Our next and last vessel sailed from London, on the 4th June, with 896 souls of the Saints, under the charge of Elders William Bramall, E. L. Sloan and R. Palmer. This is the first ship load of Saints which has sailed from that port. It was quite unavoidable to change our port of embarkation. Mr Smith, of the firm of Tapscott, Smith & Co endeavoured to obtain a ship to sail from Liverpool, but could not do so — they were all engaged in some way or other. An offer was made to him by a London firm for us to have the “Amazon.” After some conversation, with Mr Smith, I concluded to accept this offer, as it appeared the only course I could adopt to get the emigrants on the other side in time for starting over the plains. While in London engaged in shipping the people, I learned from various sources, for the first time, that Elder Eli, B, Kelsey, while President of the Conference, many years ago, publicly predicted that ships would leave the port of London, laden with Saints. This seemed, at the time, a thing unlikely ever to occur; but by the departure of the “Amazon,” it was partially fulfilled. The total number of Saints who emigrated this season by our own chartered vessels & other vessels in small bodies, is, in our General Summary estimated as 3,666.

BIB: Cannon, George Q. Journal (Ms 1201), June 1863. (CHL) (source abbreviations)