloved wife and I rejoiced together.

21st. We were still in harbor at Gluckstad. We had meeting.

22nd. Changed a dollar and brought bread and some things.

23rd. We were still in harbor at Gluckstad on account of contrary winds.

24th. The same.

25th. Hoisted anchor in the morning with good wind and stood out. We were tugged out in the forenoon. My beloved wife was taken seasick and had to go to bed.

26th. Good wind. My beloved wife kept a bed all day and was sick.

27th. Sabbath. Calm all day. Meeting on the deck. My wife was up and enjoyed the sea.

28th. Good wind and rough.

29th. Good wind. Everything well aboard. We got in sight of Scotland in the afternoon. Passed [-] lighthouse in the evening and [-] islands at 12 o'clock at night.

30th. Heavy sea with contrary wind further on in the day. Pretty much all were seasick. My wife was very sick. Laid in bed all day.

May 1862. The first of May. The same kind of weather. My wife was very sick and had to keep in bed all day. Thanks to the Lord that I am strengthened and am able to help her.

2nd. Same wind, but could manage to steer over high seas. It blew terribly. We sailed with reef sails. My beloved wife was very sick. Between 4 and 5 in the afternoon she said that now she did not feel like she could live any longer. Her pulse beat fast and seemingly death was painted in her face. I pressed her to my bosom and pressed a kiss upon her ice cold lips and my heart bled with the thought of losing her, the dearest I had in the world. She expressed what was the desire of her heart. "My Father let me live to remain with him. I love him dearly." I sprang out of bed. Her pulse was stopped. I took some wine and water and got her to drink it and it seemed she felt a little easier about the heart. The Lord heard the silent prayers of our hearts and spared her life, thanks to His name eternally. She is all the time very weak and cannot retain anything on her stomach. The most of the Saints are very sick.

3rd. We are steering the course. It is blowing almost a storm. We are sailing with bram sail. We have seen other ships with reefed sails. My wife is yet very sick. Oh, Lord, assist her and spare her life and bring us to Zion.

4th. Sabbath. Good wind and we are steering our course. My beloved wife had to keep her bed.

5th. My wife was up and was on half deck. Found herself pretty well. It was almost a storm but we went with [-]. In the afternoon we went with a side wind and we came very far towards the north. [p.41]

6th. Wind full towards the north till pretty near the evening. It blew hard and we made pretty good speed. My wife better, thanks to the Lord.

7th. About the same kind of wind and the ship went with the waves at a good speed. It blew hard.

8th. It blew hard. We went along and several ships were passed that sailed with reefed sails. My wife was lying all day. In the evening we reefed sail.

9th. Almost a storm. Meeting aboard. Hans Anderson and I administered and blessed a child who died half an hour after meeting. It was Jens Mats child, a boy. My wife well. I got a pair of dried bacon for Trine. It tasted splendid. Thanks be to the Lord for it. Rain and sharp wind from the west.

10th. My wife was up. Wind was west/southwest.

11th. Splendid weather. We were steering and we had a good meeting of the Saints on deck on quilts and blankets. I preached, requested by our President Brother Liljenquist. I felt blessed. Brother Anderson, H. P. Moller and Liljenquist preached. We did not get the meeting dismissed as the wind increased and as waves grew high and frightened some of the weakest of the Saints into gathering their clothes together. I talked with Trine and was lying on the bed clothes on deck and we talked over where we should ship in the evening. I went up to the brethren and thence down to my bed. They had to set out bram sail and store sail. The kaiver sail was broken during the night. We continued and sailed south/southwesterly. My wife kept in bed. Oh, my Lord, strengthen her both spiritually and bodily.

13th. Calm. My wife was up and better. I got a pan and fried bacon again. The steward of the ship gave it to me, God bless him for it. It tasted splendidly in the circumstances in which we were in.

14th. Easterly wind. Tail sail out. My wife was better and up, the Lord be thanked.

15th. Contrary wind. Good weather. My wife on deck in bed clothes. Considerable sickness on board. One man died. 17 (or 27) years old. A child also, 7 years old. In the evening I was up to see them sink in their watery grave.

16th. My wife also up. I was washing. The steward gave me peas for dinner. They tasted splendidly. Otherwise we should have had rotten cabbage. He gave me also some potatoes for evening and a big piece of pork of which I fried some for supper. A child died.

17th. Contrary winds and sharp. Almost a storm. My beloved wife well. I got some cod fish from the cook in the evening. The Lord bless him for his goodness towards us.

18th. The Sabbath. An old lady died during the night. Westerly wind and foggy air. Two children [-]. [THE WORD MISSING HERE IS PROBABLY, died]

19th. One child died during the night. A man died. Calm and warm and many sick. My beloved wife well.

20th. Calm and warm. The guard was angry with Brother Halmstead. [POSSIBLY Holmstead] Brother Halmstead asked his pardon. In the evening there was music and dancing on the half deck. Most of them participated in the dance even though their wives and everything that would keep them there was about dead. I and my wife were lookers on to all this.

21st. Still calm and warm. A child died. [p.42]

22nd. A sharp wind. A woman and a boy 16 years old dies and a child. My beloved wife was seasick. Oh Lord, assist her.

23rd. A child died last night. Calm in the forenoon. Storm in the afternoon and good wind. This man has lost three children, Carl John Mork. [POSSIBLY, Mark]

24th. Four children died last night. Jens Poulson's [Poulsen] two sisters and wife and a child died. My beloved wife is not well today. Oh Lord, restore her I ask Thee in the name of thy beloved son, Jesus Christ, and bring us to Zion for thy mercy's sake. The wind calm today. Last night, rain, thunder and lightning. My beloved wife very sick of diarrhea. We got some wine soup from the captain. It strengthened her very much.

25th. My dear wife has been very sick during the night. Brother Moller's boy brought us a sugar dipped in opium from the captain to ease it. The wind northeast and sharp breeze. One child died during the night. My wife got a cup full of something that Brother Nielsen called liquor. Something unpleasant to drink but I hope it will help her. My beloved wife is still very sick. I got some pancakes for her from the cook. She ate a little of them.

26th. Two children died. The wind calm. My wife better. She got some warm wine and it did her good. In the afternoon she was worse. We brought the midwife and asked her assistance.

27th. My wife was very sick. Oh, Lord, assist her. The midwife counseled to bleed her which was done twice on one arm but did not get any blood. Niels Johansen brought blood from the other arm. The wind easterly and a slow breeze.

28th. My dear wife very sick. I am downcast, but my hope is to the Lord that He will raise her and turn her sufferings into joy in the coming days. She cannot retain food and is all the time writhing and in pain. A woman died today. Good wind, the Lord be thanked, but almost a storm. Four bram sail blown to pieces. The ship is going at the rate of 11 1/2 miles in four hours. The wind went west and the mar sails reefed for the first time on the voyage. High seas and the ship working heavily.

29th. My beloved wife a little better but she can still take nothing of such as I can get her to strengthen the weak body. I fried a few potatoes for her. She ate a few of them. Oh, my God, spare her life. Hear or hear thy humble servant's prayer for the dearest which thou hast given me on earth. The wind blew considerably, but we had lots of sail up.

30th. My beloved wife was a little better; a little. The wind was westerly. Four children died today.

31st. Calm. My dear wife was a little better today, thanks to the name of the Lord eternally.

June 1862. The first of June, the Sabbath. The wind south and calm. Was together with a ship from Bremmen by the name of "Helena." Our captain visited them and they visited us. My beloved wife better today but must all the time keep in bed. I cooked a little chicken broth for her today from the table of the captain. She had wished it so long and she enjoyed it so well, thanks to the Lord as we have to acknowledge His hand in all things. Meeting on deck. Brother Liljenquist preached and we had a blessed day and fine weather. A child died during the night.

2nd. Foggy weather. A girl died today. My dear wife is better day by day. I got a little food for her from the captain's table. It strengthened her bodily. [p.43]

3rd. The same foggy weather and calm. Everything well aboard except a little sickness but not so bad as has been. There happened a little between my dear wife and myself on account that we did not always deal as wisely as we ought. We got it settled but not without tears on both sides. The Lord give us mercy to deal more according to wisdom as we do love one another so sincerely.

4th. Foggy. We passed two steamers. We had good wind all the time but foggy weather. My dear wife better every day. Two children died today.

5th. My dear wife very sick. The ship rocked very much and is sailing with a good wind and all of us waiting to see land. I got a little chicken soup from the Captain's table to my beloved Trine. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon we got land in sight. Blessed feelings passed through my soul when I saw the land which is the object of my desires and future hopes. The land where I was to pass through sorrow and joy and whatever comes in life together with this beloved woman the Lord has given me. Oh my hope is for time and eternity in this land where thousands are flocking to prepare for the millennial morning. Oh, Lord, hear Thy humble servant's prayer and strengthen and raise my beloved wife.

6th. [-] and cast anchor at 8 o'clock. We heaved anchor again and sailed up a splendid river and enjoyed ourselves seeing the beautiful forests and landscapes. My beloved wife was up and rejoiced in union with me. We passed the doctor and got permission to go right up to New York. We arrived in the city at 5 in the afternoon. One child died. We soon got a little to eat and refreshed ourselves. In the evening a dance on deck.

7th. Two children died today; in all 39. We arrived at Castle Garden and was glad and rejoiced. We went up and had warm beef. It did us good after a long voyage. We went to a hotel and took a nights lodging there.

8th. Day of Pentecost. We went around and got us something to eat and looked around a little.

9th. We came to Castle Garden from the hotel. Two women had two births during the night in Castle Garden. We drove from Castle Garden at six in the afternoon to the station in wagons. We traveled from New York at half past eight in the evening and arrived at Albany at 6:30 in the morning.

10th. After we had rejoiced very much in seeing this pleasant land, these romantic rocky mountains, the green splendid forests and the fruitful fields; my beloved wife was pretty well satisfied. We traveled from Albany at 12:30 noon and arrived at Niagara at 11:30 noon on the llth, and rode over the bridge under which the great Niagara water fall is running. We camped in a green space and ate and drank and looked at this so much spoken of waterfall with great interest. We left Niagara at 2:30 afternoon and arrived the 12th in the morning at 7:00 at Windsor where we were set over to Detroit by a steamer. Traveled further at 2 in the afternoon. A child died in the car where I was.

13th. A boy of ten years fell out of the car and got his toes of one foot crushed. We arrived at Chicago at one in the afternoon. Everything well. We had splendid cars to ride in. We left Chicago at 5 in the afternoon and arrived the 14th at Quincy at 2 in the afternoon. Went aboard in the steamer and sailed along the Mississippi River 20 miles to Hannibal where we lodged in the cars over night. [p.44]

15th. Sabbath. We remain in Hannibal. Bought meat and made soup in the fields.

16th. We left Hannibal at 5 in the morning and arrived at St. Joseph at 6 in the afternoon. Camped on a green plain. A little after midnight we went aboard on a steamer and left St. Joseph the same night.

17th. We sailed up the Missouri River. Sister Sophis [Sophie] Olsen died today aboard the steamer about 6 in the afternoon.

18th. A child died today. We landed in Florence at 12 midnight.

19th. We hauled our baggage to the camping place and camped there.

20th. Attended to necessaries together with my dear wife.

21st. I made out a note to Brother Niels Johansen calling for 132 dollars American money at 4% interest annually until the same shall be paid.

22nd. Sabbath. Meeting under open heaven. I was not there on account of not feeling well. I built a bower to protect us from the heat of sun.

23rd. Very damp. My beloved wife not well. I bought an oxen for thirteen dollars.

24th. Heavy thunder during the night. The day passed attending to the necessities.

25th. The same.

26th. I went out in country a little together with brethren in order to buy cows. We went 9 (or 4) miles to town by name Gallawan. We were lying there overnight but went further again in the morning of the 27th without getting any cows. I bought a good cow on my road home for 20 dollars. I came home about noon. This day was my dear wife's birthday, 24 years old.

28th. I was looking out for the cow and was looking after the necessities together with my dear wife.

29th. Sabbath.

30th. We received our oxen.

July 1862. The first of July. I herded our oxen and our cow. I was not satisfied with our oxen and gave the brethren to understand it and they thence told me I could have my money back if I desired it. I concluded that I myself would get my wagon.

2nd. I went to Omaha in the morning and looked at some wagons but returned without buying any.

3rd. I bought the one pair of oxen from the brethren and had to give $69.75 for them. I went out and looked at a cow but went back again without buying it.

4th. The jubilee of the Americans.

5th. I and my wife went out and got a cow and gave $15 for it.

6th. Sabbath. We wrote some in a letter home to Denmark and herded our stock.

7th. Nothing remarkable.

8th. Very strong thunder and two English brethren were killed by the lightning.

9th. Rain and we almost swam in water in the tents. I bought a wagon for $50.

10th. I set [-] on the wagon and sent the wagon to the smith's and brought provisions.

11th. I bought some provisions and fixed for the journey . . . . [p.45]

. . . [Sept.] 26th. We reached Salt Lake City....[p.48]

BIB: Kuhre, Martin Petersen. Reminiscences and diary, (typescript), pp. 41-45,48. (CHL)
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