. . . We left Liverpool, England Wednesday afternoon, September 19th, 1877, on the steamship Wisconsin, 482 Saints on board. Until night, all our time was occupied in fixing ourselves in our bunks for the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean. The wind began to blow and the ship roll, we began to look at each other realizing our position on [p.2] board ship. Thus the first night was spent.

Thursday morning, 20th - Sun shining, no wind, and everything looks beautiful. The bell rings for breakfast, we soon get through our hot rolls, butter, and coffee, and went on deck to look for Queenstown in Ireland. Half past nine, singing began by the young folks, then an old gentleman broke out singing, "I bid adieu to my native home, in foreign lands to roam." Drawing out a fiddle from his pocket began to play, "Jecks, the lad." This stopped. The singing and dancing began while the older folks walked about, some knitting and others enjoying the beautiful morning air. The sea was quite calm. The steam up and the ship moving along nicely. In looking around, saw a ship ahead of us. However, we soon pass her and she is out of sight. The captain calls out, "Ireland." All eyes were soon fixed to get another sight of land. Houses dotted here and there upon the farms by the mountain sides while in the distance could be seen large white buildings like old halls or castles surrounded with trees. Bell rings for dinner. I could not eat so came on deck again to look at Queenstown. The anchor was cast and waited for the mail steamer which [p.3] soon came alongside our ship. On board was two women selling apples and grapes. I bought half a crown's worth equal to about 60, sixty cents American money and a "God bless you" besides. May you live long and happy. May you be, all for the same money.

Quarter to one, we leave for New York. Singing and dancing begins again and lasts all the afternoon. While others went to supper I stayed on deck to see the last speck of land. I looked round when the bell rang seven o'clock, and I saw no more land. The wind began to blow causing lots of sickness all night.

21st, Friday - Fine morning. Wind blowing from east to west. The sails were all set and the steam puffing from the engines and thus we pass along the Irish Sea. Quite a number was seasick. I with the balance throwing up and feeding the fishes. As I look round can see many pale faces, some sitting and laying all over the upper deck while my poor trembling form leans against one of the large lifeboats. There was no singing or dancing this day but long to be remembered. Just at dusk a hawk came and rested on the main mast of our ship but no one was very eager to catch it. At eight o'clock, [p.4] after this exciting time through the day our ship stopped to cool the engines and see if everything was in good working order before we went any further. One old lady exclaimed, "Thank God we are at New York," but got disappointed.

22, Saturday morning - There was a steady breeze blowing from the south. Quite a number came on deck to look round and enjoy the fresh air. However, nothing could be seen but water and the blue sky above. After some little time a drove of large fish came alongside the ship. One of the sailors told us they was porpoise. We could see them jumping about four or five feet out of the water, then diving down again causing considerable amusement until dinnertime. After dinner, singing and dancing began lasting all the afternoon. Two ships came in sight and we soon passed them by and go to bed.

23, Sunday - A ship in sight. Steady wind from southwest and the sea calm. As I look around, this vast water does not seem to move, no more than water in a bucket. The sky blue and the water looks a dark green. Plenty more porpoise are jumping about in the water. Our sails are all set again and we are moving along 14 knots per hour, so I heard from the mate who was at the helm steering the ship. Bell rings for breakfast. The ship I saw this [p.5] morning proved to be the "Egypt" which left Liverpool the day before we did, we leave her behind and pass along as the prophet of old has said we should with speed swiftly. Religious service began and lasted all day. For dinner we had roast beef, plum pudding, which was very good, and towards night the wind began to raise rather rough and the captain shouted out from the upper deck, "Look out for a storm." The sailors began to run from one end of the ship to the other with large chains and ropes. Quite a number came alarmed at this proceeding. Then he called out, "Man the lifeboats." One old lady called out, "Good Lord save us. Don't drown us." We was then all ordered down below. Pots, pans, buckets, and everything that was not fast was rolling about. Old people falling down, young ones laughing at the fun but did not last long. A large rope had been placed all along the water closets for protection. During the time we was standing by this rope waiting to get in the closets, our ship gave another sudden roll and we fell over this rope, old and young, head and tail together, vomiting on each other. Girls screaming, boys laughing, old men and women grumbling, children crying. I was quite sick myself and crawling about on my hands and [p.6] knees, not able to stand on my feet. Don't you laugh at me now because that part is over and the steward calls out, "All to bed. All to bed." This ended our first Sunday at sea with the ship still rolling and the wind blowing.

Monday, 24th - I was up early and two others. The wind was still blowing and raining fast. My boys missed me and came running on deck to find me. Arthur W. lost his hat. He looked over the side of the ship and said, "There it goes" but could not run after it. "Goodbye hat." I tried to wind my watch and broke the mainspring through a sudden roll of the ship. This day was a very trying time to most of us. Sarah, my wife, and her little baby was not sick which was a great blessing to us all. A very earnest prayer was offered up to our Heavenly Father by the president of our company, Hamilton G. Park, to still the wind and waves and become calm. There were many pale faces and trembling forms. Yet, however as the night came on, the ship began to be more steady. The wind and rain ceased and all was peace during the night. Thanks for the prayer and the words from our Father, "Peace be still."

Tuesday, 25 - With much joy and gladness we hail the beautiful morning. Hundreds of the Saints were on deck although many of the older brethren and sisters were [p.7] rather poorly through seasickness. Our two eldest boys was helping the cook. One day he asked them if they had any parents on board. They told him they had, also brothers and sisters quite well but their father was sick and could not eat anything. Earnest S. [Shepard] came running up on deck and asked me if I could eat a dried herring so I said, "Yes, that is the very thing I could eat." And I did, head, tail, and bones as well after which I could eat almost anything and began to be more cheerful. Looking around for something to put in my diary I soon see in the far distance a long, dark ridge in the water. Upon inquiring of a sailor, he said it was the banks of the Newfoundland. Then I asked him what was that which looked like streaks of blue and white flying up in the air. He said, "Them was whales blowing their horns." As we got more near, could distinctly see the water flying up about fourteen or fifteen feet high like a large fountain, before night could see many more. Our ship has left off kicking and rolling about and we spent the night in peace.

26, Wednesday - This was a splendid morning. No wind and the sea calm. The ship dashing along and all feeling [p.8] first rate, sitting about the deck, eating cakes, pies, nuts, apples, and many other good things, laughing and talking about the past and their future prospects in Zion. The captain calls 900, nine hundred miles to New York as the ocean was calm with only a steady breeze. Such good news sets us singing and dancing again until tea time. As the moon was shining brightly, singing and dancing began again and continued until 9, nine o'clock on the middle deck as well. Here the fiddles, flutes, concertinas, accordions were going until 11, eleven o'clock and went to bed.

Thursday, 27th - All things look favorable. Sun shining, but rather a head wind delaying our progress about two knots per hour. We are all on deck looking for something and don't know what. News came that one little boy was below very sick indeed. My first thought was to thank God, my Heavenly Father, that my family were all well. The captain calls 550, five hundred fifty miles from New York. Singing and dancing begins again and continues until bedtime, thus another day has gone.

28, Friday - No wind and everything calm and beautiful. A wild duck came [p.9] on board so we are trying to catch it. Sharks follow us along and a whale comes very near. All eyes are fixed on him. He is sending the water up about 20, twenty feet high. I should judge she is about 18, eighteen, yards long. Looks a monster as he glides swiftly along in the water. The sad news is made known that the little boy is dead, causing a gloom of sadness to pass over the entire company on board. Towards night, preparations were made for funeral services at night and the little boy to be buried in the ocean. I cannot describe my feelings at this time but will say my heart gave way, thinking of my own family and the sharks following the ship for a purpose. Brother Hamilton G. Park, the president of our company, spoke of the resurrection of the dead, and offered the dedicatory prayer. The little fellow was placed upon a wide board, down he slides and is gone. An Irish gentleman who was coming to America for the hunting season offered Brother Park an English sovereign for that book he read from and was told he had no book to sell and could not repeat what he had said. He thought that was the most beautiful discourse and prayer he had ever heard. He had much sympathy for the poor woman [p.10] who had lost her boy as well as leaving her husband behind for the gospel's sake.

Saturday, 29 - On this day all was expecting to see land again. Old beds of straw was thrown overboard and all was ready to leave the good old ship. All was almost breathless and everything was still and quiet. We heard that joyful sound, "Land, oh, land, oh." All eyes were fixed to catch a sight of America. This was a grand sight, to behold land again. The pilot came on board to steer us into harbor. I cannot describe the beautiful shore of New York with houses dotted here and there surrounded with trees and the lovely walks and picturesque views. As the doctor is coming aboard and we all begin to pack up our things and leave the ship. The custom house officers are ready to search our boxes. We are all past the doctor and off we go to Castle Garden to be counted for the cars. This done, we sat down and tasted the first Yankee food and obtained our first American money. As I was acquainted with Brother William C. Staines, I got him to change some English money for American and was quite puzzled when I found two kinds of five cent pieces, twenty cents, twenty five cents, fifty cents, and one hundred cents. [p.11] However, we soon found the way to spend it. We drank good luck to the beautiful ship that brought us safe over the Atlantic Ocean with many sounding cheers. We next filled our boxes with good things to eat on our journey from the Castle Garden. We marched on with our hand luggage. 482 men, women, and children like a flock of sheep to the cars in waiting at the Pennsylvania Railway. I thought this was something like the children of Israel traveling to the promised land. Having seated ourselves, a whistle sounded and off we go. Just at dusk all feeling well for a change. Having no beds, we fixed ourselves on the seats and the boys on the floor. Thus we spent the Saturday and night.

Sunday, 30th - At daylight could see many heads out the windows to get another view of America. We found ourselves midst Rocky Mountains covered with trees and brush of different kinds. Breakfast time, we stopped to take in water and hook on another engine. No sooner had we started with two engines, the sight became rather alarming, high mountains on each side of us such as [p.12] we had never seen before. I think they was called the Allegheny Mountains with a deep valley, I should judge about 200, two hundred feet deep in the center and this line was running by the side, something like a dugway until we reached the top near Chicago. Now, we have a beautiful level country with many wooden houses, somewhat rude and rough-looking farms and villages with many boys and girls all mouth and eyes to see a special train passing through the streets with so many Mormons. The news had been sent forward we was coming. Many of the children were black and waved their white handkerchiefs until we was out of sight. We changed cars at Chicago in the middle of the night. This was another trying time for us, all children asleep in different places, no lights in the old cars. Our things to look after and feel for and could not tell whether we had left anything or not. Frank lost his Bible he had. Children crying, others grumbling at our condition and no redress. We was more lucky than some. We found most of ours while some lost several articles of value. However, we got seated again in the new cars. I had my hat off [p.13] and thought my hair was standing straight up and my head fit to burst. Again the whistle blows and off we start again to Council Bluffs. Thus, we ended Sunday and night.

Monday morning, October 1st - We find ourselves among the corn fields, melons, squash, and fruit of different kinds. Houses could be seen several miles apart. Stumps of trees left in the fields and squash vines growing all around them and looks something like the market gardens of old England minus the stumps of trees. Soon we reach Council Bluffs. Here we change cars again for the Ogden and Salt Lake train. Here we had to look after all our luggage. I found them alright and seated in the cars to cross the Missouri River to Omaha. Here we filled up our box with good things to eat on our way across the plains. 1052, One thousand fifty two miles where many traveled on foot with handcarts and ox teams but we are going by steam. That suits us better than pushing or drawing handcarts. Off we go again singing "Yankee Doodle." Here we are where the buffalo roam with many beautiful sights to see that nature has formed, many picturesque views [p.14] to behold, thousands of cattle feeding surrounded by antelope and herdsmen, plenty of different kinds of birds, coal mines, gold, and silver mines. We stopped a short time at Laramie. Again at Evanston and bought some Mormon pies. Here we are at Ogden, Saturday. Some Southport Saints met us and a jolly time we had shaking hands and talking over the past and future. Soon as we started again Brother Park told us we would soon be at Salt Lake City and would find all was not Saints and we should look after our luggage or we might loose some. We landed in Salt Lake City midnight October 6th 1877 and remained in cars all night. John Willis my wife's uncle came to the cars soon after we arrived to look for us. We heard him calling out - is Sam Horsley here. Yes, we are here and know who you are by your voice and we had quite a chat but could not see each other the lights were out. Sunday morning he brought his team and wagon and took my wife and the small children to his friends while I and the larger boys stayed to look after the luggage. Before we had the luggage car opened a strange man came looking [p.15] round the cars and I though of what Brother Park had said about loafers picking up something and walking off and when the car was opened he came close up as the names called, soon my name was called and I took the large box. I and my oldest boy took it on one side. This man following us I told one of the boys to set on that one, and keep his eye on. That man while we went for more, however he followed us back and continued to do so until we had got all our luggage and set ourselves down to rest he came close up and asked if that was my name on them boxes and I said yes, he asked where my wife and other children was and I told him that as well. Then he said you are my brother Sam I guess. My name is Horsley also. I asked what his given name was and he said David, and I could see the big tears running down his cheeks, his heart was so full of joy in seeing us he could not speak to us before. After this excitement was over he brought his mule team took our luggage to the Tithing Yard then got my wife and children and all started for Centerville, 12, twelve miles north of Salt Lake City where he lived. We stayed with him one week then my brother John came and took us to Joseph City nearly 200 miles [p.16] south. We reached his house 20th of October and stayed with him six months. Then I went to see my father who lived at Red Creek or Paragoouah, about another 100 miles south. I bought a lot and I and the boys built our house in Paragoouah where we still live. I and my wife and children, I hope will never regret leaving our house in England for the gospel sake. [p.17]

Samuel S. Horsley

BIB: Horsley, Samuel Peckett. Journal, pp. 2-17. (CHL)
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