Absent friends      I have again taken my pen to inform you that I am well and have bin since I wrote last and the company is all well except a man by the name of Montgomery, that joined our company at Fourt Larime. He is confined to his wagon with rheumatism we have stopped to do some blacksmith work Our oxen are some of them lame and have to be shawd. We are now 80 miles from Salt Lake ahard and mountainous road to go over.

     Our teams are getting tired and warnutout. Some of the company are for taking the suthern rout and going on when we get to Salt Lake but I dont know what we will do yet. It is a 1,000 miles that way and 500 the north rout We cannot go the north rout in the winter but I think our teams to poor to go the south rout without stoping in the valley a month or two for our cattle to recruit.

     If I could see you I would tell you lots I have not time to write. We expect the mail every hour from Salt Lake. It is the last chance that is to go through this fall to the States and this is the last chance I shall have to send to you till spring. I do not know where I shall be then. I have not heard a word from you yet. I am in hopes to hear from you at the Valley if you wrote in time for it to come through this fall. If we take the southern rout we will get through in the spring. if we take the nothern rout we cannot start from the Valley till spring but if you dont get any more news frome me I want you to write about 1st of June and direct your letter to SanFrancisco. I shall probaly be there by that time or soon after. If we take the south rout I will write you from Mexico in the Winter or the first chance after we start. I do not know whether we go south enough to git into Mexico but we git into settlements in 500 miles after leaving the Valley. If you have wrote to me and it does not come this fall, it will come in the spring. I will make arangements to have it sent on but be shure and write in June or before in the spring.

     The company has had as good as any company on the road and as few accidents, Our captians ( Thosar Owen) wagon turned over once done no damage but broke the houns on the tang and he has had one cow die. Hierum Imus has lost four oxen, broke down two wagon wheels and broke them other ways two or three times. Philip Rice wagon that Isa Hardin drives, the hind wheel run off and broke the axeltrie. It is the most damage he had done. Mr. Chruceh broke down a wheel Mr. Congar and Dunbar lost each of them an ox and Mr. Chambers one cow. We see a great number of dead cattle all along the road that have died out of the companies a head of us and a great destruction of wagons and other property.

     Thare is now a company of 150 of Mormans between us and the Valley and a company of 200 more wagons just behind us or within 150 miles back. Some of the hind company pased today, they say thare is nor more nearer than 50 miles back, Some of the company that was a head is camped Just below us now they say they shall start to morrow. We shal start next day after to morrow, we calculate to go to the Valley in one week then it is now a snowing loks likely for considerable we had one snow storm before, when we was at Green River it snowed all day, fast it melted a bout as fast as it came. it did not git but about 3 inches deep whare we was but the mountains are all white since that they were white when we was at Fourt Larmie in August and all most every knight since that. The grass is getting dead and dry for the cattle, but we have a plenty

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to eat Buffalow, Elk Deer Antelope Black tail Deer a little different from the comon deer and mountain Sheep or goat Grisley Bear and Rabbits all them kinds of meat we have in camp besides Prarie Dogs then I have seen various other kinds of wild animals. There is the Black Grey White and spotted Wolves the largest I ever saw and Fish in the streams we have ketched some to et so you may know we live fine.

     The mountains dose not look so high as I expected to see them They are not so high above the canon level of the country as the Green mountains is we are now 6836 feet above the sea and we have pased over the highest ridge 7700 ft. the south pass is 7085 ft. Fourt Bridger 6665 ft. above the sea we are now 750½ miles from CouncilBluffs.

     I must now bring my letter to a close by sending you my best respects and wishes for your good luck and prosperty.

Arthur Tyrrell to
Eliza J Tyrrell
and Jonas R Patrige

October 13th 1849

     The mail has not yet arived I did not think to write to you that the wagon run over one of the Phillips boys he was getting out of the wagon the oxen goeing along fell from the tung and the hind wheel run over him and it did not hurt so but what he was to play the next day after it Another circumstance I will mention the third of September we camped at night Hentuck Phillips wife gave birth to a daughter we was not detained a minuet by it we started the next morning as early as usual on our journey she and the child are both doeing fine and so you can see we have all kinds of business on hand except deaths.

October 18, 1849

     I enclose this inside of my letter still hoping it will reach you and find you in good health and good spirits and as I am which cant be beet I tell you

     Give my respects to mother and all inquiring friends Adieu

Arthur Tyrrell

     We have met the mail all is well there is a man along that saw Nathan Tinney last Monday he is well, He lives 12 miles from the city. Ariah Brower has gon to California he went to there last spring The man said to dig gold, we are 33 miles from the Valley now we shall get there Saturday if nothing hapens the road is hard we have to go over a high mountain yet it is in sight. Snow a plenty on it but none here There is a company fitting up at the valley to go to California the south rout they start the 10th of November I expect we will go with them if we do, I will write the first chance there will be no other chance to write from the Valley this fall.

This is from your friend

Arthur Tyrrell

P.S. I want to see you all