Most of the men who were called and who accompanied this mission were large and powerful men, physically. Among them were the father of Horace S. Eldredge, Appleton Harmon, James Works, Thomas Grover, Captain Davis and Father Malin. Heber C. Kimball had charge when we were set apart and was mouth in my case, giving me a blessing greater than my faith. Among other things he said that, I should be like Paul of old, in the land to which I was going.
The most of the company left Salt Lake City on the 19th of April, and those who did not go then overtook us the next morning. We carried the mail by express with ox teams, and delivered it at Council Bluffs on the 4th of July following.
At the time we were set apart Brother Heber forbid us taking either money, watches, rings or chains of gold or silver, but told us to go literally without purse or scrip. For the benefit of the missionaries who now go by rail and frequently in first-class style, I record that the first day out we reached the mouth of Emigration Canyon, and that night had a severe snow storm. The next morning our cattle were all lost. We divided into parties to find them. The party with which I went trailed some of the cattle towards the city. They wished me to go in, see the folks and help get the cattle back. I said, "No, I will never enter Salt Lake again till I have fulfilled my mission, unless I am carried in dead."
After some little trouble we again got our cattle together. The snow in crossing the "Big and Little Mountain" was very deep; we cut a pole twenty-seven and a half feet long, pushed it into the snow, but failed to reach the ground. We cut poles made holes in them for the wheels of the wagon, bent one end of the poles in the shape of a sleigh-runner, and pulled and pushed our wagons in places by hand. We would frequently sink into the snow almost to our necks, and after crawling out the sun would melt the snow on our clothes so that at night we were as wet as though we had been immersed in the water. In the mornings we stood on the snow crusts, beat our boots and pantaloons over the wagon wheels to get the ice out of them before we could dress. We took our stockings to bed with us and dried them among our clothes. It was in the endurance of these exposures that I think Elder Wm. Burton (who was very noble and free in his labors) so weakened his constitution as to make him unable to successfully stand the climate and disease that preyed upon him in the old country.
One night, in East Canyon, we dug a hole in the snow seven feet deep, put some brush on the bottom and had a good night's rest. We were favored before morning with quite a fall of snow, which helped to keep us warm. When we arose in the morning we were quite merry, and several commenced singing the songs of Zion. Captain Davis and Thomas Grover were camped a little ahead of us, and as we over to the latter's wagon he remarked, "Missionaries who can sing in such a condition I want to give my purse to," and he handed us one containing $23.45.
For days on this journey, from a sun-rise start to a sun-set stop, we only made from one-half to one mile's distance, frequently putting five and six yoke of oxen to a wagon at a time. The food our cattle had was brouse and dry grass on the ridges where the snow had blown off.
We reached the Platte River about three o'clock, p.m., on Saturday, May 25th, with our cattle so weak and poor that we drove several of them loose and pulled two wagons into camp by hand. After lunch we had a fellowship meeting. I made a motion that when we left that camping place we should have good, light wagons, with four horses to each one, plenty of food, and "a white man's outfit." After considerable discussion the motion was unanimously carried, and with considerable sarcasm I was appointed trader-in-chief to make the desired exchanges. Several California emigrants were present at the meeting and before night, they had donated a nice wagon, a new set of double harness, a horse, some rice, sugar, dried apples, etc. In a few days I succeeded in exchanging our old out-fits for fine, fat horses, and everything needful for a comfortable journey. We put a sign on one of our wagons "U. S. Mail," and received considerable money for drop letters.
In crossing the plains we met the cholera among the gold diggers, who were on their way to California. We frequently had to leave the road to avoid the stench of those who had died by its ravages, and were but slightly covered over by their comrades. At one time I saw a man beating his cattle with the butt of his whip, cursing loudly at the same time; he dropped on the ground in the act and in about fifteen minutes was dead and buried. One evening Captain Davis was attacked with the terrible disease and in a short time was dead. The day following I was taken with it about noon, just as we were about to turn down to the Platte River to lunch. My brethren gave me all encouragement, saying they would hurry to the river, and nurse me and do all they could for me. For a few minutes I did the most rapid thinking of my lifetime. I then told them not to take me from the main road, for God's servants had promised me I should not die on the road to England. They asked what they should do. I told them to let me get out of the wagon on the sand with my face towards Europe, and then they should go to their lunch. If they should return and find me dead, they had better return home and conclude that "Mormonism" was a hoax. They seemed to think my head was affected and I had to charge them in a most solemn manner before they would let me have my way. When they came to me from lunch I selected two brethren to hold me up by the wrists at the hind end of the wagon, and drive the team as slowly as possible, and when the paroxysms of the cramp came on to lift me in. This was continued till about three o'clock, p.m., when the cholera left me. For the width of three fingers where my stomach and bowels were cramped over each other, my body was as black and blue for some three weeks as any bruise I have ever seen, and as much flesh went from me in six hours, as a fever usually takes from a man in a month. I know this, that the faith taught me by my father, Daniel Spencer, together with the natural grit inherited from my father and mother, saved my life.
We sold our outfits at Council Bluffs for considerable more than those we traded for them would have brought us. As we journeyed through the States the Elders separated to visit relatives, and on the day I reached Albany, N. Y., I had no companion.
I had acted as cook considerable of the time on the plains; had laid on the ground, on the brush and in the snow, assisted to wash dishes and had done my full share of camp duty generally; but in doing this my clothes had got into a condition that would have been a curiosity at a dress ball. I wore a cap that many years before (I cannot recollect how many) had been of fur; it had now got to be what might be called a skin cap. I had two or three holes cracked through it, out of which my hair would often be seen.