-- Feb 28, 1846
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] Feb 28th 1846 Saturday This is the last day of feb & of winter And here we are riding still upon the mountain billows of the great deep. The wind is still dead ahead. The sea is not quite so rough this morning & the gale is lade in some degree yet some sudden gusts & squalls are striking us. It is quite cold this morning. We are running North. We are now 36 days out from Liverpool And no outward prospect of its being better. We do not gain any at all.
I dreamed last night that there was a great Storm that killed thousands of Birds that were floating upon the water. I saw many that were not quite dead. I waided in 2 or three feet of water & picked out many of them & put them under a goose that was sitting & they were warmed brought to life & run about lively & well.... (1)
-- Mar 1, 1846
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] March 1st 1846 {39} Sunday This is the commencement of spring in the year AD 1846 And Also my birth day. I am thirty Nine years of Age this day And Am Still rolling upon the Atlantic on board the Ashburton.
There is much Joy manifest on board the Ship this morning in consequence of having A fair wind the first we have had for many days. I am fearful it will not last long but still I hope it may. The Cow had a fall last night is sick And they are about to kill her to day. We are running on our Course.
We have been 37 Days at sea And I expected to have been with my friends before this time. When that day will come I know not. The Probability is that the year now lying before me will be one of the most important years of my life. Whare the next birth day will find me I know not. Will it be in Calafornia with the Saints And will my Parents wife And all my Children be with me? Time must determin.
The old cow was killed at 1 oclok, And such a scene I never before beheld. A large number of the steerage Passengers mostly Irish who had not had any thing to eat but oat meal for many days they fell upon the carcase of the cow as soon as her skin was off And cut & tore her to peases like so many wolves And in a few moments she was carried away by peaces And scarcely any thing left of her but her entrails. And the Irish immediately fell to roasting stewing Boiling & eating her. The Cow was sick & her carcase vary lean.
We have been tuning about 8 not an hour through the day & 10 not through the night on our course. I had the best nights rest I have had on board the ship. I dreamed of seeing Br Young & other friends. We had a warm short cake for supper one third boiled potatoes & two thirds flour but it was nice. (1)
-- Mar 17, 1846
Brigham Young relates a dream he had the night before: "I was pursued by a beast which threatened my life, and I fled into a house for safety, the beast following me appeared to change into a human being which I attempted to shoot with a seven shooter, to save my own life but it would not go off, then to bluff off the person I drew my small six shooter which went off contrary to my expectations, the ball passed through the brain of the individual, soon as the blood started the man came to his senses and was sorry for what he had done. I felt so bad because I had shot a man, that I awoke and was thankful that it was but a dream." (2)
-- May 4, 1846. Monday.
[William Clayton Journal] Finished my letter to [plural wife] Diantha and sent it by John Richards. [John] Horlick has concluded to tarry till my wagons are fixed. I spent the day examining my flour and crackers and helping [Margaret] to fix the tent as considerable of my crackers and flour are damaged on account of having poor wagons. I dreamed last night that I saw Diantha and her babe. Her babe was dres[se]d in white and appeared to be [layed] down with its eyes closed. She was bent over it apparently in sorrow. When I went to her she flew to me earnestly but the babe seemed to be kept still and I awoke. This dream has troubled me considerable. Evening met the clerks of 50's in my tent and instructed them how to make their reports &c. (3)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993
2 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
3 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995
Mormon Timeline: Dreams
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
