Monday, March 20, 1876

Mar. 20th.  Breakfast and fare, 5 shillings.  After five miles, we come to a nice clean mountain stream flowing over a rocky bed.  We drink, bathe our feet and sing, "O, Ye Mountains High."  Seven miles and we have dinner, 1 shilling, at McRoy.  Then we pass Shoal River on a bridge 175 paces long to Braidwood, thirteen miles and stop at Kingland Hotal.

Sunday, March 19, 1876

Mar. 19th.  After breakfast and considerable Gospel talk, we pass Bungedore, a small village near the south end of Lake George.  Three miles more and we take, from a lofty mountain, a last look at the lake and have good mountain scenery in different directions; toward Sydney, 100 miles; toward Victory, the Australian Alps in the blue distance.  Two miles to Deep Creek, where we obtain lodging with Chas. Ross.  We converse with A. Hutchinson, his half brother, who walked three miles to see and visit with us.  He has read our works; has a Book of Mormon which he has read some; knew several who joined us and went to the Valley.

Friday, March 17, 1876

Mar. 17th.  At morning prayer, I was again called to officiate.  I read Matthew 11.  In parting, after much Gospel talk, he said: "You are in a noble work, winning souls to Christ.  When you pass this way again, say, "This is home'."  He owns 4,500 acres, 900 sheep and other stock.  With God's blessing, we pass on.

A few passing conversations, and we come to the copper mines, where we spent two hours.  Then four miles and we are at Lake George in the mountain tops.  It is 10 by 35 miles with no outlet - nice mountain scenery in different directions.  We are entertained by Mr. J. R. Kenney and had a pleasant conversation on history, including Utah and the Mormons.  Slept on a feather bed.

At breakfast, he engaged in further inquiry about Brigham's people.  We defend polygamy from the Bible and then explain the first principles.  By invitation, we dine, then pass on by some nice scenery.  We ask accommodations and are refused by Osburn, worth 130,000 acres well pastured.  Some miles farther we are favored by a poor herder, but Oh! the fleas!  I scarcely slept and there are hundreds of perforations in my back.  We accept such from the poor and give thanks for their kindness.

Thursday, March 16, 1876

Mar. 16th, 1876.  Nine months from home.  I was married twenty years ago today.  I wrote to President Groo.  We packed our valises with underclothes, books and tracts; had prayer with the Chittenden family and administered to Brother Chittenden for his illness.

AUSTRALIAN BUSH ON FOOT

Then we started on a trip of several days in the Australian Bush on foot.  After a walk of ten miles and a drink of the best spring water I have tasted in this country, at 2:00 P.M. we called at the house of Mr. Robert A. Nielson and were invited in.  Water and milk were offered and I took freely of the latter.  He asked us our business. I replied, "We are Latter-day Saint Missionaries."  He said he thought we were ministers, had lunch served and engaged us in conversation.  He is Wesleyan and had read his Bible by rote eight times.  He had his wife and daughter come in and listen and, at 4:00 P.M., when we proposed to move on, we were invited to stay over night, which we gladly accepted.  At prayers, I was called to the big chair with the big Bible before me.  I read John 3 and prayed for the dissemination of truth, for all that labor in his cause and for the building up of God's Kingdom, etc.  He responded with groans and amens.  I must be serious but it was as good as theatre.  He asked me to discuss with his Catholic shepherd, which I did, to his satisfaction, using Daniel 2 and Nahum 2, etc.

Tuesday, March 14, 1876

Mar. 14th.  More Gospel conversations.  We consecrated oil.  We prayed for and administered to Sister Griffith.  I had a letter from J.T. Smith giving the effort of the United Order and another effort in Arizona under the command of Lot Smith.

Sunday, March 12, 1876

Mar. 12th.  I joined with the Chittenden family, going to the Church of England chapel.  The Minister read  Genesis 32, which is favorable to our polygamy, especially verses 22 to 30.  Jacob took his two wives and two women servants and eleven sons and passed over the ford Jabbok.  He told of his wrestling with the Lord and the Lord blessing him there.  Then he took Luke 18:2 for a text and gave a talk that Latter-day Saints could find no fault with.

Friday, March 10, 1876

Mar. 10th.  Had a Gospel talk one and a half hours with Mr. Harrison and three apprentices listening.  After defending polygamy as scriptural and moral, I took up the principles as taught by the Savior and his disciples and predicted by Daniel, second chapter.

Thursday, March 9, 1876

Mar. 9th.  I wrote letters to my family and others and mailed them. 

Wednesday, March 8, 1876

Mar. 8th.  I received letters and papers from Job Welling.   He is now in Geelong.  He has faced Mrs. Stenhouse in her lecture and told her to her face that what she said was false.  He wrote twelve pages.

Tuesday, March 7, 1876

Mar. 7th.  I wrote to Bishop J.W. Hess and have been reading, studying and conversing.

Monday, March 6, 1876

Mar. 6th.  This morning, went tracting, some three miles.  I had one and a half hour talk on our religion with Mr. Johnson.  He was glad to hear me.  He felt all I said was reasonable.  He took two tracts.

Sunday, March 5, 1876

Sunday, Mar. 5th.  Meeting of the family and a few others.  Some speaking and reading on the principles an on the restoration of all things.

Saturday, March 4, 1876

Mar. 4th.  I wrote a letter to Mr. B. Robinson, a fellow passenger on the S.S. Great Britain.  In the afternoon we attended the rebaptism of Brother and Sister Chittenden, with Cluff officiating.

Friday, March 3, 1876

Mar. 3rd.  We had two Gospel talks: one with a Mr. Turner, a builder, who had heard of our people and we compared our Church with the Church of England; the other, Joseph D. Wier had heard of us and read our works in England.  He preferred to stand by the church he was educated in.   We all hope to reach heaven and he hoped we all would gain it.  None can say, "We know we are right."  I quoted the Savior: "If any man will do His will, he will know of the doctrine, etc."

Friday, March 3, 1876

Mar. 3rd.  We had two Gospel talks:  one with a Mr. Turner, a builder, who had heard of our people and we compared our Church with the Church of England;  the other, Joseph D. Wier had heard of us and read our works in England.  He preferred to stand by the church he was educated in.  We all hope to reach heaven and he hoped we all would gain it. None can say, "We know we are right."  I quoted the Savior: "If any man will do His will, he will know of the doctrine, etc."

Thursday, March 2, 1876

Mar. 2nd.  My head and back ache and kidney pain continue.  We had some Gospel talks at Goulburn.  Two copies of "Desert News" arrived.

Wednesday, March 1, 1876

Mar. 1st.  Last night I dreamed of being home; was in a council meeting with President Young who asked about the mission; then a talk with my folks, telling them of my labors, my present location and the baptisms performed.  All that I had done on the mission appeared clear in my mind.  I realized that I must return a distance of 10,000 miles e're morn, which must be done in quick aerial flight.   I also thought I told about Job Welling's mission and a report sent home by him.  Then I thought I deliberately prepared for coming back and passed with a companion, who seemed to me to be H.D. Haight.  We went with speed until we arrived at San Francisco and were looking at the shipping.  Then alone, I was lifted up in the air and wafted with speed across the deep.  I thought I had two needed articles (I cannot tell what) and they appeared to be attached to my feet, retarding my speed and making me weary.  But my dream took me a long, long, aerial flight over clouds, foaming billows, calm seas, islands and coral reefs, until my arrival at Brother Peg's house in Sydney.  On awakening it was daylight.  I have, at different times, dreamed of being home and each time have thought that I must make my way back, and each time the saying of President Young that the Arizona Missionaries might be expected back in a few weeks was always on my mind.