"I left the camp in company with my brethren, July 3rd, 1846, and when I return shall have traveled upwards of seventeen thousand miles, three thousand of this was in England, Scotland and Wales. I now feel well in health and spirits, am thankful that so much of my mission is completed, and I bless the name of the God of Israel." From New Orleans he took passage in the steam-packet, _Patrick Henry_, for St. Louis, where he arrived on the 25th of March. Here he parted company with Elder Pratt, who made his way through the country to the camp; while Elder Taylor in charge of the small company of Saints took steamer up the Missouri for the same point; but on reaching St. Joseph he left the boat and took carriage, as he desired to reach the camp before the pioneer company left for the West, as he had with him some surveying and scientific instruments purchased in England for them. Those instruments consisted of two sextants, two barometers, two artificial horizons, one circular reflector, several thermometers and a telescope. He arrived in time to meet President Young and deliver these instruments [3] and some money sent from England to aid the Church. The pioneer camp had left Winter Quarters a day or two before, and was then camped on the Elk Horn, some twenty or thirty miles distant, so that he had returned just in time. The labors of Elder Taylor and companions were highly approved by President Young, and he heartily welcomed them back to their families and the Church. Footnotes 1. Then the general name for the great West, including what is now Utah. 2. Elder Orson Spencer was left in charge of the mission after the departure of the Apostles, and Elder Franklin D. Richards was his counselor. 3. It was with those instruments that Orson Pratt, a few months later, laid out Salt Lake City. CHAPTER XXI. PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY INTO THE WILDERNESS--THE OUTFIT--THE RENDEZVOUS--ORGANIZATION--MANNER OF TRAVELING--MEETING THE PIONEERS--A SYLVAN FEAST--ARRIVAL IN SALT LAKE VALLEY--"WORK ENOUGH FOR ONE FALL"--SOCIAL FEAST--CHARACTER OF PRIMITIVE SOCIETY. The Saints at Winter Quarters had been instructed to organize into companies and follow the pioneers into the mountains as soon as practicable. As Elders Taylor and Pratt did not arrive in time to fit out and accompany the pioneers; and as they were members of the quorum presiding over the Church at the time, Elder Taylor was associated with Elder Pratt in a general superintendency of affairs at Winter Quarters and especially in organizing the companies destined to follow the Pioneers that summer.