This letter was copied from a typewritten copy of the original. The typewritten copy was received from Sara Leota Mutz, a granddaughter of Arthur Tyrrell.

Page Three

Fort Larmie          August 26th 1849

     I have again taken my pen to write, the Company is all well I am now 522 miles west of the Missouri River, I commence where I left off above Wood River is a small stream but a hard rain had raised it. The water was 10 feet deep or more. We cut two logs 30 feet long and fixed them like eav troughs put them across so that the wheels run on them and drawed the wagons over by hand and swam the oxen, had good luck, very good road except some sand. When we was 306 miles from the Missouri River our oxen run away from us and was gone over two weeks. We could not find them, they got scart at the buffaloes and run off in amonst the bluffs could not track them. There was so many buffaloes the morning they left there was more than a thousand in sight/in two days and nights

     the oxen took around and the Mormons stoped them 136 miles below at Wood River having traveled that distance by the road in that short time besides what they went in the bluffs it used them up bad they had gained till then.

     I will give all the particulars some other time the road is sandy and bad in places no large streams that is bad to cross we kept up the north side of Plat River all the way to the Fork Two days before we arrived at this place we saw Indians for the first time there is quite a number around here the Company a head of us gave them the cholera and a great many of them died we saw them lying dead in a number of places along the road. the live ones run off and left them without burring them, that was the reason we did not see any before

     There is about 2 hundred soldiers here at present all well

     We expect to winter at Salt Lake I want you to write to me there Write as soon as you recieve this I am anxious to hear from you all

     If I am not at the Lake when it comes I will git N C Tinney to forward it to me

     Give my respects to all inquireing friends to Henry and Eliza Ann in particular tell them I am well and want to see them

     Overlook mistakes and bad spelling

               Yours & c
                Arthur Tyrrell

This short essay was copied from a typewritten copy of the original.  The typewritten copy was received from Sara Leota Mutz, a granddaughter of Arthur Tyrrell.  It was attached to the preceding letter dated October 12th, 1849.  It may or may not have been included with the original letter when it was mailed by Arthur.

To all it concerns

I will give you a little instruction about a team a good wagon that he had made two years ago  put four yoak of oxen to it  none of them under five years old nor over eight  good travelers that has not been hurt nor strained  they stand it better than younger ones and are not more likely to git foot sore, then not put over twenty five hundred pounds on your wagon  les would be better  it is all a mistake about young cattle being the best or heavy wagons  light strong wagons are the thing  well ironed two inch tires not less  wider would be better  cows stand it well to drive loose or to work in the team  young cattle stand it very well drive loose but not to work in teams only part of the time.  The Mormons are driving sheep  they stand their work well  some of them work horses to their wagons in the room of oxen  they stand it very well  The wagons to be on the middle track if new ones are made Arthur Tyrrell

Our thanks to Ray W. Justus for contributing these letters to the Jo Daviess Co. USGenWeb site.