Wednesday, February 9, 1876

Feb. 9th.  I had no sleep until two or three this morning and then but poorly.  I am not well.  God grant I may feel better in body and spirit.  I am writing letters home.

Tuesday, February 8, 1876

Feb. 8th.  The day was spent at Mayberry's with some Gospel talk.  Watching for mail, but it has not arrived yet.  For some cause I have been very dull in spirit the last few days.  I hope it is from no other cause than that we are slow in getting among the people and that my diet, which is poor and dry, is not suited to my stomach.  I am eating but little.  My blood and flesh are diminishing and my lungs are poorly fed.

Monday, February 7, 1876

Feb. 7th.  I wrote to President Groo, in which I explained how these families, Chittendens and Mayberrys had been drifting about through the Australian Bush for seventeen years unable to migrate, yet had kept the Gospel spirit burning in their bosoms and were yet looking for a time when the voice of Elders and deliverance would reach them!  They are anxious to migrate and propose to save to that end, with all the economy and labor possible.

Sunday, February 6, 1876

Sunday, Feb. 6th.  This morning we visited Mrs. Gardner, a daughter of  Chittenden's, and find her a Latter-day Saint at heart.  Her husband was not home.  They have six children.  We were introduced to Mr. Bradley and conversed with him an hour and a half on religion, politics and sundries.  He is a Canadian.  I loaned him "Answers to Questions".  In the afternoon we met an appointment at Mayberry's with Carolyn, Louise, and Hyrum Chittenden accompanying us.  We did not have a family meeting as I had wished.  We returned to Chittenden's.

Thursday, February 3, 1876

Feb. 3rd, 4th, and 5th, we spent with the two families.  I wrote letters to Welling and Swan.

Wednesday, February 2, 1876

Feb. 2nd.  We spent the day with Mr. Tilley, gardener for the Gibson's; who own an estate, said to contain 85,000 acres of farm, pasture and timber.  We spent several hours, very agreeably, where we were shown through the garden and orchard of 25 acres with several houses.  We saw trees and flowers unknown to me before.  Opossums and birds are very destructive here.   We had a letter of introduction to Tilley with a request to talk the Gospel, but he said he was not open to conviction; his influence would be against us and not for us; but he would say we had done our part in offering the Gospel to him, which, I told him, is all we asked.

Tuesday, February 1, 1876

Feb. 1st, 1876.  Had a bath and swim in the Mulwara Creek or River as it is called; the first swim since I left home.  In the afternoon we went in the Bush and helped get a load of wood for a change.  In the evening, we read to the family from the "Voice of Warning", and had a Gospel talk.